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Apple Valley vs Barstow

Apple Valley, California versus Barstow, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Apple Valley

Mixed · objective livability41/100

Barstow

Mixed · objective livability41/100

Apple Valley and Barstow score about the same overall (41 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorApple ValleyBarstow
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k$52k
Cost of Living$83k$66k
Home Value$345k$174k
Monthly Rent$1k$978
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$1k
Property Tax Rate0.72%0.82%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden20.16%18.95%
Unemployment9.2%9.1%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)53°F49°F
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F87°F
Annual Precipitation7.4 in5.0 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.3 in
Sunny Days323 days323 days
Summer Humidity44°F44°F
Comfortable Days125 days89 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk79.573.3
Air Quality56 AQI48 AQI
School Quality38.953.2
Violent Crime890/100k2407/100k
Property Crime1487/100k2313/100k
Community
Population75,60325,235
Median Age36.131.7
Racial Diversity0.580.73
Male/Female Ratio0.970.91
Political LeaningEvenD+11
White (%)45.1%22.6%
Black (%)7.5%14.9%
Hispanic (%)39.0%51.6%
Asian (%)2.9%1.4%
Other / Multiracial (%)5.5%9.6%
Getting Around
Commute Time40 min28 min
Walkability9.4/2011.5/20
Airport Distance70 mi95 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.6%73.8%
Amenities Nearby9.5219.02
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apple Valley or Barstow more affordable?
Barstow has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Apple Valley's $83k and Barstow's $66k. Median rent is $1k in Apple Valley versus $978 in Barstow.
Is Apple Valley or Barstow safer?
Apple Valley has the lower violent crime rate. Apple Valley reports 890/100k and Barstow reports 2407/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Apple Valley or Barstow?
The median home value is $345k in Apple Valley and $174k in Barstow, so homes are more affordable in Barstow.
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