City comparison
Apple Valley, CA is about 30 miles (50 km) from Highland, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 36 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Apple Valley, CA to Highland, CA takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Apple Valley has a population of 75,603, vs 56,789 in Highland — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Apple Valley covers about 77 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Highland.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Apple Valley | Highland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,297/mo | $1,343/mo | 3.5% higher in Highland |
| Median home value | $345,400 | $418,400 | 21.1% higher in Highland |
| Median household income | $62,898 | $72,222 | 14.8% higher in Highland |
| Groceries index | 101.7 | 101.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 146.5 | 146.5 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.5 | 101.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need $100,120 in Highland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Apple Valley and Highland have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need about $80,096 in Highland to keep the same standard of living.