City comparison
Highland, CA is about 60 miles (100 km) from Indio, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 15 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 Highland, CA to Indio, CA takes about 7 min, covering roughly 60 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.
Indio has a population of 89,616, vs 56,789 in Highland — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Indio covers about 33 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 | Highland | Indio | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,343/mo | $1,344/mo | 0.1% higher in Indio |
| Median home value | $418,400 | $373,200 | 12.1% higher in Highland |
| Median household income | $72,222 | $68,436 | 5.5% 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 Highland, you'd need $100,000 in Indio to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Highland and Indio have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Highland, you'd need about $80,000 in Indio to keep the same standard of living.