Apple Valley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Havasu City
Apple Valley
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 2%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 16%
vs7 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Havasu City | Apple Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,359 | 75,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,148 | $69,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,999 | $32,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,259/sq mi | 980/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $455,400 | $407,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,320 | $1,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -5.5% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 145 | 74 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.8% | -23.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 111°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 4.3" | 5.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 38.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 56.1 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.48 | 23.00 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lake Havasu City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Apple Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Havasu City
44
Your Score
38
Area Score
Apple Valley
47
Your Score
40
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Havasu City, AZ · Apple Valley, CA · How this is calculated: methodology