Best Web Design in Apple Valley, CA (2026)

Web Design for Apple Valley, California

Apple Valley is a high-desert town in the Victor Valley of San Bernardino County, named for the award-winning apple orchards planted here in the early 1900s. It is best known as the longtime home of cowboy stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, whose theme song lent the local stretch of State Route 18 its name, 'Happy Trails Highway.' One of California's newer municipalities, it deliberately calls itself a 'town' rather than a 'city.'

AppWT works with Apple Valley, CA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Apple Valley

Also known as. Apple of the Desert. A Better Way of Life.

History. The name 'Apple Valley' arose from apple orchards planted in the area; in 1915 Los Angeles Examiner publisher Max Ihmsen developed 320 acres of apples and pears that won numerous agricultural awards. Commercial apple growing declined because of rising water costs, World War I labor shortages, Depression-era out-migration, and fungal crop infections in 1944-46. Developers Newton T. Bass and Bernard 'Bud' Westlund ran the Apple Valley Ranchos Land Development Company and opened the landmark Apple Valley Inn on Thanksgiving Day 1948. Western performers Roy Rogers and Dale Evans lived in Apple Valley from 1965 until their deaths and are buried at Sunset Hills Memorial Park. Apple Valley incorporated as a town on November 28, 1988, making it one of California's newer municipalities.

Local economy. The Apple Valley Unified School District is the largest employer, with about 1,574 workers as of 2020. St. Mary Regional Medical Center employs roughly 1,301 people. A Walmart Distribution Center employs about 1,208 people, anchoring the town's logistics sector. Retail, healthcare, education and distribution are the leading industries, with Target and Big Lots among top employers.

Culture and community. The legacy of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans defines local identity, from the 'Happy Trails Highway' to the Apple Valley Legacy Museum. Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. attended Apple Valley High School. Other notable figures include Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo and American Idol Season 19 winner Chayce Beckham. The area is a cradle of California college rodeo, with an early intercollegiate rodeo held at the Ihmsen Ranch in the late 1930s.

What makes Apple Valley distinct. Apple Valley is one of only about 22 California municipalities that officially call themselves a 'town' rather than a 'city.' Richard Nixon spent about three months at founder Newton T. Bass's home in 1961 writing his book 'Six Crises.' The desert landscape has stood in for movies including 'The Hills Have Eyes' (1977) and 'Eagle Eye' (2008), and the TV series 'Sky King' filmed at the old Apple Valley Airport. The stretch of State Route 18 through town is nicknamed 'Happy Trails Highway' after the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans theme song.

A high-desert town in the Victor Valley with ranching roots, long known as the home of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

Apple Valley Landmarks and Local Life

• Sunset Hills Memorial Park - Burial site of longtime residents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
• Happy Trails Highway (State Route 18) - Stretch of State Route 18 named for Roy Rogers within town limits
• Civic Center Park - 22-acre park with an amphitheater, aquatic center, and dog park
• Horsemen's Center Park - 80-acre equestrian park with campsites and a BMX track

Apple Valley at a Glance

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023.

• Median household income: About $65,926
• Adults with a bachelor degree or higher: About 19.5%
• Housing: About 69.3% of homes are owner-occupied
• Housing: About 77.6% of housing units are single-family homes