Area Statistics
Area Layout | People | Communities | Climate | Economy | Resources | History | Stats

Distances from other Southern California areas, measured from Palmdale are: Downtown Los Angeles, 60 miles; Santa Clarita, 35 miles; Burbank 45 miles; Bakersfield, 90 miles.

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People
More than 400,000 persons live in the Antelope Valley Region.

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Communities
The Antelope Valley has four incorporated cities:
Lancaster, Palmdale, Tehachapi and California City.

Unincorporated communities are: Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave, Rosamond, Boron, Quartz Hill, Littlerock, Lake Los Angeles, Pearblossom, Acton, Leona Valley, Lake Hughes, North Edwards and Sun Village.

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Climate
Ranging in elevation from 2,500 to 3,975 feet above sea level, the Antelope Valley offers a semi-arid, four-season climate, with low humidity. Precipitation days average 14 per year. Average daily high temperature from July 1 to Aug. 31 is 94 degrees F (about 10 degrees cooler than Palm Springs.) Overnight low summertime average is 63 degrees. Winter daily average high is 62 degrees F, with a daily average wintertime low of 36. Light winter snow can occur anywhere in the Antelope Valley, but snowfall is not common.

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Economy
Major private industry in the Antelope Valley includes: aerospace research and production; aircraft maintenance and modification, mining, metals fabrication, composite structures fabrication, precision machining, automotive industry after-market parts manufacturing, electronics fabrication and assembly, warehousing and distribution, diversified manufacturing and agribusiness.

Major public employers include: Edwards Air Force Base, Federal Aviation Administration and the California Dept. of Corrections.

Resources
The Antelope Valley is rich in natural resources, including borate ore, sand and gravel, precious metals, deep water aquifers and Southern California’s largest developable land tracts. Water supplies are supplemented from the California Aqueduct, which runs along the Valley’s western foothills. Enormous dry lake beds on Edwards AFB provide a natural and safe landing area for the world’s most sophisticated aerospace vehicles, including the space shuttle.

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History
The Antelope Valley’s modern history began in the last quarter of the 19th century with the arrival of the railroad and immigrant farmers. The Antelope Valley remained largely agricultural until World War II, when it became a center for military aviation training, production and flight testing and research. Completion of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in the mid-1960s provided fast access to the Los Angeles area, leading to the Antelope Valley’s rapid growth and development.

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Statistics
The "Typical" Antelope Valley Household

Statistically, the "average" Antelope Valley household:

Is occupied by 3.15 persons;
Has been in the Antelope Valley 10.4 years;
Earns an annual income of $53,054 (up 11% since 1997);
Lives in a single-family, detached house;
Owns the house (66% of households can afford home ownership).
Pays a monthly house mortgage of $780. (Rents average $490 per month.)

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