Census reveals recession damage in Victor Valley: Residents deal with longer commutes, lower incomes, less health insurance

The recession has taken its toll on local cities, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau, widening the gap between Victor Valley residents and the average Californian.

Victor Valley residents deal with longer commutes, lower incomes and less health insurance coverage than the state as a whole, the 2008 American Community Survey reveals.

Only Victorville remains slightly above the national median income, with $52,999 per household. But household incomes in local cities are still 13 to 30 percent lower than California's median income, with an unemployment rate in the Victor Valley that's well above state figures.

Health insurance data was included in the annual study for the first time this year. With a largely blue-collar work force, which may not offer as many benefit options as whitecollar positions, the survey shows that local residents are 5 to 8 percent less likely to have coverage than Americans overall.

With affordable housing always a draw, local cities do have more homeowners than the county, state or nation as a whole.

O n l y 3 1 p e rce n t of Victor Valley residents rent their homes, according to the census data, as opposed to 33 percent in the country, 37 percent in the county and 43 percent in the state.

This is good news, many experts say, as homeowners tend to be more invested in their communities.

The vacancy rate for all housing actually went down by more than 1,000 homes in Hesperia from 2007 to 2008.

Victorville's vacancy rate increased slightly, in line with state and county figures.

But in Apple Valley, the number of vacant homes jumped from nearly 9 percent in 2007 to more than 15 percent in 2008.

(The report does not include Adelanto, as the data is only available for cities with 65,000 residents or more.)

All three local cities have commuting rates that dwarf the county, state and nation.

Hesperia's commuter rates are the highest, with 56 percent driving a half-hour or more and 22 percent driving an hour or more to get to work.

However, Palmdale posted the longest average commute in country, at 41.5 minutes into Los Angeles.

Brooke Edwards may be

reached at 955-5358 or at bedwards@VVDailyPress.com.

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