The Town FilesHighland, California
City in San Bernardino County · population 56,999 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $485,600
- Household income
- $77,120
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.5
Highland is a city of 56,999 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $485,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 80% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 78% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of California towns.
How Highland ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Highland is worth $485,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $77,120, which is more affordable than 52% of California towns. Median rent is $1,629 a month. 64.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Highland | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $485,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,629 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $77,120 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Highland
| People | Highland | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Highland
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 12.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 104 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 3 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, unrated, struck on April 6, 1955 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 6, 1955.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 5, 2000.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Highland itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Highland
15 public schools with 7,877 students, about 20.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beattie Middle | 6-8 | 1,108 | 21.7 |
| Serrano Middle | 7-8 | 685 | 16.7 |
| Belvedere Elementary | K-6 | 564 | 22.6 |
| Arroyo Verde Elementary | K-5 | 541 | 22.5 |
| Lankershim Elementary | K-6 | 527 | 21.1 |
| Cram Elementary | K-5 | 521 | 24.8 |
| Entrepreneur High (charter) | 9-12 | 520 | 22.6 |
| Highland Grove Elementary | K-5 | 514 | 25.7 |
| Cypress Elementary | K-6 | 496 | 20.7 |
| Oehl Elementary | K-6 | 464 | 20.2 |
| San Andreas High | 10-12 | 452 | 14.1 |
| Thompson Elementary | K-6 | 451 | 19.6 |
Towns near Highland
- Redlands, CA4.2 mi · 73,168 people · home $618,900
- Mentone, CA4.7 mi · 9,557 people · home $436,700
- Loma Linda, CA6.7 mi · 24,791 people · home $596,900
- Running Springs, CA7.6 mi · 5,268 people · home $385,000
- San Bernardino, CA7.6 mi · 222,101 people · home $422,300
- Yucaipa, CA8.9 mi · 54,542 people · home $502,100
- Lake Arrowhead, CA9.7 mi · 12,401 people · home $596,500
- Colton, CA10.0 mi · 53,909 people · home $443,800
Highland questions
Is Highland, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highland scores better for retirees than 18% of California towns and quieter than 24%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Highland?
The median owner-occupied home in Highland is valued at $485,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,120, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,629 a month.
What is the weather like in Highland?
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Highland get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)