Victorville's housing stock skews heavily toward single-family ranch-style homes built during and after the World War II boom at George Army Airfield, with later subdivisions adding contemporary tract homes on generous desert lots. Older blocks near Old Town and along Route 66 contain smaller mid-century cottages and bungalows. The city is known for comparatively affordable single-family housing within the Inland Empire, attracting families and first-time buyers, while master-planned communities and newer developments continue to push outward across the valley floor. Multi-family and apartment construction has grown near retail corridors.

Victorville's neighborhoods span its desert grid, from the historic blocks around Old Town and the Route 66 corridor to newer subdivisions across the valley. Areas near the Southern California Logistics Airport and along Bear Valley and Hesperia roads mix established ranch-style homes with retail and services. Master-planned communities on the city's edges offer newer construction, parks, and schools, while Spring Valley Lake to the east is a lake-oriented community with its own amenity district. Adjacent Apple Valley and Hesperia share the valley's suburban fabric, making Victorville the hub for the wider High Desert.

Life in Victorville centers on the High Desert's open landscapes and its role as the Victor Valley's commercial heart. Residents shop along the Bear Valley Road and Roy Rogers Drive corridors, where big-box retail, dining, and entertainment cluster. The city's location on historic Route 66 gives Old Town a nostalgic character, marked by the restored highway alignment and an Amtrak stop. Community life runs through the city's parks and the Victor Valley Museum, while its desert setting offers wide skies, clear nights, and quick access to mountain and desert recreation.

Victorville's students are served by multiple districts. The Victor Elementary School District operates K-6 schools across portions of the city, while the Victor Valley Union High School District serves grades 7-12 with high schools and junior highs in Victorville and neighboring communities. Some areas fall within the Adelanto Elementary School District. Higher-education options include Victor Valley College, the region's community college. The city also hosts charter and private schools, giving families a range of public and alternative choices across the Victor Valley.

Interstate 15 is Victorville's lifeline, descending the Cajon Pass to the San Bernardino Valley and the Inland Empire, with the route to Los Angeles roughly 85 miles. The city sits on a BNSF freight corridor and hosts an Amtrak stop in Old Town, while the Southern California Logistics Airport anchors regional freight and aviation. The Victor Valley Transit Authority runs local fixed-route and commuter service linking Victorville with Apple Valley, Hesperia, Barstow, and, via express routes, the San Bernardino Valley. U.S. Route 395 and State Route 18 provide additional High Desert connections.

The Mojave River and its Narrows give Victorville its signature green space: Mojave Narrows Regional Park offers fishing, camping, horseback trails, and lakes along the river. The city maintains a network of neighborhood parks, sports fields, and recreation centers, and the Victor Valley Museum displays regional history and natural science. Spring Valley Lake offers boating and shoreline living nearby. To the north and south, the San Bernardino Mountains and the Mojave Desert open up hiking, off-roading, and weekend excursions, including routes to Big Bear Lake and the Angeles National Forest.