Palmdale is a city in the U.S. state of California, north of Los Angeles County. The city lies in the Southern California Antelope Valley area. The San Gabriel Mountains divide Palmdale from the southward town of Los Angeles. Palmdale was the first city to move into the Antelope Valley. Palmdale is California's 34th-most populous city. The population is estimated at more than 115,000. Palmdale was first settled by Native Americans.Populated for an estimated 11,000 years by various peoples, the Antelope Valley was a trading route for Native Americans moving from Arizona and New Mexico to the California coastline. The Palmdale region is roughly 40 miles long.