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Cost of living, pay and housing

44.75° N · 93.20° W · GEOID 2701900

Apple Valley

Dakota County, Minnesota · part of the Minneapolis, MN metro

MinnesotaApple Valley, MNApple ValleyApple Valley

The short answer

Apple Valley is home to 55,679 people. Median household income is $97,673 a year and median rent is $1,738 a month, 21.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $370,400, about 3.8x annual median household income.

The story in Apple Valley is how fast things are changing. Rent rose 5.1% a year while household income rose 1.8% between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent outran pay by more than in 97% of places its size. Also notable: Household income growth is 1.8% a year, against 4.2% a year in its closest peers.

65OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Apple Valley scores better than 65% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 110th of 151 in Minnesota.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%47
Economy 20%77
Safety 20%45
Amenities 15%59
Education 10%74
Commute 10%53
Growth 5%4
Median gross rent
$1,738
27% above the median place
Median household income
$97,673
22% above the median place
Median home value
$370,400
16% above the median place
Unemployment
3.1%
36% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Apple Valley

Dakota County gains about 3.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in23,791
Moved out22,307
Net+1,484

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Hennepin County, MN6,3384,745+1,593
Ramsey County, MN4,0712,695+1,376
Scott County, MN1,6361,933−297
Washington County, MN1,4411,711−270
Anoka County, MN569699−130
Rice County, MN515517−2

Within Minnesota, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MinnesotaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$76K
Leavers$75K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Dakota County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
7.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.3% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Dakota County report $75,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $74,900.
Income you would need
$69,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,738 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,084 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $370,400.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 22.4% work from home; 2.0% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Urbandale, IA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
1.3%
36% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
7.0%
23% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
3.7
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year17.0%23% above
Moved from another state11.3%36% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure3.7above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$75,7457% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$74,9227% above
02

What it costs to live here

73% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 83% of the 529 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Apple Valley21.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$69,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
21.4%
5% above the median place
Home price to income
3.8x
0% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
21%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$74,600
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Apple Valley, $1,738 a month, and local prices for everything else (103.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Apple Valley, but easier on the budget

Places that match Apple Valley on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Urbandale, IA9612.9% vs 21.4%$31,200Compare
Gurnee, IL9316.6% vs 21.4%$23,600Compare
Marion, IA9313.3% vs 21.4%$7,000Compare
Shawnee, KS9314.4% vs 21.4%$26,000Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Apple Valley.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Apple Valley? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
1.8%
75% below the median place
Median year built1
1990
1% above the median place
Homeownership1
73.4%
11% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,73827% above
Rent to income121.4%5% above
Property tax rate11.0%9% above
Home price to income13.8x0% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure104.84% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7347% above
HUD area median income4County figure$131,50023% above
Property tax paid (median)1$3,65712% above
Median home value1$370,40016% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.5%53% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure32.3%37% below
Homeownership173.4%11% above
Renters paying 30%+152.2%3% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,08411% above
Vacant homes11.8%75% below
Median year built119901% above
03

Work and pay

Unemployment averaged 3.1% over the survey period, lower than in 91% of the 529 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Unemployment1
3.1%
36% below the median place
Works from home1
22.4%
80% above the median place
Poverty rate1
6.0%
45% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$50,382 +26%
Commutes by transit2.0% 2.4×
Median household income$97,673 +22%
Mean commute25 min −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$97,67322% above
Income per person1$50,38226% above
Unemployment13.1%36% below
Average annual pay6County figure$74,67313% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.6%30% below
Jobs6County figure189,16626% above
Poverty rate16.0%45% below
Mean commute125 min1% below
Works from home122.4%80% above
Commutes by transit12.0%139% above
04

Who lives here

Population change since 2020 is -2.0%, below the median place (median 1.1%).

Population change since 20207
-2.0%
below the median place (median 1.1%)
Bachelor's or higher1
45.9%
43% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
94.8%
3% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher95.0% +3%
No health insurance4.8% −25%
Born abroad11.7% +33%
Household size2.5 +2%
Median age39.0 +0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population155,679779th largest
Population change since 20207-2.0%below (median 1.1%)
Median age139.00% above
Bachelor's or higher145.9%43% above
High school or higher195.0%3% above
Household size12.52% above
Born abroad111.7%33% above
No health insurance14.8%25% below
Homes with broadband194.8%3% above
05

Life in Apple Valley

OpenStreetMap shows 16.9 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 84% of the 530 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1860. 39 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents16.9 +66%
Playgrounds per 10k26.4 2.8×
Grocery stores per 10k2.7 +27%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9.7 −13%
Libraries per 10k0.4 −59%
Named paths and bike trails9 km 4.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi13.0 62.1×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 13 miles
  • Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 52 miles
  • Effigy Mounds National Monument 152 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.9 −24%
Shops27.2 −10%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.4 +7%
Doctors' offices and clinics16.6 −18%
Child care centers3.1 +35%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
12.5
59% below the median place
Public school students14
13,338
172% above the median place
Public schools14
20
122% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools1420122% above
Public school students1413,338172% above
Students per teacher1415.72% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure15.924% below
Shops per 10k9County figure27.210% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure4.47% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure16.618% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.135% above
Parks per 10k1016.966% above
Playgrounds per 10k1026.4181% above
Grocery stores per 10k102.727% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k109.713% below
Libraries per 10k100.459% below
Named paths and bike trails108.6330% above
Transit stops per sq mi1013.0above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1112.559% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure39200% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 196, 2% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
196
2% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
1,443
19% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

January average low15
7°F
73% below the median place
Average temperature15
45°F
17% below the median place
Median air quality index17
35
19% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureApple ValleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure82°F5% below
January average low15County figure7°F73% below
Average temperature15County figure45°F17% below
Annual precipitation15County figure33.0 in25% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure89.53% below
Tornado risk16County figure97.420% above
Wildfire risk16County figure39.635% below
Heat wave risk16County figure84.66% below
Median air quality index17County figure3519% below
Good air days17County figure73.2%7% above
08

Apple Valley in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, up from 21% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Apple Valley does better than 45% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 41%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,738/mo (2024)$2,230/mo$1,830 to $2,720/mo+4.2%
Median household income$97,673 (2024)$122,000$103,000 to $144,500+3.8%
Median home value$370,400 (2024)$528,000$383,000 to $727,000+6.1%
Population55,248 (2025)55,15052,900 to 57,500−0.0%

The median home would be worth 4.3 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Apple Valley

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Carrollton, TX$1,735$101,396Compare
Rockwood, VA$1,744$97,992Compare
Glen Allen, VA$1,804$92,723Compare
Marlton, NJ$1,720$94,464Compare
Marlton, NJGlen Allen, VARockwood, VACarrollton, TXApple Valley, MNApple ValleyCarrolltonRockwoodGlen AllenMarltonApple ValleyCarrolltonRockwoodMarlton

Places built like Apple Valley

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Apple Valley performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Apple Valley, MN21.4%1.8%/yr-2.0%
Shawnee, KS14.4%4.8%/yr3.7%Compare
Urbandale, IA12.9%4.4%/yr6.6%Compare
Eagan, MN18.5%3.7%/yr-2.5%Compare
Inver Grove Heights, MN17.4%5.3%/yr3.0%Compare
Lee's Summit, MO16.6%2.6%/yr6.3%Compare
Chaska, MN16.8%5.4%/yr9.7%Compare

Common questions

Is Apple Valley a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 65 out of 100, better than 65% of the places we rate and 110th of 151 in Minnesota. On cost, space and class size it scores 65 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Apple Valley expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 21.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $370,400.

What salary do you need to live in Apple Valley?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $69,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Apple Valley safe?

There were 196 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Apple Valley?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Carrollton, TX, Rockwood, VA, Glen Allen, VA and Marlton, NJ.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Apple Valley with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Apple Valley itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/apple-valley-minnesota

Citytistics. “Apple Valley, Minnesota.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/apple-valley-minnesota/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.