Untitled photo, 2006
Apple Valley’s story
166 years in pictures
Census counts: 160 in 1860, 56,374 in 2020. The archive holds 28 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1957 on.
- 1860Apple Valley is settled
Photo: Appraiser at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Population
55,248
2025 Census estimate · −2% since 2020
Typical home
$375K
+1.4% in a year
Household income
$98K
median
Median age
39.0
years
Jobs based here
13,799
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#143 of 271 in MN
Is Apple Valley a good place to live?
Apple Valley grades A− overall, 143rd of 271 graded towns in Minnesota, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $98K and it is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on schools: its schools rank ahead of 77% of Minnesota towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $375K for a typical one and 3.8 times the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. 13% of the land in Apple Valley is conserved, above both Minnesota’s towns (4.6%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 52 of Minnesota’s 574 towns score higher on walkability. The biggest place to walk is Lebanon Hills Regional Park, 354 acres with 4.2 miles of trail.
What makes Apple Valley stand out
Where Apple Valley beats most towns.
A growing town
Apple Valley has grown 13% since 2010
49,084 counted in 2010 and 56,374 in 2020; an estimated 55,248 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Apple Valley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Apple Valley is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.3 of 20; 5.3% of households have no carAOpen →HealthM Health Fairview Ridges Hospital 3.7 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →SafetyC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 38% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAOpen →History8 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life2.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 82° summer afternoons, 41″ of snow–Open →Housing market19 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.0–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 78 attractions →U.S. Bank Stadium and 69 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Apple Valley. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium
16 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium
17 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field
15 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino Arena
8 mi Theme parkNickelodeon Universe
13 mi Theme parkValleyfairSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
U.S. Bank Stadium: Darb02, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nickelodeon Universe: Tyler Vigen, CC BY 4.0 · Valleyfair: https://www.flickr.com/photos/clumpinglitter/, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Apple Valley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Apple Valley, and how to reach them.
PowerDakota Electric Association15.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterApple Valley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet11 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressHire your own · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDakota County ElectionsDakota County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code5512455124 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Apple Valley.
Apple Valley is safe by national standards but not by Minnesota’s and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Minnesota.
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 12.9% of Apple Valley
19 miles of trail in 39 parks and preserves. Apple Valley’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile, above both the Minnesota town median (0.5) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4).
#45for trails in MN
12.9%
conserved · 1,439 of 11,165 acres
19 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lebanon Hills Regional Park | 4.2 mi | 354 |
| 2. Alimagnet Park | 1.9 mi | 84 |
| 3. Johnny Cake Ridge Park East | 0.5 mi | 55 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
For schools, Apple Valley earns an A−
Its public schools are run by the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district. Three of its 21 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
77%of MN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Highlands MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,228 | B |
| Eastview Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,328 | A+ |
| Highland ElementaryTop results in townGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 662 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
For health, Apple Valley earns an A−
29% of Apple Valley adults sleep under 7 hours. Apple Valley beats the Minnesota average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 14% of Apple Valley adults report frequent mental distress.
82%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Apple Valley | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 71% | 67.5% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.3% | 85.3% |
M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital
3.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
65th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most of Apple Valley’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Apple Valley for work: only 10% work in town. 22% of workers work from home in Apple Valley. Since 2013, Apple Valley has lost 774 jobs, to 13,799 in 2023.
10%work in town
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 22% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $98,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Apple Valley10%
Minneapolis12%
Bloomington8%
Eagan8%
Burnsville7%
12 mi
median commute distance
13,799
jobs based in Apple Valley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Apple Valley
The Farmington 3 Nw weather station, 5 miles away, records that 41 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 80% of Minnesota places with climate records. January nights average 7.2°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 98% of Minnesota places with climate records; July afternoons average 81.9°.
Apple Valley has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Apple Valley’s January low is 7°F.
41″snow a winter
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 7°F | 6°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer60–80°
Fall39–57°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Apple Valley reports more crime per resident than 65% of U.S. towns
At 25.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 77% of Minnesota’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 1,149 to 902 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Apple Valley is 14.4 per 1,000 residents.
35%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.4 per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Apple Valley2
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Apple Valley14.4
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
35th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
23rd
percentile among MN towns
108
violent crimes reported in 2025
794
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Apple Valley faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. Since 2019, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Apple Valley.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
3
paid flood claims since 2019
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
An age mix much like Minnesota’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Minnesota average. 46% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 39% across Minnesota.
39median age · MN 38.8
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 46% | 33% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 25% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 39 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
Apple ValleyMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
13%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school19%
Some college18%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s30%
Graduate16%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.4 points). Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 39.4, men 38.4.
| Apple Valley | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.9% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.6% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.4% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.9% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.2% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.4% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.9% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.7% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29.5% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.4% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HousingCost of living grade C
For cost of living, Apple Valley earns a C
The typical Apple Valley home is worth about $375,000, up 1.4% in a year, 7% above the Minnesota typical home.
$375KZillow home value
| Apple Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,738 a month | $1,192 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Apple Valley$375K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
19
days on market
100.7%
sale-to-list price
+1.4%
value change, 1 year
68
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Apple Valley
20pages on Apple Valley
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 77% of MN districts · 21 schoolsSafetyC+2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$375K typical home · up 1.4% in a yearWork & commuteA$98K median household income · 13,799 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 38% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of Apple Valley
Dakota County Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rosemount6 mi$6,679 in-state tuitionNormandale Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bloomington8.7 mi$6,329 in-state tuitionBethany Global UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bloomington9.1 mi$11,000 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Apple Valley residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Apple Valley for work
Where Apple Valley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
13,799jobs based in Apple Valley
10%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Apple Valley
8 notable people were born in Apple Valley.
K
Kristina KoznickAmerican alpine skier · born 1975D
Daniel DaikawaAmerican ice hockey player and coach · born 1971J
Jill StewartAmerican soccer player · born 1974
About Apple Valley
City in Minnesota, United States
Apple Valley is a city in northwestern Dakota County, Minnesota, and a suburb of the Twin Cities. The population was 56,374 at the 2020 census, making it the 17th most populous city in Minnesota.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1860
- Area
- 18 sq mi
- Elevation
- 948 ft
- ZIP code
- 55124
- Area code
- 952
Apple Valley’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Apple Valley.
RosemountBurnsvilleEaganLakevilleApple Valley
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Valley | #143 | A− | C | C+ | A− | A− |
| Rosemount | #13 | A+ | C+ | A | A− | A |
| Burnsville | #234 | C+ | C | C | C | B+ |
| Eagan | #108 | A− | C | C+ | B+ | A |
| Lakeville | #30 | A+ | C | A− | A | A |
Questions about Apple Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Apple Valley, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Apple Valley grades A− overall, better than 75% of U.S. towns and #143 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health, C+ for safety and A− for schools.
Is Apple Valley, MN expensive?
Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Apple Valley, MN known for?
8 notable people were born here, including Dan Sexton and Tre Jones.