City comparison
Apple Valley, MN is about 30 miles (50 km) from Blaine, MN in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 37 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Apple Valley, MN to Blaine, MN takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Blaine has a population of 70,047, vs 55,594 in Apple Valley — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Blaine covers about 33 sq mi vs 17 sq mi for Apple Valley.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Apple Valley | Blaine | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,607/mo | $1,635/mo | 1.7% higher in Blaine |
| Median home value | $333,300 | $303,800 | 9.7% higher in Apple Valley |
| Median household income | $97,588 | $100,659 | 3.1% higher in Blaine |
| Groceries index | 102.5 | 102.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 93.3 | 93.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 103.7 | 103.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 103.9 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need $100,075 in Blaine to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Apple Valley and Blaine have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need about $80,060 in Blaine to keep the same standard of living.