City comparison
Apple Valley, MN is about 150 miles (250 km) from Duluth, MN in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h 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 Duluth, MN takes about 18 min, covering roughly 150 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.
Duluth has a population of 86,772, vs 55,594 in Apple Valley — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Duluth covers about 72 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 | Duluth | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,607/mo | $990/mo | 62.3% higher in Apple Valley |
| Median home value | $333,300 | $209,800 | 58.9% higher in Apple Valley |
| Median household income | $97,588 | $63,545 | 53.6% higher in Apple Valley |
| Groceries index | 102.5 | 95.4 | 7.4% higher in Apple Valley |
| Utilities index | 93.3 | 87.7 | 6.5% higher in Apple Valley |
| Transportation index | 103.7 | 92.6 | 12.0% higher in Apple Valley |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 92.8 | 12.0% higher in Apple Valley |
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 $78,632 in Duluth to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Duluth, MN is about 21.4% cheaper overall than Apple Valley, MN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 58% higher in Apple Valley than in Duluth. If you earn $80,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need about $62,906 in Duluth to keep the same standard of living.