Should I Move To
Apple Valley, Minnesota comes in at about 55,594 residents. Cost of living comes out moderate — 7% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,607/mo, and the median household income is about $97,588. Overall, 45/100 on our composite score, which works out to a D, putting it at #678 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 107 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's moderate territory. With median rent at $1,607/mo and median household income at $97,588, housing takes about 20% of gross income — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Homes typically value around $333,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect cold-winter weather — summers near 81°F, winters around 12°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 32 inches annually. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life. Air quality reads good (AQI 37).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Apple Valley is a tougher sell for families. It earns 43/100 (grade D) on the families profile. Strongest on job market (80/100); weakest on climate (3/100).
Apple Valley is a tougher sell for retirees. It earns 29/100 (grade F) on the retirees profile. Strongest on job market (80/100); weakest on climate (3/100).
Apple Valley is a tougher sell for remote workers. It earns 36/100 (grade F) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on job market (80/100); weakest on climate (3/100).
Apple Valley is a tougher sell for young professionals. It earns 42/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on job market (80/100); weakest on climate (3/100).
Apple Valley, Minnesota pulls a 45/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade D), currently ranked #678 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Apple Valley's cost-of-living index is 107 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the moderate band — 7% above the national average. Median rent runs about $1,607/mo.
Cold-winter — summer averages around 81°F, winter averages around 12°F, with about 32 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 17/100. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life.
Apple Valley has about 55,594 residents, 46% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 38.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Apple Valley head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Apple Valley stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Apple Valley with other Minnesota cities scored on UrbRank.
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