Apple Valley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Apple Valley
Blaine
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 29%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
64 · Top 27%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs90 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Apple Valley | Blaine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,679 | 72,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,673 | $106,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,382 | $46,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,300/sq mi | 2,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $370,400 | $352,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,738 | $1,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.4% | 85.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 399 | 96 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.2 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1325.0% | -51.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.73 | 16.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.3% | 50.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.4% | 55.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.0% | 39.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Apple Valley
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Blaine
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Apple Valley
69
Your Score
64
Area Score
Blaine
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Apple Valley, MN · Blaine, MN · How this is calculated: methodology