Moving to Apple Valley: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Apple Valley means joining a real, family-oriented southern Twin Cities suburb anchored by the Minnesota Zoo and a genuinely strong, A-rated school district.

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The Minnesota Zoo anchor

A real, major state attraction located directly in Apple Valley -- a genuinely distinctive identity no other Minnesota Tier A market in this dataset shares.

ISD 196's real, strong reputation

Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) is a real, A-rated district per Niche, the second-best in Dakota County.

Dakota County's genuinely low property tax

Dakota County's own effective property tax rate ran a real, disclosed 0.98%-1.09% -- genuinely lower than Hennepin County's 1.15%-1.19%.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.