Faribault ( FAIR-boh) is a city in, and the county seat of, Rice County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 23,352 at the 2010 census. Faribault is approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highways 3, 21, and 60 are four of Faribault's main routes. Faribault is situated at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers in southern Minnesota.

Lakeville is the largest city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul along Interstate Highway 35. Lakeville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Twin Cities area. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 69,490 in 2020.Lakeville first became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to service his Antlers Amusement Park. It later became a flourishing milling center; its agriculture industry is still in operation. While many of Lakeville's workers commute northward to Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and more central suburbs like Bloomington, Lakeville has had major industry since the 1960s—including the Airlake Industrial Park, which is served by Airlake Airport, a regional reliever airport.

Apple Valley is a city in northwestern Dakota County in the State of Minnesota, and a suburb of the Twin Cities. The city's population in 2020 was 56,374 making it the 17th most populous city in Minnesota. In 2013, Money Magazine named Apple Valley the 17th best place to live in the United States, up from 20th in 2010, 24th in 2008 and 28th in 2007.

Burnsville () is a city 15 miles (24 km) south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the State of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from its confluence with the Mississippi River. Burnsville and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis–Saint Paul, the fifteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, with about 3.6 million residents. According to the 2020 census, the population is 64,317.Burnsville is home to a regional mall (Burnsville Center), a section of Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, 310-foot (94 m) vertical ski peak Buck Hill, and part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Originally, the land Burnsville is located on was a village of Mdewakanton Dakota. Later, it became a rural Irish farming community. Burnsville became the tenth largest city in Minnesota in the 2000 Census following the construction of Interstate 35. Currently the ninth largest suburb in the metro area and a bedroom community of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the city was fully built by the late 2000s. Burnsville's downtown area is called Heart of the City with urban-style retail and condominiums. The Burnsville Transit Station serves as the hub and headquarters of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, providing regional bus service to five other suburbs. The name Burnsville is attributed to an early Irish settler and land owner, William Byrne. His surname was recorded as "Burns" and was never corrected.