Dakota County is 593 square miles in area and has a population of approximately 400,000. Situated in the southeast corner of the Twin Cities Metropolitan area, it is the third most populous county in the state of Minnesota.  Between 1990 and 2000, Dakota County’s population grew by nearly 30%. This growth continues, with another five percent increase expected by the end of the decade. In recent years, second and third ring communities in Dakota County (Burnsville, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Apple Valley, Farmington, Lakeville, and Rosemount) have dramatically increased in population, as development continues to move outwards from the urban core of Minneapolis and St. Paul, into suburban municipalities.