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Living in
Bloomington.
About
Life in Bloomington
If you're considering Bloomington, expect a stable Midwestern city with real job opportunities and reasonable housing costs—median home values around $203,300 and rents near $1,000 monthly. The job market is solid with major corporate headquarters like State Farm and Country Financial providing stable employment, plus Illinois Wesleyan University adding an educational element that keeps things feeling dynamic. The creative class is notably strong here, which translates to a robust performing arts scene with hundreds of annual events, theaters, and cultural festivals throughout the year.
Bloomington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.0%
Foreign-Born
10.3%
Broadband Internet
90.9%
of households
Population Growth
+0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.3% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Bloomington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bloomington, the largest foreign-born group is from India (48.8%), and 4.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.5%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.1%
of households
Married Couples
40.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Bloomington
In Bloomington, rent runs 18% below the IL average, and home values are 23% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
34.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,374
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $268,640 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Bloomington
Unemployment in Bloomington is 0.6 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bloomington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.8 min avg
How Bloomington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bloomington, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI)
Regional airport · few flights159k passengers boarded in 2025
- 111 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 118 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bloomington is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
317.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,295.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bloomington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 21 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
McLean County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In McLean County, which includes Bloomington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 21 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,000 |
| 2022 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 13 | Flash Flood | $12.0M |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $70,000 |
| 2018 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $350,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
McLean County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in McLean County, which includes Bloomington, is typically good — 241 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
241
per year
Moderate Days
120
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
McLean County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bloomington has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.5"
Annual Snowfall
6.5"
Hot Days/Year
26
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
133
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 16°F | 2.43" |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 1.99" |
| Mar | 50°F | 28°F | 2.61" |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 3.72" |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 4.81" |
| Jun | 83°F | 60°F | 4.08" |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 4.12" |
| Aug | 84°F | 61°F | 3.83" |
| Sep | 79°F | 53°F | 3.22" |
| Oct | 66°F | 42°F | 3.48" |
| Nov | 50°F | 31°F | 2.80" |
| Dec | 38°F | 21°F | 2.30" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bloomington
Bloomington has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
St Joseph Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Carle Bromenn Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.8 mi away · Normal
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bloomington
Bloomington's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 48.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
48.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bloomington
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,582 students · in-state tuition $59,430 · 82% graduate · median earnings $76,193 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 19,057 students · in-state tuition $16,152 · 71% graduate · median earnings $67,557 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument, 58 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bloomington
Bloomington has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument (58 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
58 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
59 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bloomington
Bloomington Public Library
205 East Olive Street, Bloomington
Cities Near Bloomington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bloomington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bloomington FAQ
Is Bloomington, Illinois affordable?⌄
Bloomington's median rent is $1,050/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $77,384/year. Median home value is $203,300.
Is Bloomington, Illinois safe?⌄
Bloomington's violent crime rate was 318 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1295 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bloomington, Illinois?⌄
Bloomington has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bloomington, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Bloomington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,050/month and median household income is $77,384/year. The median home value is $203,300. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bloomington, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Bloomington is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from