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Living in
Bloomington.
About
Life in Bloomington
Living in Bloomington means adjusting to a college town where Indiana University's presence shapes much of daily life—from the calendar to the culture to housing costs. The job market is genuinely strong, with unemployment at 3.7% and employers concentrated in life sciences, tech, and healthcare rather than a single industry, which provides real stability. Housing runs around $321k for median home value and $1,200 for median rent, reasonable for a place with this much economic diversity and education level, though competition for rentals is real during school year.
Bloomington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
25.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
29.8%
Foreign-Born
12.6%
Broadband Internet
87.9%
of households
Population Growth
+3.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.6% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Bloomington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bloomington, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (19.2%), and 3.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.6%
of residents
65 and Older
11.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
14.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
43.4%
of households
Married Couples
24.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.91
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 13% above IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Bloomington
In Bloomington, rent runs 13% above the IN average, and home values are 47% above the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
59.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,602
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
34.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $312,287 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IN
Unemployment in Bloomington
Unemployment in Bloomington is close to the IN 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
Commute17.5 min avg
How Bloomington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bloomington, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Medium hub5.2M 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.
Safetyviolent crime 11% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bloomington runs 11% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
292.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,945
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bloomington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
76.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Monroe County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Monroe County, which includes Bloomington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.6M |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.3M |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.1M |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Storm | $164,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $27.0M |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,000 |
| 2019 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $264,500 |
| 2018 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7,000 |
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
Monroe County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Monroe County, which includes Bloomington, is typically good — 265 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
265
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Monroe County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bloomington has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.4"
Annual Snowfall
17.5"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
108
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 21°F | 3.78" |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.95" |
| Mar | 52°F | 32°F | 3.66" |
| Apr | 64°F | 42°F | 5.21" |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 5.36" |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 5.41" |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.58" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.38" |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.81" |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.82" |
| Nov | 53°F | 34°F | 3.93" |
| Dec | 41°F | 26°F | 3.49" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 3.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bloomington
Bloomington has 3 hospitals, averaging 3.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.5 / 5
Monroe Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Bloomington Meadows Hospital
Psychiatric
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bloomington
Bloomington's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 58.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bloomington
Indiana University-Bloomington
Public · 4-year · 37,806 students · in-state tuition $12,144 · 81% graduate · median earnings $70,105 (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: George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, 64 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bloomington
Bloomington has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being George Rogers Clark National Historical Park (64 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
64 mi awayLincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Memorial
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bloomington
Monroe County Public Library
303 East Kirkwood Avenue, 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, Indiana affordable?⌄
Bloomington's median rent is $1,200/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,465/year. Median home value is $321,400.
Is Bloomington, Indiana safe?⌄
Bloomington's violent crime rate was 293 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1945 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bloomington, Indiana?⌄
Bloomington has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bloomington, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Bloomington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,200/month and median household income is $50,465/year. The median home value is $321,400. About 60% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bloomington, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Bloomington is 18 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