What it's like to live in Bloomington
Bloomington is a smaller city in Indiana with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bloomington deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Bloomington compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bloomington
Based on Bloomington's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,400
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $48,000 a year
- 60% of Bloomington renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,280
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,140
- Homes cost 6.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 15% below US
$1,200/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,200 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $321,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $321,400 · 60% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 11% below US
293 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1945/100k · Bloomington Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 33% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.5 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 63% above US
59% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
19 public schools inside the boundary
There are 19 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is George Rogers Clark National Historical Park (64 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bloomington's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,200/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Bloomington
All Indiana guides →Moving to Martinsville →
18 mi away · pop. 11,933
Rent $983/mo · Income $60,177
Compare with Bloomington →Moving to Columbus →
32 mi away · pop. 51,824
Rent $1,157/mo · Income $77,456
Compare with Bloomington →Not sure Bloomington is the one?
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