What it's like to live in Bloomington
Bloomington is a smaller city in Minnesota with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above 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 air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 51" per year
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
$3,122
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,440 a year
- 45% of Bloomington renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,170
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 10% above US
$1,561/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,561 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $361,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $361,700 · 45% 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▼ 14% below US
283 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 2854/100k · Bloomington Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 19% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 12°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 28% above US
46% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 46% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
27 public schools inside the boundary
There are 27 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (13 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bloomington's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,561/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Bloomington
All Minnesota guides →Moving to Richfield →
4 mi away · pop. 36,642
Rent $1,393/mo · Income $85,132
Compare with Bloomington →Moving to Burnsville →
5 mi away · pop. 64,463
Rent $1,513/mo · Income $87,024
Compare with Bloomington →Not sure Bloomington is the one?
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