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Living in
Bloomsburg.
About
Life in Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg is a community of 12,906 people in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $51,536, median rent runs about $980 per month, and median home values are around $179,100. The unemployment rate is 5.0%.
Bloomsburg at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.5%
Foreign-Born
2.6%
Broadband Internet
89.3%
of households
Population Growth
+5.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.6% foreign-born, most often from England
Who lives in Bloomsburg: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bloomsburg, the largest foreign-born group is from England (19.2%), and 1.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
10.1%
of residents
65 and Older
12.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
15.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
47.9%
of households
Married Couples
20.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.10
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 19% below PA average
Rent, home values, and income in Bloomsburg
In Bloomsburg, rent runs 19% below the PA average, and home values are 30% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,985
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
35.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $261,853 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above PA average
Unemployment in Bloomsburg
Unemployment in Columbia County, which includes Bloomsburg, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the PA average.
Unemployment rate
Bloomsburg: Columbia County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Columbia County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Bloomsburg Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.7 min avg
How Bloomsburg residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bloomsburg, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 44 mi
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
Regional airport · few flights222k passengers boarded in 2025
- 100 mi
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Major hub14.8M 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 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bloomsburg runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
253
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
736.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bloomsburg Town Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
62.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Columbia County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Columbia County, which includes Bloomsburg, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Drought | $72,500 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $116,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $44,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $96,000 |
| 2020 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $32,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $19,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Flash Flood | $46,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Columbia County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lycoming County, PA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 39 miles from Bloomsburg) is typically good — 282 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
282
per year
Moderate Days
81
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lycoming County, PA (39 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bloomsburg has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.6"
Annual Snowfall
28.6"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
127
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 19°F | 3.54" |
| Feb | 38°F | 22°F | 2.53" |
| Mar | 48°F | 29°F | 3.68" |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 4.27" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.15" |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 4.77" |
| Jul | 84°F | 61°F | 4.36" |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.09" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 5.20" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 4.26" |
| Nov | 50°F | 33°F | 3.50" |
| Dec | 40°F | 25°F | 3.66" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Geisinger-bloomsburg Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Geisinger Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.9 mi away · Danville
Danville State Hospital
Psychiatric · 8.2 mi away · Danville
Geisinger Behavioral Health Center Danville
Psychiatric · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Danville
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bloomsburg
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Public · 4-year · 9,210 students · in-state tuition $11,610 · 55% graduate · median earnings $56,416 (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: Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Appalachian National Scenic Trail (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
41 mi awaySteamtown National Historic Site
National Historic Site
50 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
66 mi awayCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
67 mi awayDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
79 mi awayValley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
82 mi awayUpper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Scenic & Recreational River
86 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
88 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg Public Library
225 Market St, Bloomsburg
Cities Near Bloomsburg
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bloomsburg?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bloomsburg FAQ
Is Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
Bloomsburg's median rent is $980/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,536/year. Median home value is $179,100.
Is Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
Bloomsburg's violent crime rate was 253 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 737 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania?⌄
Columbia County, which includes Bloomsburg, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in Bloomsburg is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $980/month and median household income is $51,536/year. The median home value is $179,100. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in Bloomsburg is 15 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