What are the schools like in Bloomington, IL?

Bloomington is served primarily by Bloomington SD 87. The district operates 6 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.3:1.

What is the median household income in Bloomington?

The median household income in Bloomington, IL is $73,119 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.3%.

What is the weather like in Bloomington, IL?

Bloomington has an average high temperature of 33.4°F in January and 86.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 38.5 inches and annual snowfall averages 6.5 inches.

Bloomington, IL Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Bloomington, IL affordable or expensive?

Bloomington's cost of living index is 92, where 100 represents the national average. This means Bloomington is 8% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $190,700 and the median rent is $959 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Bloomington, IL?

Bloomington has a violent crime rate of 104.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 500.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Bloomington, IL a Good Place to Live?

Bloomington is a mid-sized city of 78,788 in Illinois, with a median household income of $73,119 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.

Strengths: Bloomington stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Bloomington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bloomington city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 92.0

Bloomington's overall cost of living index is 92.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bloomington costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.

Metric	Bloomington, IL	National Avg
Median Home Value	$190,700	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$959	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	61.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$73,119	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Bloomington's violent crime rate is 104.4 per 100,000 residents — 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

104.4 /100k

Property Crime

500.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bloomington is served primarily by Bloomington SD 87. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Bloomington, IL	National Avg
School District	Bloomington SD 87	—
Elementary Schools	6	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	13.3:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	47.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.9%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bloomington sees average highs of 33.4°F in January and 86.0°F in July, with 38.5 inches of annual precipitation and 6.5 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Bloomington, IL
Average High — January	33.4°F
Average High — July	86.0°F
Annual Precipitation	38.5"
Annual Snowfall	6.5"

Demographics

Metric	Bloomington, IL	National Avg
Population	78,788	—
Median Age	35.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	16.3 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	75.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	9.5%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	3.8%	18.9%
Asian	8.2%	6.3%
Under 18	22.1%	22.2%
65 and over	13.9%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Normal, IL 3 mi Downs, IL 7 mi Shirley, IL 7 mi Twin Grove, IL 7 mi Towanda, IL 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Bloomington

Bloomington, IL is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

61704 61701 61705

Bloomington vs Other Cities

Bloomington, IL vs Normal, IL Bloomington, IL vs Downs, IL Bloomington, IL vs Shirley, IL Bloomington, IL vs Twin Grove, IL Bloomington, IL vs Towanda, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bloomington, IL affordable or expensive?

Bloomington's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average. That makes Bloomington roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $190,700 and median rent is $959/month.

What is the crime rate in Bloomington, IL?

Bloomington's violent crime rate is 104.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 500.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Bloomington?

Public schools in Bloomington are operated by Bloomington SD 87. The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1. 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Bloomington, IL a good place to live?

Bloomington, IL has a population of 78,788, a median household income of $73,119, and an unemployment rate of 3.3%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Bloomington?

Bloomington averages 33.4°F in January and 86.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.5 inches with about 6.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Bloomington?

Bloomington, IL is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 61704, 61701, 61705.

What is the population of Bloomington?

The population of Bloomington, Illinois is 78,788 with a median age of 35.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Bloomington?

Key numbers for living in Bloomington: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $190,700, median household income $73,119, crime index 26 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bloomington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.