Is Bloomsburg, PA a Good Place to Live?
Bloomsburg is a small city of 12,836 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $46,019 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Bloomsburg stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bloomsburg is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bloomsburg 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: 90.3Bloomsburg's overall cost of living index is 90.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bloomsburg costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Bloomsburg, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $176,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $881 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 37.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $46,019 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Bloomsburg is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Bloomsburg is served primarily by Bloomsburg Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bloomsburg, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Bloomsburg Area SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bloomsburg sees average highs of 34.8°F in January and 83.7°F in July, with 41.6 inches of annual precipitation and 28.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Bloomsburg, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 34.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Bloomsburg, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,836 | — |
| Median Age | 23.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: