Places › Indiana › Bloomington

Living in Bloomington, IN

College town in Indiana

Bloomington is a college town in Indiana, home to about 79,000 people, with 153,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Bloomington a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $304k and rents for $1,570 a month
  • Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Mild summers: highs around 84°F
  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Smaller job market: about 153,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Bloomington ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
79,000
153,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
40°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 18″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$304k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,570/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
95
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,275
State income tax per resident · 0.82% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
60%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
IND
40 mi away

Living in Bloomington: common questions

What is the cost of living in Bloomington?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $304k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,570 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Bloomington?

Indiana collects about $1,275 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.82% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Bloomington safe?

Bloomington isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Bloomington?

Bloomington has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 18″ of snow a year.

Does Bloomington get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.57 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Bloomington?

The nearest major airport is IND, about 40 mi away.

How Bloomington scores

Each bar compares Bloomington with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Anonymous AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Average

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Is Bloomington right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.