Living in Normal, IL
College town in Illinois
Normal is a college town in Illinois, home to about 53,000 people, with 259,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Normal a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $250k and rents for $1,720 a month
- Safe: violent crime is 0.7× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Mild summers: highs around 85°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 2 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $2,002 state income tax per resident, 2.37% property tax
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Smaller job market: about 259,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Normal ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Normal: common questions
What is the cost of living in Normal?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $250k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,720 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 94, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Normal?
Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.37% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Normal safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Normal?
Normal has cold winters: winter days average around 37°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 7″ of snow a year.
Does Normal get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 2 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.43 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Normal?
The nearest major airport is MDW, about 109 mi away.
How Normal scores
Each bar compares Normal 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).
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Nearby
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Is Normal right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.