Town · Illinois
Normal, Illinois
Normal, town, in McLean County, Illinois. Normal had 53,275 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 52,736 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 53,569 (±575). GEOID 1753234.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
53,275
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 52,736 · ACS 2020-2024: 53,569 ±575
Median household income
$64,785
±$7,661 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$213,600
±$6,512 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$965
±$45 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Normal and what county is it in?
Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois. It covers 18.7 square miles of land, 2,823 residents per square mile in 2020.
Normal is in the Bloomington, IL metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Normal lies mostly within Normal Township and reaches into Dry Grove Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Normal, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 53,275 people lived in Normal on July 1, 2025, up 0.5% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. The 2020 Census counted 52,736 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 53,569 (±575).
| Measure | Normal | McLean County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 53,569 ±575 | 171,556 | −1,322 |
| Households | 20,387 ±614 | 70,220 | +1,019 |
| Average household size | 2.27 ±0.07 | 2.31 | −0.27 |
| Housing units | 22,215 ±608 | 75,305 | no clear change |
Normal's population since 2000
From 45,386 in 2000 to 53,275 in 2025: up 17.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Normal as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Normal?
The median resident of Normal is 25.0 years old; 16.1% are under 18 and 12.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 10.8%. 8.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Normal | McLean County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.0 ±0.7 | 34.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.1% ±1.2 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.1% ±0.9 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Male | 47.8% ±1.4 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.2% ±1.0 pts | 6.4% | +2.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.4% ±1.9 pts | 76.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.8% ±1.4 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±0.8 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±0.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.1% ±1.8 pts | 7.6% | +2.4 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.7% ±1.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.3% ±0.6 pts | 5.3% | – |
| With a disability | 9.5% ±1.1 pts | 10.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.9% ±1.0 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.6% ±0.8 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.9% ±2.7 pts | 47.2% | +4.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 19.1% ±2.2 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 75.5% ±1.9 pts | 85.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±0.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Normal earn?
Half of Normal's 20,387 households earn less than $64,785 a year (±$7,661), against $79,905 in McLean County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $71,517 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Normal | McLean County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,785 ±$7,661 | $79,905 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $93,240 ±$8,317 | $105,003 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,168 ±$3,195 | $43,372 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.4% ±2.1 pts | 12.9% | −3.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.4% ±3.7 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±1.5 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.5% ±1.0 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.8% ±2.3 pts | 90.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Normal?
Owners occupy 54.8% of Normal's occupied homes and renters 45.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $213,600 by its owner (±$6,512). The median renter pays $965 a month including utilities, and 54.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Normal | McLean County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $213,600 ±$6,512 | $208,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $965 ±$45 | $1,009 | −$112 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.0% ±5.3 pts | 39.1% | +7.9 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,741 ±$57 | $1,673 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.8% ±2.4 pts | 65.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.2% ±2.4 pts | 34.9% | – |
| Housing units | 22,215 ±608 | 75,305 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.6% ±3.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 47.4% ±2.2 pts | 60.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% ±0.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9% ±1.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.0% ±0.9 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.0% ±1.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Normal building?
Builders took permits for 150 new housing units in Normal in 2025 (86 in single-family houses), 2.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Normal work and get to work?
69.9% of Normal's workers drive alone and 13.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.9%.
| Measure | Normal | McLean County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.1% ±1.9 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% ±1.0 pts | 3.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.9% ±2.6 pts | 69.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.7% ±1.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 8.1% ±1.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.4% ±1.6 pts | 17.5% | +8.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.5 min ±1.0 | 18.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Normal?
13 census tracts lie mostly in Normal, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $20,756 (Tract 2) to $163,125 (Tract 5.07).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1.08McLean County | 6,043 | $29,994 |
| Tract 2McLean County | 5,356 | $20,756 |
| Tract 1.09McLean County | 5,412 | $108,669 |
| Tract 3.01McLean County | 4,887 | $58,377 |
| Tract 5.04McLean County | 4,540 | $57,273 |
| Tract 3.02McLean County | 5,543 | $80,931 |
| Tract 1.07McLean County | 3,878 | $68,672 |
| Tract 1.06McLean County | 3,427 | not published |
| Tract 5.01McLean County | 2,735 | $28,933 |
| Tract 4McLean County | 2,729 | $30,250 |
| Tract 5.02McLean County | 2,399 | $96,164 |
| Tract 1.05McLean County | 4,026 | $102,800 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Normal) · Census block assignment files
How does Normal compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Normal is the 773rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 27th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Normal ranks 979th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 27th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 224th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 174th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 979th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 825th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 526th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 629th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 102nd | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 118th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,378th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,334th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 367th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 1,307th | 1,382 |
Normal's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Normal with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Normal?
4 of the 57 figures for Normal on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Normal are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Normal.