City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Bloomington, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bloomington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

78,791
Residents
$48,918
Median income
$289,700
Median home
$1,210
Median rent (state)

Bloomington - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Bloomington places in the 18th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

18th
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
37th
percentile, median rent
16th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bloomington, IN

78,791 people live in Bloomington, Indiana - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Bloomington households earn a median of $48,918 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.0%. Typical homes in Bloomington are valued around $289,700, and the median resident age is 24.9 years. 60.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Bloomington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3005.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Indiana scores 93.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,210 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Indiana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 14.1 minutes, with 56.6% driving alone and 16.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 76.0 out of 100 (High).

Population

78,791 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$48,918 /yr

Poverty 13.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Bloomington compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bloomington stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 37% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Indiana, Bloomington ranks #103 of 109 Indiana cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bloomington's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Indiana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

18thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bloomington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bloomington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Bloomington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bloomington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$289,700 37th percentile more affordable than 37% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bloomington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bloomington, IN Bloomington, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bloomington, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bloomington, IN median $48,918/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bloomington, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bloomington, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
78,791
Median Income
$48,918
Median Home Value
$289,700
Median Age
24.9
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Labor force participation
55.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3005.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
286.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2718.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
78,000 residents80,000 residents82,000 residents84,000 residents86,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 80,077 residents 83,307 residents ▲ +4.0%
Bloomington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.1 minutes
Drive Alone
56.6%
Carpool
8.9%
Public Transit
3.7%
Walk
11.0%
Work from Home
16.9%
Other
2.9%

Based on 37,713 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bloomington sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,210/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
76.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Hammond
77,098 people
Noblesville
71,940 people
Lafayette
70,650 people
Gary
68,604 people
Muncie
64,739 people
Greenwood
64,237 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bloomington's 78,791 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Georgetown, TX
78,803 people
Napa, CA
78,816 people
Auburn, AL
78,738 people
Bloomington, IL
78,703 people
Upland, CA
78,940 people
Tustin, CA
79,035 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bloomington's $48,918 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Las Animas, CO
$48,917 median income
Kettleman, CA
$48,920 median income
Mantua, OH
$48,920 median income
Monte Rio, CA
$48,922 median income
Hampton, IA
$48,922 median income
Eagle Bend, MN
$48,924 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bloomington, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bloomington, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.8% 10.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.6% White 77.8% Black or African American 4.8% Asian 10.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 5.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bloomington compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bloomington (this city) 78,791 $48,918
Hammond 77,098 $53,950
Noblesville 71,940 $102,319
Lafayette 70,650 $52,946
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bloomington, IN?

What is the population of Bloomington, IN? +

Bloomington, IN counts 78,791 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bloomington, IN? +

The median household income in Bloomington is $48,918 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bloomington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bloomington; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

Is Bloomington, IN safe? +

Bloomington has a total crime rate of 3005.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bloomington, IN? +

A typical home in Bloomington is worth $289,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.