Population 121,920 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bloomington
Household size in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.28 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Bloomington are small: just 2.10 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.28, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Indiana city with 5,000+ people has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.0 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Bloomington is young: half of its residents are under 35.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 32.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 16 of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.1% of households in Bloomington, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bloomington
Renters in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 50.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.9% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.0% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Bloomington: 51.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (40.8%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Bloomington is close to the national rate: 10.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Indiana as a whole (9.3%). Vacancy is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Bloomington was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Indiana overall, where the median home dates to 1977. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $776 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $874 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $956 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,211 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$435 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bloomington costs $1,211 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Indiana overall ($1,146). Rents are up $435 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bloomington
Bachelor's degrees in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.2% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.5% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.8% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.2% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Bloomington: 55.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.0 points, mirroring the country. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Bloomington: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Bloomington has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Indiana cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bloomington
| Period | Bloomington | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Bloomington is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Indiana as a whole (4.3%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bloomington compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | 2.10 | 35.1 | 8.1% | 51.0% | 10.8% | 1983 | $1,211 | 55.2% | 95.0% | 5.7% |
| Ellettsville | 2.57 | 39.4 | 5.9% | 12.1% | 8.2% | 1989 | $1,109 | 39.1% | 96.7% | 1.6% |
| Woodville Hills | 2.21 | 54.4 | 11.4% | 2.4% | 19.1% | 1981 | $1,127 | 44.0% | 93.3% | 13.4% |
| Stanford | 2.55 | 41.8 | 10.8% | 11.2% | 5.3% | 1991 | $775 | 22.0% | 88.1% | 8.0% |
| Harrodsburg | 2.64 | 42.0 | 14.5% | 10.8% | 13.1% | 1986 | $908 | 28.2% | 89.8% | 3.9% |
| Solsberry | 2.71 | 41.7 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 10.6% | 1984 | $775 | 24.6% | 92.6% | 3.3% |
| Unionville | 2.34 | 51.6 | 8.5% | 12.3% | 18.0% | 1980 | $1,630 | 31.8% | 95.5% | 3.9% |
| Needmore | 2.91 | 38.5 | 8.7% | 12.2% | 25.6% | 1986 | $879 | 24.4% | 98.4% | 0.5% |
| Freeman | 2.85 | 41.3 | 7.9% | 8.0% | 10.4% | 1982 | $795 | 30.6% | 91.3% | 4.0% |
| Belmont | 2.59 | 50.1 | 8.3% | 5.6% | 12.0% | 1976 | $860 | 40.2% | 90.8% | 4.8% |
| Stinesville | 2.65 | 39.8 | 10.6% | 10.9% | 7.2% | 1991 | $684 | 36.0% | 94.6% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lawrence, KS · Lawrence, MA · Lawton, OK · Laredo, TX · Lakewood, NJ · Lake Charles, LA · Livermore, CA · Lexington, KY · Lehigh Acres, FL · Lawrenceville, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bloomington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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