Bloomington

Background Image

Bloomington, IL

Area Guide

An amenity-laden suburb within two hours of Saint Louis, Chicago, and Indianapolis

Affordable Historic Architecture Museums Entertainment Suburban Family-Friendly

Located in central Illinois, Bloomington combines small-town appeal with city conveniences. As the headquarters of State Farm Insurance and Country Financial, and home to Illinois Wesleyan University, this community of nearly 80,000 residents offers rental options from downtown apartments to suburban homes. Current rental prices range from $879 for studios to $1,458 for three-bedroom homes. The Constitution Trail, stretching 24 miles through the city, connects neighborhoods to parks and provides paths for walking, cycling, and outdoor activities.

The historic McLean County Courthouse and Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts showcase the city's heritage, while Miller Park Zoo and the David Davis Mansion offer year-round attractions. Downtown Bloomington features local shops and restaurants, and sports enthusiasts can watch hockey at Grossinger Motors Arena or play golf at The Den at Fox Creek. With three major interstate connections and the Central Illinois Regional Airport nearby, residents enjoy easy access to major cities. These amenities, combined with reasonable living costs, make Bloomington an appealing choice in central Illinois.

Explore the City

Beautiful front porches are on full display throughout Bloomington.

Built in the 1930's, Highland Park Golf Course offers 18-holes for residents of Bloomington.

Near East is located in the vibrant, award-winning city of Bloomington.

Rent Trends

As of December 2025, the average apartment rent in Bloomington, IL is $748 for a studio, $993 for one bedroom, $1,130 for two bedrooms, and $1,509 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Bloomington has increased by 4.3% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$993/month
713 Sq Ft
House
$2,038/month
1,343 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,946/month
1,536 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Bloomington, IL

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Bloomington, IL is 1.3% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Bloomington is 5.2% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $748 - $1,509. You can expect to pay 2.3% less for groceries, 5.9% more for utilities, and 1.3% more for transportation.

Compare Cities

$

Transportation

51

Somewhat Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.

29

Some Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

50

Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.

Schools

Pepper Ridge Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

315 Students

Washington Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

353 Students

Oakland Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

466 Students

Irving Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

342 Students

Benjamin Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

613 Students

Evans Junior High School

Public

Grades 6-8

742 Students

Bloomington Jr High School

Public

Grades 6-8

1,006 Students

Bloomington High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,503 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Miller Park Zoo
  • Children's Discovery Museum
  • Fell Arboretum

Airports

  • Central Il Regional/Bloomington-Normal

Top Apartments in Bloomington

Houses for Rent in Bloomington

Property Management Companies in Bloomington, IL

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.