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Area Guide

Illinois State University Normal, IL

Cheer the Redbirds onto victory!

ISU Illinois State Redbirds

Illinois’ first public university, Illinois State University was founded in 1857 as a teacher education institution and has since grown into a dynamic university offering more than 160 undergraduate majors and over 40 graduate programs. Keeping with its teacher roots, Illinois State has been recognized as one of the largest preparers of teachers in the United States. ISU is home to a diverse community of scholars committed to fostering a small-college atmosphere with large-university opportunities. Redbirds sports teams bring the community together, competing in the NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference. A variety of rentals homes and apartments are available around ISU. Sitting at the intersection of Interstates 39, 55, and 74, ISU is easily accessible to commuters and travelers. Located along the Chicago-Saint Louis railroad corridor, getting around from ISU is simple. While at ISU, you can stroll through the Fell Arboretum, visit the University Galleries, relax on the Quad, or visit nearby Bloomington’s Cultural District. You can also take a two-hour drive to either Chicago or Saint Louis.

Rent Trends

As of May 2026, the average apartment rent in Normal, IL is $1,055 for a studio, $1,181 for one bedroom, $1,220 for two bedrooms, and $1,913 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Normal has increased by 4.3% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 363 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,055/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 630 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,181/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 937 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,220/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,404 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,913/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

50 / 100

Some Public Transit

Transit

40 / 100

Moderately Drivable

Drivability

70 / 100

Moderately Bikeable

Bikeability

60 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 30 Minute Walk

Groceries

20 / 100

Fair Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

50 / 100

Good Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

60 / 100

Fair Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

40 / 100

Local Vibe

Vibrant Atmosphere at Times

Vibrancy

40 / 100

Limited Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

30 / 100

Very Noisy

Quiet Score

20 / 100

Schools

Grove Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

506 Students

Thomas Metcalf School

Public

Grades PK-8

476 Students

Prairieland Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

460 Students

Glenn Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

262 Students

Fairview Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

252 Students

Thomas Metcalf School

Public

Grades PK-8

476 Students

Chiddix Jr High School

Public

Grades 6-8

657 Students

Kingsley Jr High School

Public

Grades 6-8

685 Students

Parkside Jr High School

Public

Grades 6-8

588 Students

University High School

Public

Grades 9-12

625 Students

Normal Community West High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,513 Students

Normal Community High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,021 Students

Ybmc Charter School

Public

Grades 9-12

17 Students

Eugene Field School

Public

Grades 9-12

48 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

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

Airports

  • Central Il Regional/Bloomington-Normal

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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 February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.