Bloomington vs Springfield
Bloomington, Illinois versus Springfield, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bloomington edges out Springfield on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bloomington | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $46k |
| Home Value | $191k | $148k |
| Monthly Rent | $959 | $913 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.26% | 2.10% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.81% | 12.89% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 40.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5 in | 21.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.8 | 57.6 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.8 | 99.3 |
| Violent Crime | 855/100k | 4369/100k |
| Property Crime | 412/100k | 4243/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 78,788 | 114,214 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 40.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 72.7% | 69.7% |
| Black (%) | 9.4% | 20.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.1% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 8.1% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 14.4/20 | 13.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 111 mi | 80 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.3% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 37.32 | 30.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bloomington or Springfield more affordable?
- Springfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Bloomington's $49k and Springfield's $46k. Median rent is $959 in Bloomington versus $913 in Springfield.
- Is Bloomington or Springfield safer?
- Bloomington has the lower violent crime rate. Bloomington reports 855/100k and Springfield reports 4369/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bloomington or Springfield?
- The median home value is $191k in Bloomington and $148k in Springfield, so homes are more affordable in Springfield.