Bloomington vs Urbana
Bloomington, Illinois versus Urbana, 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 Urbana on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bloomington | Urbana |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $41k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $191k | $175k |
| Monthly Rent | $959 | $910 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.26% | 2.60% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.81% | 19.00% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 40.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5 in | 20.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.8 | 51.5 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.8 | 88.0 |
| Violent Crime | 855/100k | 2306/100k |
| Property Crime | 412/100k | 2693/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 78,788 | 38,741 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 25.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+24 |
| White (%) | 72.7% | 56.1% |
| Black (%) | 9.4% | 16.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.1% | 8.4% |
| Asian (%) | 8.1% | 14.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 14.4/20 | 14.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 111 mi | 104 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.3% | 80.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 37.32 | 105.57 |
| 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 Urbana more affordable?
- Bloomington has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Bloomington's $49k and Urbana's $49k. Median rent is $959 in Bloomington versus $910 in Urbana.
- Is Bloomington or Urbana safer?
- Bloomington has the lower violent crime rate. Bloomington reports 855/100k and Urbana reports 2306/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bloomington or Urbana?
- The median home value is $191k in Bloomington and $175k in Urbana, so homes are more affordable in Urbana.