Bloomington vs Columbus
Bloomington, Indiana versus Columbus, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbus edges out Bloomington on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bloomington | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $50k |
| Home Value | $268k | $212k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.81% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 4.45% | 5.20% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.44% | 9.94% |
| Unemployment | 6.5% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 47.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.5 in | 16.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.9 | 76.1 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.8 | 46.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1896/100k | 10/100k |
| Property Crime | 2344/100k | 118/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 79,006 | 50,896 |
| Median Age | 24.4 | 35.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.40 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+29 | R+27 |
| White (%) | 76.8% | 72.7% |
| Black (%) | 4.7% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 8.9% |
| Asian (%) | 10.5% | 12.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 16.4/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 40 mi | 42 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.0% | 91.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 32.40 | 16.11 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Columbus more affordable?
- Bloomington has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Bloomington's $46k and Columbus's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Bloomington versus $1k in Columbus.
- Is Bloomington or Columbus safer?
- Columbus has the lower violent crime rate. Bloomington reports 1896/100k and Columbus reports 10/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bloomington or Columbus?
- The median home value is $268k in Bloomington and $212k in Columbus, so homes are more affordable in Columbus.