Bloomington

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Bloomington, IN

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This city boasts bike-friendliness, nature access, and international cuisines

University Nature Bicycle-Friendly Hip Diverse

Situated about 50 miles southwest of Indianapolis, Bloomington is considered the “Gateway to Scenic Southern Indiana.” Bloomington also houses Indiana University, most of which is built from Indiana limestone, adding a unique architectural and cultural atmosphere to the town.

As Indiana’s first Tree City USA, Bloomington is known for its natural setting filled with rolling hills, forests, and lakes. Bloomington is convenient to Monroe Lake and Paynetown State Recreation Area, lending to a host of outdoor activities enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Home to the annual Little 500 Weekend bicycle race and the B-Line Trail, Bloomington is ranked a gold-rated bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists.

In addition to providing residents access to higher education, nature, and biking, Bloomington contains a range of amenities from specialty beverages and international cuisine to interactive museums and various shopping centers. Renting in Bloomington affords you the chance to sip bubble tea at Bapu Fresh or try Turkish food at Turkuaz Café. Get a hands-on science experience at the WonderLab Science Museum or view art throughout the ages from across the globe at Eskenazi Museum of Art. The shops at College Mall and Bloomington Antique Mall are great for shopping sprees. There’s also never a dull moment here with art and music festivals happening throughout the year.

If you want a town where you can enjoy a nice bike ride, grab a delicious meal, and then have a great time at a big event in town, Bloomington is a great town to rent an apartment.

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Bloomington, IN is $1,039 for a studio, $1,115 for one bedroom, $1,288 for two bedrooms, and $1,713 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Bloomington has increased by 3.1% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,115/month
644 Sq Ft
House
$2,715/month
840 Sq Ft
Condo
$1,805/month
403 Sq Ft
Townhome
$2,012/month
928 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Bloomington, IN

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Bloomington, IN is 0.4% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Bloomington is 0.3% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,039 - $1,713. You can expect to pay 0.4% more for groceries, 5.4% less for utilities, and 0.5% less for transportation.

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Transportation

46

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

19

Minimal Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

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

51

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

Childs Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-6

483 Students

8
out of 10

Marlin Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-6

204 Students

8
out of 10

University Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-6

596 Students

7
out of 10

Lakeview Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-6

404 Students

7
out of 10

Binford Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-6

475 Students

6
out of 10

Jackson Creek Middle School

Public

Grades 7-8

524 Students

7
out of 10

Tri-North Middle School

Public

Grades 7-8

574 Students

6
out of 10

Lora L Batchelor Middle School

Public

Grades 7-8

477 Students

5
out of 10

Bloomington Graduation School

Public

Grades 7-12

100 Students

2
out of 10

Bloomington High School South

Public

Grades 9-12

1,649 Students

8
out of 10

Bloomington High School North

Public

Grades 9-12

1,590 Students

7
out of 10

The Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship

Public

Grades 9-12

77 Students

6
out of 10

Bloomington Graduation School

Public

Grades 7-12

100 Students

2
out of 10

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology
  • Kirkwood Observatory
  • Hilltop Garden and Nature Center
  • Clear Creek Trail
  • Sycamore Land Trust

Colleges

Top Apartments in Bloomington

Houses for Rent in Bloomington

Property Management Companies in Bloomington, IN

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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 2025.