Bloomington, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Bloomington

McLean County · Bloomington · population 79,232

First-time buyersInvestors
Bloomington, IL
Image: Wikipedia · Bloomington, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Bloomington stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.5% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $264,699
1-year +2.6%
5-yr CAGR +7.5%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$265k$154k$194k$235k$275k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,395/mo$849$1,164$1,479202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent144154100120140160202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.8
Lean buy

At a 15.8 price-to-rent ratio, Bloomington is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
63 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
77 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
48 · w16%
Rent YoY
70 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
58 · w10%
Long thesis

Bloomington has averaged 7.5% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+2.6% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Bloomington's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Bloomington

Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 79,232. The median home value in Bloomington is $264,699 as of 2026-04, up 2.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Bloomington average $1,395 per month, up 3.8% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.5% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.6% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Bloomington (Wikipedia)

Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the 13th-most populous city in Illinois and the fifth-most populous outside the Chicago metropolitan area. It is adjacent to the town of Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, which has a population of roughly 170,000.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorDan Brady (R)
Area27.24 sq mi
Elevation840 ft
Founded1831
Density2901.29/sq mi
Time zoneCST

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for McLean County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. McLean County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Bloomington

Aurora, IL69 · RisingElgin, IL68 · RisingRomeoville, IL73 · RisingBolingbrook, IL69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Bloomington

ToolCan I afford Bloomington?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Bloomington rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Bloomington to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBloomington cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Bloomington listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Bloomington area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Bloomington

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Illinois cities →    Browse best-of lists →