| Index | Bloomington | Illinois | National |
| Cost of living | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 90 | 95 | 100 |
| Transportation | 100 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 103 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 95 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 103 | 100 | 100 |
The cost of living in Bloomington affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Bloomington is 97, which is 3% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Bloomington are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Bloomington can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Is Bloomington an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Bloomington, the median home price is 8.7% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 12.7% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Bloomington come in at $97,788, which is 20.2% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Bloomington, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6.25%, and income tax rates start at 4.95%.
Subsidies: Some cities and states may extend government subsidies or aid programs aimed at reducing the cost of living for their residents. These initiatives encompass diverse forms of support, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Regions with limited subsidy provisions may witness an increase in their overall cost of living.
Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Bloomington, the housing index stands at 9.9% lower than the national average.
The Bloomington cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $131,374 | $10,948 | $3,065 | $3,942 |
| Renters | $58,740 | $4,895 | $1,371 | $1,762 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Illinois | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Stanford, IL | 718 | 87 | 13.4% |
| Cooksville, IL | 170 | 88 | 12.2% |
| Atlanta, IL | 2,207 | 88 | 12.1% |
| Ellsworth, IL | 224 | 89 | 11.5% |
| Le Roy, IL | 3,546 | 91 | 8.6% |
| Bloomington, IL | 79,438 | 97 | 3.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Gastonia, NC | 79,485 | 96 | 3.8% |
| Upland, CA | 79,505 | 158 | 58.0% |
| Cedar Park, TX | 79,540 | 121 | 21.5% |
| Lake Charles, LA | 79,542 | 94 | 5.8% |
| Rapid City, SD | 79,549 | 99 | 1.0% |
| Bloomington, IL | 79,438 | 97 | 3.3% |
Here are the best places to live in Illinois
Most Dangerous States In The US
Check out the 10 most dangerous cities in Illinois
These are the 10 cheapest cities in Illinois