Living in Bloomington
I considered other universities — UCLA, USC, San Diego, NYU, Boston College, Ohio State, and Texas — but none combined the wonderful lifestyle, affordable cost-of-living, excellent law school, and positive atmosphere that Indiana University and Bloomington offer.
— Jim Davis, JD'07
Demographics
Though U.S. Census numbers show a mostly-Caucasian population, IU students and visitors from every country and continent contribute to a community rich in diversity of ideas, backgrounds, lifestyles, and races. Out Traveler stated "Whether you're gay, straight or somewhere in between, Bloomington offers something rarely found in this country: a small town with a bold history of openness and acceptance" (2005).
| City Population | 68,779 |
| Metro Population | 120,563 |
| Median Household Income | $25,377 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3 % |
| Crime Index* | 28 (% of national average) |
Cost of Living
Bloomington is one of the least expensive places in the nation to study the law.
| Cost of Living Index | 93.12 (national average is 100) |
| 3-Bedroom House Price | US $146,600 |
| 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent | US $610 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.70 % |
| Sales Tax (state and local) | 6.0 % |
| Location |
Cost of Living Index |
Compared to Bloomington |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 104.69 | 12.5 |
| Detroit | 111.0 | 19.2 |
| St. Louis | 121.33 | 30.3 |
| Minneapolis | 122.25 | 31.5 |
| Chapel Hill, N.C. | 113.49 | 22 |
| Boulder, Colo. | 118.06 | 27 |
| New Haven, Conn. | 120.96 | 30 |
| Chicago | 174.96 | 88 |
| Washington, D.C. | 173.14 | 86 |
| Boston | 165.10 | 77.3 |
| Los Angeles | 169.86 | 82 |
| San Francisco | 233.74 | 151 |
| New York (Manhattan) | 251.35 | 169 |
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index (2005) and the National Association of Realtors
Employment
Major local employers include Indiana University, General Electric, Bloomington Hospital, Monroe County Schools, Otis Elevator, Cook Inc., City of Bloomington, Kroger, InterArt Distribution/Sunrise, PYA/Monarch. Plus, locally-owned businesses thrive in Bloomington.
Employment Opportunities
- Careers & IU
Professional, academic, administrative, technical, service - Indiana University Student Employment Office
Part-time, summer, and temporary jobs - Indiana Workforce Development
State employment agency Bloomington JobLink - Bloomington Herald-Times
Local newspaper job listings - The Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis and Southern Indiana job listings
Housing
Bloomington offers lots of housing options for students. In addition to on-campus university housing, if you prefer, you can live off campus in an apartment, house, or shared housing. IU's Graduate and Professional Student Organization maintains a list of Web sites that can help you find rental housing, as well as a helpful online bulletin board.
Getting Here
Let us help you get here—whether you're in Chicago or the other side of campus.