The cost of living in Bloomington makes it an ideal place for people of all ages. Whether you’re a young professional starting a career, have a family, or are looking to retire, Bloomington is the perfect place to call home. To compare the cost of living in Bloomington to your current location or other cities you’re considering, use the calculator below.

Indiana University

Indiana University is a Tier 1 research university which offers the community theatre, opera, ballet, music, museums and more.

Ivy Tech Community College

The recently-expanded Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington provides a traditional and nontraditional higher education curriculum as well as workforce training opportunities through its Corporate College, Center for Lifelong Learning, and Cook Center for Entrepreneurship. Currently, more than 425 total credits transfer from Ivy Tech-Bloomington to IU.

Hoosier Hills Career Center

Hoosier Hills Career Center offers courses in a variety of career fields for high school students as part of the Indiana Department of Education Career Pathway Initiative.

MCCSC/RBBSC

The Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) offers comprehensive educational curricula with special activities and programs geared to provide enrichment, exploration, and instructional support for students in grades pre-K through 12, including academic teams, athletics, fine arts, performing arts, and publications. MCCSC students consistently score above the state and national average on the SAT/ACT and above the state average on the ISTEP/GQE.

Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation (RBBCSC) is a school system serving nearly 3000 students in northwestern Monroe County, Indiana. Many organizations, businesses, governmental offices, and individuals within the community provide learning materials, resource persons, speakers, educational incentives, achievement awards, and field trip opportunities for students.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

STEM related activities have been integrated into the curriculum at all Monroe County Community Schools.  Grandview Elementary is a certified STEM school, with Batchelor Middle School and Lakeview Elementary School currently working towards certification.  STEM learning doesn’t just end when class is dismissed, as extracurricular activities provide additional learning opportunities for students.

Bike and Walking Trails

The B-Line Trail extends a total of 3.1 miles from the north side of Bloomington’s downtown through the south of town where it meets the trail head for the Bloomington Rail Trail. It is a unique feature that offers an alternative means of transportation, a place to be active, and represents a long-term commitment to connect public facilities by routes that do not require vehicles.

Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities

The City of Bloomington is proud to be recognized as a Gold-level “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists, for “longstanding commitments to providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists, and for their efforts to encourage bicycle travel for transportation and recreation.” Bloomington was the first League-designated “Bicycle Friendly Community” in Indiana, and the highest rated community in the eastern United States.

Lake Monroe

Bloomington is home to Lake Monroe, the State’s Largest Inland Lake.

Lake Lemon

Lake Lemon, Bloomington’s back up water supply, is the 11th largest lake and 7th largest public reservoir in Indiana.

Lake Griffy

Griffy Lake Nature Preserve is a 1,192-acre nature preserve with hiking trails, fishing, rowboat/kayak/canoe rentals, and picnic tables.

Hoosier National Forest

Indiana’s only National Forest spans 202,000 acres in the hills of south central Indiana. There are over 260 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding.

Switchyard Park

Located at 245 W Grimes Ln, Switchyard Park contains 65.29 total acres.

Farmers’ Market

Locally grown produce, annual and perennial plants, and a variety of prepared foods are available. The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from April through November. Fall hours in October and November are 9 a.m. through 1 p.m.

Dining and Nightlife

Bloomington boasts over 140 local and unique restaurants, bars, and coffee shops plus 7 local breweries and 1 local distillery. It’s been named one of the “Top 5 Food Towns in the Midwest” by Midwest Living Magazine and the “7th fastest growing destination for wine and culinary enthusiasts in the nation” by Orbitz Research Travel.

Theatre, Live Shows, Musical Performances

World-class theater and performance art can be seen in Bloomington almost every day of the week, all year long. Bloomington has become a live music mecca, featuring great local, regional and national acts. From local nightlife hot spots like The Bluebird and casual outdoor concerts in area parks to world class classical orchestra and opera performances from the world-renowned IU Jacobs School of Music, the sheer number and variety of musical performances is amazing.

For more information on things to see and do in Bloomington, check out the

Visit Bloomington website