Bloomington vs St. Louis
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $197,500 in St. Louis and $203,300 in Bloomington.
- Households earn more in Bloomington ($77,384 vs $56,160 median).
- St. Louis has the warmer winter: January highs of 40°F vs 33°F.
- St. Louis has more scorching days: 47 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 26.
- Bloomington is growing faster: +0.1% since 2020 vs -7.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Bloomington (17 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Bloomington, IL | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 78,804 | 278,144 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.1% | -7.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,907 | 4,507 |
| Median age | 36.2 | 36.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49% | 41% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $77,384 | $56,160 |
| Median home value | $203,300 | $197,500 |
| Home value to income | 2.6× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,050 | $997 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 93.5 | 95.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 74.7 | 79.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $70,200 | $71,300 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.7% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.44% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.8 | 22.1 |
| Work from home | 21% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 6% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.7% | 5% |
| Poverty rate | 11% | 20.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 16° | 40° / 24° |
| July high / low | 86° / 63° | 90° / 71° |
| Precipitation per year | 39 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 20 in | 17 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 26 | 47 |
| Nights below freezing | 133 | 85 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 86.9 | 98.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 66% | 31% |
| Home prices, past year | +8.7% | +4.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +52.2% | +40.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bloomington: June to September. St. Louis: June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Bloomington weather by month and St. Louis weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $70,200 in Bloomington and $71,300 in St. Louis. Moving from Bloomington to St. Louis, you would need about $76,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Bloomington and St. Louis
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Bloomington and St. Louis.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.