Springfield vs Bloomington
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $162,100 in Springfield and $203,300 in Bloomington.
- Households earn more in Bloomington ($77,384 vs $66,064 median).
Side by side
| Springfield, IL | Bloomington, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 112,989 | 78,804 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.4% | +0.1% |
| People per square mile | 1,844 | 2,907 |
| Median age | 41.0 | 36.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 49% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,064 | $77,384 |
| Median home value | $162,100 | $203,300 |
| Home value to income | 2.5× | 2.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $975 | $1,050 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.7 | 93.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.6 | 74.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,600 | $70,200 |
| Homeowners | 64% | 62% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.4 | 16.8 |
| Work from home | 15% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.8% | 2.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 11% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 36° / 20° | 33° / 16° |
| July high / low | 87° / 66° | 86° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 22 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 28 | 26 |
| Nights below freezing | 111 | 133 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.7 | 86.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.1% | +8.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.1% | +52.2% |
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: Springfield: April and August to October. Bloomington: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Springfield weather by month and Bloomington weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,600 in Springfield and $70,200 in Bloomington. Moving from Springfield to Bloomington, you would need about $75,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Springfield and Bloomington
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Springfield and Bloomington.
Which would you pick?
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