Illinois · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Bloomington, IL

Prices around Bloomington, IL run 6.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $77,384 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,302 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $52,080 a year.

Bloomington, IL at a glance

Median household income

$77,384$6,449 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,302HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.5-6.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IL
Population78,907Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Bloomington, IL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,302Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$52,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,935At 30% of $77,384
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Bloomington, IL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Bloomington, IL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Bloomington, IL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$927$11,124$37,08014.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$999$11,988$39,96015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,302$15,624$52,08020.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,717$20,604$68,68026.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,724$20,688$68,96026.7%

Rent in Bloomington, IL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Bloomington, IL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $77,384 a year ($6,449 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,224/moRent ($1,302 2-BR), utilities (~$179/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,935/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,290/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $77,384 leaves after Illinois taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Illinois tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$77,384
$30,000$155,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$77,384
Net 77%
Fed 11%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$59,584After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,965Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,292Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,194 / yr
Illinois state income tax$3,686 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,920 / yr

Living in Bloomington, IL: common questions

What is the median household income in Bloomington, IL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Bloomington, IL is $77,384 per year (approximately $6,449 per month).

What is the average rent in Bloomington, IL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $927 for a studio, $999 for one bedroom, $1,302 for two, $1,717 for three and $1,724 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Bloomington, IL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.5, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Bloomington, IL?

To keep a $1,302 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $52,080 a year, or $4,340 a month. That is 67% of what the typical household in Bloomington, IL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Bloomington, IL?

On the local median income of $77,384 ($6,449 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,224 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,935 for everything else and $1,290 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,302 takes 40% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Bloomington, IL?

Homes in Illinois paid 19.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $179. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.