Bloomington, IN

Bloomington, Indiana

Introduction to Bloomington, Indiana

Located about 50 miles southwest of Indianapolis is the Indiana city of Bloomington, which is also the county seat of Monroe County. Incorporated as a city in 1818, Bloomington got its start as a settlement when U.S. President James Munroe selected the site as the location of a seminary, originally known as Indiana Seminary. The seminary later became a college and in 1848 finally became Indiana University (IU). The first college west of the Allegheny Mountains, the University has evolved into one of the most beautiful university campuses in the U.S. offering several nationally recognized programs for students.

Owing to its location in the heart of the Midwest, Bloomington is within a day’s drive of over half of the U.S. population. The city can be accessed from two major state highways: Indiana State Highways 37 and 46, both of which provide easy access to several Interstates. The primary source of air service to Bloomington is the Indianapolis International Airport, located just 50 miles to the north, although private aircraft can fly to and from Monroe County Airport, located just west of Bloomington.

Points of Interest in Bloomington

The area's natural beauty makes Bloomington ideal for an outdoor excursion. Home to the state’s only national forest, its largest inland lake, and a large number of parks, Bloomington offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. The Hoosier National Forest offers over 230 miles of hiking, horseback and mountain biking trails. Lake Monroe is a large and popular venue for boating, fishing, water-skiing, and more. Other recreational sites in or near Bloomington include:

• Balloon Safaris and Vencel Hot Air Balloons: Offers balloon trips in and around Monroe County
• Bluespring Caverns Park: Explorations of the underground world of caves
• Hoosier Heights Indoor Climbing Facility: Over 8,000 square feet of indoor climbing terrain
• Leonard Springs Nature Park: Includes caves, steep forested slopes and a wetlands area
• Riddle Point Park: Features a 1,650 acre lake
• Stone Creek Ranch: Horse riding and hay rides on more than 15 miles of trails
• Barn Yard Friends: Live animal frontier and petting area
• Upper Cascades Skate Park
• Wapehani Mountain Bike Park
• Bloomington Speedway
• Freeman Family Farms

Educational and cultural sites are also plentiful in Bloomington. Some of the more popular include:

• Kirkwood Observatory: Built in 1900 and named after astronomer and IU professor Daniel Kirkwood
• Buskirk-Chumley Theatre: A downtown Bloomington site listed in the National Register of Historic Places
• Monroe County History Center
• John Waldron Arts Center
• Mathers Museum of World Cultures
• Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center
• Tibetan Cultural Center

Bloomington is home to several annual events and festivals. Some of the area's most notable include:

• Bloomington Early Music Festival: Held annually towards the end of May
• Canopy of Lights: A December event celebrating the holiday season
• Eagle Watch Weekend: A weekend event held in February featuring three days of birding and wildlife programs
• IU Summer Music Festival: Takes place from mid-June to mid-August
• Picnic with the Pops: Held every 4th of July weekend
• Fourth Street Festival of the Arts
• Bloomington ArtsWeek
• Lotus World Music and Arts Festival
• BubbleFest
• Chocolate Festival
• Monroe County Fair
• Winter Wine Festival

Indiana University's intercollegiate athletics program has a long tradition of excellence. The Hoosiers, a member of the prestigious Big Ten Conference, have won a total of 24 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships, including its 1975-76 men's basketball team coached by Bobby Knight which remains the last Division I squad to go undefeated for an entire season and then go on to win the NCAA championship.

Fans craving sports of the professional variety can take the one hour drive to Indianapolis and see a variety of pro teams. The Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) and the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) represent the area's two major sports franchises. Also in Indianapolis are the Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) Indiana Fever and the United States Hockey League's (USHL) Indiana Ice. Minor League Baseball in the city is played by the Indianapolis Indians, a Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indianapolis 500, often called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing", is held annually over the Memorial Day weekend in Speedway, Indiana, which is just outside of Indianapolis.

High Points

Bloomington strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Indiana):

Category	Trophy
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 3%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 6%
Short Commute Times (vs. Peers)	Top 6%
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 6%

Comparative Profile of Bloomington, IN

Comparing Bloomington to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Indiana (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Male Share of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Women
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Men
Senior Citizens
Children Under 5 Years Old
Age of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Affordability of Rents
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Property Taxes

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Bloomington Almanac

Bloomington Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Bloomington Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Bloomington Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Bloomington residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Bloomington, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Bloomington Hospitals

BLOOMINGTON HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
601 W SECOND ST
(812) 353-9555
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Bloomington

Wal-Mart in Bloomington

Bloomington High Schools (2004)

BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
1965 S WALNUT ST
812-330-7714
Serves 1,809 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 20.7

BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL NORTH
3901 KINSER PIKE
812-330-7724
Serves 1,411 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 20

AURORA ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
524 N FAIRVIEW ST
812-330-7837
A Non-traditional School
Title I eligible, not participating.
Serves 80 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 12.1

EAGLE VIEW JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL
1500 N PACKINGHOUSE RD
812-334-0582
Serves 32 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 64

Bloomington Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Hair Arts Academy

Indiana University - Bloomington

Ivy Tech Community College - Bloomington

(List of All Indiana Colleges)

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