Bloomington and Lima receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Bloomington
Lima
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
37 · Bottom 29%
vs28 · Bottom 16%
Climate
68 · Top 45%
vs63 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 24%
vs71 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 21%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
81 · Top 41%
vs69 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs59 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Bloomington | Lima | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 162,569 | 101,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,543 | $64,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,095 | $34,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 208/sq mi | 252/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,700 | $165,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.5% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 672 | 128 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -45.7% | -7.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.9" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.1 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bloomington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lima
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bloomington
61
Your Score
61
Area Score
Lima
62
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bloomington, IN Metro Area · Lima, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology