Springfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bloomington
Springfield
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 23%
Growth
37 · Bottom 29%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Climate
68 · Top 45%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 24%
vs84 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 21%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
81 · Top 41%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Bloomington | Springfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 162,569 | 135,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,543 | $63,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,095 | $33,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 208/sq mi | 341/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,700 | $169,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 672 | 244 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -45.7% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.9" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.1 | 41.2 | 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.
Springfield
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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Bloomington
61
Your Score
61
Area Score
Springfield
66
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: Bloomington, IN Metro Area · Springfield, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology