Bloomington-Normal

At a Glance

The Bloomington-Normal area is a vibrant community, home to 167,699 people who exemplify the values of the Midwest and a remarkable quality of life. Located in the heart of Illinois at the junction of Interstates 55, 39, and 74 makes getting to the Twin Cities easy and Chicago and St. Louis are just a few hours away. Bloomington-Normal also boasts a bustling airport, as well as frequent Amtrak service.

Fun attractions, unique festivals, sporting events, distinctive restaurants and shopping make the area one of the best tourism destinations in Central Illinois.

The continuing revitalization of Downtown Bloomington and Uptown Normal has bolstered the community in several ways, including retail shopping, nightlife, dining and more. Downtown Bloomington boasts the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, McLean County Museum of History and U.S. Cellular Coliseum, while Uptown Normal features the innovative Children's Discovery Museum, the historic Normal Theater and the Performing Arts Center at Illinois State University.

The stability of the town's major employers, healthcare professionals, locally owned businesses, numerous media providers and central location in the state make Bloomington-Normal an exceptional place to call home. Bloomington-Normal serves as the headquarters for State Farm Insurance, Mitsubishi Motors North America, and COUNTRY Financial. Its higher educational institutions include Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College and Lincoln College-Normal.

What Others Think

• In 2012, the design of the Uptown Circle in Uptown Normal won a Transportation Planning Excellence Award from the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration.
• In 2011, Forbes Magazine rated Bloomington-Normal No. 22 as a best small place for businesses.
• In 2011, the Uptown Circle in Uptown Normal was ranked No. 1 on the list of the Top 100 Public Spaces in the U.S. and Canada by the Project for Public Spaces.
• In 2011, Bloomington-Normal was named one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People, according to The America's Promise Alliance and ING. Bloomington-Normal was the only community in the state of Illinois to receive the designation.
• Golf Digest ranked the Bloomington-Normal area as the Fifth Best American City for Golf in their "Best in America" Metro Golf Rankings.

*Source: Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.