Bloomington, IN campus

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
715
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 56
Demographics 28
Economy 56
Education 78
Health 68
Housing 56
Infrastructure 44

#21. Bloomington, IN

Home of the Hoosiers, Bloomington, IN is a Midwestern gem with plenty of surprises in store, like a cosmopolitan dining scene, nationally coveted beers from Upland Brewing and is home to the Little 500, which is the largest collegiate bike race in the country. To put it another way? In Bloomington, there’s Basketball! Beer! Bikes! A true trifecta. Outdoors lovers will find paradise in the landscape, defined by scenic hills, forests and lakes. On top of all that, Indiana University, a leading research institution, provides plenty of jobs and keeps the city young at heart. 

Top Colleges/Universities: Indiana University Bloomington

Top Industries & Employers: No surprise, Indiana University provides loads of career opportunities in this college town. Health care is a strong industry, too, with major employers like Cook Group and Baxter Healthcare Pharmaceuticals.

Weekend Plans: Wear your crimson and cream and cheer on the Hoosiers. After all, passion for basketball runs deeply in Indiana! Then, in the summer months, hit the lake. Monroe Lake is the largest in the state and you can rent a double-decker pontoon boat outfitted with a waterslide.

Favorite Place to Feast: Bloomington has more than 75 international restaurants. A favorite is Anyetsang’s Little Tibet Restaurant that serves Thai, Indian and Tibetan cuisine in a restored house with a garden patio. 

Beloved Beverage: Cardinal Spirits is a distillery that churns out award-winning craft spirits and crave-worthy canned cocktails (think: Bourbon Cream Soda).

Outdoorsy Activity: Explore the gorgeous hills of Brown County State Park, the state’s largest, which boasts countless scenic vistas and miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: Karst Farm Park has a splash pad for kids and a dog park for four-legged kids.

Remote Work Perk: BloomingTea is a cozy tea shop with more than 100 loose leaf teas to choose from and a private room if you need to hold a meeting.

One More Thing … Limestone from the area can be found in 35 out of the 50 state capital buildings and makes up part of many famous structures, including the Empire State Building.

– Brittany Anas

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