| Measure | BloomingtonIndiana, United States Remove Bloomington | ChicagoIllinois, United States Remove Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.4 | 6.5 |
| Connector Score | 7.3 | 8.2 |
| Safety | 8.1 | 4.5 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 5.7 |
| Transportation | 5.0 | 10.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 2.5 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 4.5 | 5.8 |
| Things to do | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Food & dining | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| Places to stay | 5.6 | 7.5 |
| Nature & outdoors | 7.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 6.5 | 4.8 |
| Family friendliness | 5.6 | 4.4 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.8 | 4.7 |
| Nightlife | 4.9 | 4.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.0 | 7.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $105 | $218 |
| Mid-range | $160 | $345 |
| Luxury | $281 | $665 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 108 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,150 | $2,100 |
| Median home price | $350,000 | $335,000 |
| Population | 83K | 2.7M |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport EV charging |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Bloomington | — | 4 h 39 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Outdoors | Road trips, Car-free travel |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Pro sports |
| When to go | Peak: Periods are IU football and basketball… | — |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.