Bloomington MN vs Jackson MS — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Bloomington, MN

Minnesota · Population: 71,261

  • Median HH Income$103,382
  • Median Home Price$366,438
  • Unemployment4.5%
  • Bachelor's+36.1%

Jackson, MS

Mississippi · Population: 149,827

  • Median HH Income$43,238
  • Median Home Price$88,100
  • Unemployment9.4%
  • Bachelor's+28.6%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bloomington
71,261
Jackson
149,827
Jackson +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bloomington
N/A
Jackson
N/A
Median Age
Bloomington
37.3
Jackson
34.7
Jackson +
Foreign Born
Bloomington
14.1%
Bloomington +
Jackson
1.5%
White
Bloomington
72.7%
Bloomington +
Jackson
14.5%
Black
Bloomington
8.6%
Jackson
81.8%
Jackson +
Asian
Bloomington
9.5%
Bloomington +
Jackson
0.3%
Hispanic
Bloomington
5.1%
Bloomington +
Jackson
2.2%
Spanish at Home
Bloomington
N/A
Jackson
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bloomington
$103,382
Bloomington +
Jackson
$43,238
Per Capita Income
Bloomington
$44,640
Bloomington +
Jackson
$26,868
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bloomington
$69,467
Bloomington +
Jackson
$46,995
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
4.5%
Bloomington +
Jackson
9.4%
Poverty Rate
Bloomington
6.5%
Bloomington +
Jackson
26.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bloomington
36.1%
Bloomington +
Jackson
28.6%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bloomington
$366,438
Jackson
$88,100
Jackson +
Homeownership Rate
Bloomington
85.0%
Bloomington +
Jackson
48.6%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
284
Jackson
247
Jackson +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
1992
Jackson
1808
Jackson +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
26.8%
Bloomington +
Jackson
46.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.9%
Bloomington +
Jackson
18.4%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bloomington
14.2%
Bloomington +
Jackson
18.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.5%
Bloomington +
Jackson
12.8%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
17.2%
Jackson
11.8%
Jackson +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
11.4%
Bloomington +
Jackson
18.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Jackson
64.6°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Jackson
54.1 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Bloomington
8.1 µg/m³
Bloomington +
Jackson
10.0 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Bloomington
75.0%
Bloomington +
Jackson
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bloomington
27.0 min
Jackson
21.9 min
Jackson +

Which City is Right for You?

Bloomington leads in median household income at $103,382, while jackson offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $88,100. On public safety, Jackson is safer with a violent crime rate of 247 per 100,000 residents, compared to 284 in Bloomington. Bloomington has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Bloomington has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Bloomington scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.8%.

Compare More Cities

About Bloomington & Jackson