Bloomington MN vs Minneapolis MN — 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%

Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota · Population: 426,845

  • Median HH Income$80,269
  • Median Home Price$334,719
  • Unemployment5.7%
  • Bachelor's+54.4%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bloomington
71,261
Minneapolis
426,845
Minneapolis +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bloomington
N/A
Minneapolis
N/A
Median Age
Bloomington
37.3
Minneapolis
33.0
Minneapolis +
Foreign Born
Bloomington
14.1%
Minneapolis
14.1%
Minneapolis +
White
Bloomington
72.7%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
61.6%
Black
Bloomington
8.6%
Minneapolis
18.3%
Minneapolis +
Asian
Bloomington
9.5%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
5.2%
Hispanic
Bloomington
5.1%
Minneapolis
10.5%
Minneapolis +
Spanish at Home
Bloomington
N/A
Minneapolis
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bloomington
$103,382
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
$80,269
Per Capita Income
Bloomington
$44,640
Minneapolis
$50,605
Minneapolis +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bloomington
$69,467
Minneapolis
$69,467
Tie
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
4.5%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
5.7%
Poverty Rate
Bloomington
6.5%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
16.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bloomington
36.1%
Minneapolis
54.4%
Minneapolis +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bloomington
$366,438
Minneapolis
$334,719
Minneapolis +
Homeownership Rate
Bloomington
85.0%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
48.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
284
Minneapolis
284
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
1992
Minneapolis
1992
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
26.8%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
28.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.9%
Minneapolis
7.4%
Minneapolis +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bloomington
14.2%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
17.1%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.5%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
9.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
17.2%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
19.8%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
11.4%
Bloomington +
Minneapolis
12.7%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Minneapolis
46.3°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Minneapolis
30.6 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bloomington
27.0 min
Minneapolis
24.2 min
Minneapolis +

Which City is Right for You?

Bloomington leads in median household income at $103,382, while minneapolis offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $334,719. On public safety, Minneapolis is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 284 in Bloomington. Bloomington has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Minneapolis 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 & Minneapolis