Bloomington MN vs San Jose CA — 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%

San Jose, CA

California · Population: 990,054

  • Median HH Income$141,565
  • Median Home Price$1,452,609
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+46.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bloomington
71,261
San Jose
990,054
San Jose +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bloomington
N/A
San Jose
N/A
Median Age
Bloomington
37.3
Bloomington +
San Jose
38.1
Foreign Born
Bloomington
14.1%
San Jose
41.6%
San Jose +
White
Bloomington
72.7%
Bloomington +
San Jose
29.0%
Black
Bloomington
8.6%
Bloomington +
San Jose
2.9%
Asian
Bloomington
9.5%
San Jose
38.6%
San Jose +
Hispanic
Bloomington
5.1%
San Jose
30.9%
San Jose +
Spanish at Home
Bloomington
N/A
San Jose
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bloomington
$103,382
San Jose
$141,565
San Jose +
Per Capita Income
Bloomington
$44,640
San Jose
$63,253
San Jose +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bloomington
$69,467
San Jose
$77,230
San Jose +
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
4.5%
Bloomington +
San Jose
4.7%
Poverty Rate
Bloomington
6.5%
Bloomington +
San Jose
7.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bloomington
36.1%
San Jose
46.5%
San Jose +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bloomington
$366,438
Bloomington +
San Jose
$1,452,609
Homeownership Rate
Bloomington
85.0%
Bloomington +
San Jose
56.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
284
Bloomington +
San Jose
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
1992
Bloomington +
San Jose
2388

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
26.8%
San Jose
23.7%
San Jose +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.9%
Bloomington +
San Jose
11.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bloomington
14.2%
Bloomington +
San Jose
14.9%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.5%
Bloomington +
San Jose
9.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
17.2%
San Jose
13.0%
San Jose +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
11.4%
San Jose
9.4%
San Jose +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
San Jose
61.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
San Jose
14.9 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bloomington
27.0 min
Bloomington +
San Jose
30.4 min

Which City is Right for You?

San Jose leads in median household income at $141,565, while bloomington offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $366,438. On public safety, Bloomington is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in San Jose. Bloomington has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and San Jose has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Jose scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.7%.

Compare More Cities

About Bloomington & San Jose