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About Bloomington
A Modern American Hometown
By Carmel Wroth
Green space, a sense of community, safe neighborhoods ... it’s easy to take these things for granted when you live in Bloomington, Ind. Visitors in town from larger cities are quick to remind Bloomington residents how rich our town is in the fundamentals. Assets that home seekers in a larger city seek desperately Bloomington has in abundance: beautiful parks and gardens; large, affordable homes; quick and easy commutes; a warm and welcoming community.
Bloomington is the quintessential American town, with a twist. On the one hand, it’s a place to settle in and live a quiet life. Families can find a spacious house with a big yard, send their children to great schools and connect with community life. Public schools in Bloomington beat statewide averages on standardized test scores, and nearly 87 percent of high school graduates go on to college.
Yet with Indiana University headquartered here, Bloomington is more than an old-fashioned small town. Indiana University attracts a diverse and educated workforce from all around the world, who contribute their talents and cultures to the fabric of life here. According to the U.S. census, over 55 percent of Bloomington residents have college education or beyond, compared to 24 percent nationwide. With a thriving artistic and intellectual community, Bloomington buzzes with creative energy.
Sense of Place
When early settlers discovered the Bloomington area, they were enchanted by the blooms of dogwoods, redbuds and other forest trees, and legend has it that they named the town accordingly. Today, Bloomington is a gardener’s paradise, with greenery and flowers of all kinds flourishing in private and public plantings, and in the city’s 31 park sites on almost 2,300 acres.
The city is committed to a long-term vision to foster and enhance green space. In 1995, the city established zoning that requires new residential developments to set aside 35 percent of land as open space. In 2008, the City began another groundbreaking project—the B-Line Trail. The B-Line is the conversion of an abandoned downtown railroad track into a multi-use, paved trail with public art and common spaces through the heart of the City’s downtown.
Bloomington has been recognized by both Bicycling Magazine and the League of American Bicyclists as one of the nation’s best places to bike. A 50-mile bicycle route through the hills around Bloomington was cited by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the 100 best adventures in the United States.
If golfing is more your style, play your best game at one of Bloomington’s four golf courses, which range from a fun for all ages par 3 course to championship level courses. Choose from courses on the Indiana University campus, the Bloomington Country Club, beautiful Cascades Park or the shores of Lake Monroe. Known for its natural beauty, the Bloomington area is a treasure trove of bio-diversity.
Indiana’s largest stretch of wild forestland, the 200,000 acre Hoosier National Forest, and Indiana’s largest inland lake, Lake Monroe, both offer nature-lovers opportunities for hiking, camping, mountain biking and boating. For the Sunday driver, a country drive offers the charm of southern Indiana’s rolling hills, farmland, and small rural communities. Indiana’s farming culture feels close to home every April through October at Bloomington’s weekly Farmers’ Market, drawing farmers with tasty fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and artesian cheeses from across southern Indiana.
Home & Hearth
With housing choices for all tastes and budgets, Bloomington is a place where the American dream is still literally coming true. The community’s 2007 average sales price for a home was $173,538, compared to $265,200 nationally. Home buyers can have their choice of old historic neighborhoods near the IU campus and downtown, or newer homes in the many recently developed neighborhoods around the city.
“Bloomington as a cultural, educational and recreational oasis offers an award-winning quality of living,” stated Jim Regester, owner of ReMax Realty Professionals in Bloomington. “Most of our housing is within 15 minutes of Indiana University, historic downtown Bloomington, major shopping areas and schools, and the stability of our housing market far outperforms regional and national markets.”
The town attracts visionary new developments, such as Renwick in southeast Bloomington. The community-focused new neighborhood features both single and multi-family homes and will soon offer a town square with shops and restaurants.
Apartment seekers in Bloomington choose from urban apartments surrounded by shops and restaurants, to charmingly landscaped, upscale communities with pools and fitness centers, like Deer Park or the Fields.
Cultural Connections
Bloomington is a cultural hub, attracting people from across the Midwest to experience its thriving downtown, a range of sports and cultural activities, shopping, and dining.
Bloomington’s arts and business communities have come together to support major arts initiatives, such as restoring the historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater, a state-of-the-art performance venue. Other successful arts initiatives include the annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, which draws 5,000 visitors each autumn into downtown Bloomington; the Waldron Arts Center, a venue for literary, performing and visual artists; and the WonderLab, a science museum for the young.
Indiana University and the Jacobs School of Music offer over 1,100 performances a year, including world-class opera, classical music recitals. In addition, Indiana University features Broadway shows, film festivals, and several museums. With over 22 sports played competitively at IU, there’s always a home game to see. IU’s basketball and football teams are perennial favorites, but there’s also a growing fan base for IU Men’s Soccer and Ice Hockey. Little 500, an annual bicycling race, is a festive spring tradition here and regarded as the greatest intramural sporting event in the country.