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Bloomington is the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, and is the largest city in the county. It is the more populated of the two major municipalities in the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan region, and it is close to the town of Normal. Bloomington is located around 135 miles (217 kilometers) southwest of Chicago and 162 miles (261 kilometers) northeast of St. Louis. The city has a population of 78,680 people according to the 2020 Census, making it Illinois' 13th most populous city and the state's fifth most populous city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The twin cities, when combined with Normal, have a population of almost 130,000 people. Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois State University are both located in Bloomington. It's also where State Farm Insurance and Country Financial have their headquarters.

First two decades of the 20th century saw Bloomington grow even more than it did before. Farming, the construction of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business (mostly State Farm Insurance) all played a role in the growth of Bloomington and its downtown area over time. The downtown area became a place where people from other counties came to shop. They got stronger.

Ray and Irene Denbesten founded Denbesten Real Estate in 1977 in Bloomington, Illinois. Today, the business is handled by Cathy Denbesten, their daughter. They can assist you purchase or sell a house by calling (309) 6662-4228.

As mayor of New York City in 1997, Judy Markowitz became the city's first Jewish woman and first mayor to be female. As Mayor, Markowitz built an arena in downtown Bloomington and started to fix up the city's performing arts center during his two terms in the office. In 2002, Bloomington would also pass a law that protects gay rights. In 2021, Mboka Mwilambwe became the first black mayor of the city.

People lived in the city as of the 2010 census. There were 76,610 people and 30,454 homes in the city. It had a population density of 2,814.8 people per square mile (1,099.5 people per km2). Average density was 1,261.5 units per square mile (492.8 units per km2). There were 34,339 housing units. People in the city were 77.5 percent white, 10.2 percent African American, 0.3 percent Native American, 7.0 percent Asian, 1.42 percent from other races, and 2.9 percent from two or more races, according to a study. There were 5.6 percent of the people in the United States who were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 34,339 homes in 2010, with 28.8% having children under the age of 18, 46.7 percent being married couples, 9.1 percent having a female householder without a husband, and 41.1 percent being non-families. Individuals made up 32.6 percent of all households, with 9.2 percent having someone 65 or older living alone. The average family size was 3.12 members, with a household size of 2.41 members.

With 27.3% under 20, 9.0% 18-24, 29.8% 25-45, 23.84% 45-64 and 10.2% 65+, the city's population was evenly distributed. It was 33 years old. Males outnumbered females 95.4 to 100.

The city's median household and family incomes were both $58,662. Males earned $56,597 compared to $39,190 for females. The city's per capita income was $32,672. Around 5.7 percent of households and 11.0 percent of the population were poor, with 12.6% of those under 18 and 6.3 percent of those 65 and over.

The Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department operates the 200' by 85' full-size ice sheet at the Bloomington Ice Center (formerly the Pepsi Ice Center). There are skating classes, public skating sessions, a hockey program, learn-to-curl programs, and a concessions stand at the facility.

Until 2006, the U.S. Cellular Coliseum was called the Grossinger Motors Arena. It opened in 2006, and it is now home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League. It was also home to the PrairieThunder hockey team and the Blaze hockey team. This rink has been home to the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the U.S. Hockey League since 2014. It also hosts some games for the club hockey team at Illinois State University and for youth hockey programs in the area. Since it has more than 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) of space, the Coliseum can hold about 7,00 people in its fixed seating area, but it can also hold more than 8,000 people for events. When the facility is used as a theater with a retractable curtain, it can seat 2,500 to 5,000 people. Since the Coliseum opened, it has been used for a wide range of events, including concerts, family shows, ice shows, motorsports, and trade shows.

The Ladies' Library Association, which had been founded in 1856, inaugurated the Bloomington Public Library in 1857. Book contributions and membership fees were the mainstays of the little library. 105 West North Street was the library's new address in 1871. (which is now West Monroe Street.) The library reopened when local citizens contributed $1,100 to sustain it after it was closed owing to a lack of money in 1880. The library relocated to a new two-story structure on property provided by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers at the junction of East and Washington streets in 1888. The library's name was changed to "Withers Library." in recognition of the contribution.

This department is divided into four sections: Parks, Recreation, Golf and the Miller Park Zoo. Airport Park, Alton Depot Park, Angler's Lake Nature Preserve, Atwood Wayside, Bittner Park, Brookridge Park, Buck-Mann Park, Clearwater Park, Eagle Crest Park, Emerson Park, Evergreen Park, Ewing Park 1, 2, 3, Fell Avenue Park, Forrest Park, Franklin Park, Friendship Park, Highland Park Golf Course, Holiday Park, Lincoln Leisure Center

Alcohol and smoking are forbidden in all parks, however dogs on a leash are permitted. You'll find lighting tennis courts and water spray parks in these parks. Less than a mile away, the Evergreen Racket Club O'Neil Park (west) and Holiday Park (east). Indoor pools are available in YMCAs and private clubs.

Located in Bloomington and Normal, Illinois, the Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a 24-mile (39 kilometer) running, walking, cycling, and rollerblading path that runs on a designated right of way. Use bridges and tunnels to isolate the route from traffic while crossing major highways. From Normal's Kerrick Road to Bloomington's Grove Street, the trail's north–south section follows the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) train bed.

At Normal City Hall Annex, the east–west section crosses the north segment and continues east to Towanda-Barnes Road. The Liberty Branch runs from Commerce Drive to the Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, starting at Commerce Drive and ending at Old Farm Lakes Subdivision. From Lincoln Street to Route 9 West, the Freedom Branch runs. Throughout the region, parking is accessible in adjacent lots. Walkers, runners, in-line skaters, skateboarders, cyclists, wheelchair users, and other non-motorized modes of transportation are welcome to utilize the path. It is not cleared of snow during the winter months and is open to skiers weather permitting.

Illinois Wesleyan University, a campus of Heartland Community College, and Illinois State University are located in Bloomington and Normal, respectively. The American Passion Play is an annual spring event. One of Bloomington's state historic sites was the home of Supreme Court associate judge David Davis, who lived there from 1872 to 1873. This cemetery is where both Adlai E. Stevenson, who served as vice president from 1893 to 1997, and his grandson (and two-time Democratic Party presidential candidate) Adlai E. Stevenson II, are laid to rest. Nearby Shirley, a gem and mineral museum is located. Founded in 1839. People in Bloomington-Normal Metro Area (2000): 64,808; 2010, 76,601; Bloomington-Normal Metro Area (2010): 169,572.

The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is the focal point of the city's new Cultural District, which also contains the McLean County of Arts Center, a festival park in the works, and a center for innovation in the arts. Over twenty local performing arts groups call the facility home. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts over 400 performances and community activities each year.

In the Midwest, the McLean County Arts Center is one of the oldest arts groups. It has been serving Central Illinois for more than 130 years and is one of the oldest. Holiday Treasurers is one of 12 art shows that happen each year. The annual Amateur Competition has been showcasing amateur artists in Central Illinois for more than 70 years. There are also a lot of community events that the Arts Center helps put on, like the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown Normal and the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington.

Towanda Avenue and copyright Lane in Towanda are home to one of the oldest community theaters entirely run by volunteers. Since its inception in 1923, the theater has run for a total of 88 seasons.

The Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts is in the Jerome Mirza Theatre at McPherson Hall, where it shows off its best actors. A playbill that includes everything from Shakespeare to musicals is used to choose four main stage plays each year. The plays are chosen by the theater company. When IWU's 10th president, Harry W. McPherson, died in 1963, the school built McPherson Hall. It has a 300-seat theater, a scene shop and classrooms, as well as other things.

As the "Home of the World's Largest County 4-H Fair" the McLean County Fair is held in August in Bloomington, Illinois, at the McLean County Fairgrounds. Exhibits on food and nutrition & health; plant science; engineering technology; and the environment & natural resources are all part of 4-H activities. Tractor pulls and numerous musical groups are part of the evening entertainment at the Grandstand.

Built in the late Victorian style, Ewing Manor was designed by Bloomington architect Phil Hooten. Jens Jensen, the landscape architect who designed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens, designed the surrounding gardens. Every summer, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival takes over the grounds' theatre.

Pavilion in Miller Park

The David Davis Mansion depicts the life of Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor, David Davis, a United States Supreme Court Justice who was instrumental in Lincoln's 1860 presidential campaign. The Davis Mansion, built in 1872, is a paragon of mid-Victorian elegance and taste. His Bloomington house, which has been in the Davis family for three generations, has a coal-burning furnace, gas lights, and indoor plumbing. The David Davis Mansion is a National Historic Landmark.

There are just a few examples of Moorish Revival architecture in Illinois, and the Montefiore synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues in the United States.

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The David Davis Mansion provides group and private tours of Judge David Davis' 36-room house. Through portray the rich social and cultural history of America's western frontier from the 1850s to the 1880s. Family history (with an emphasis on children) and Victorian architecture are among the subjects covered.

The house is a forerunner of today's contemporary residences and comfort systems, and it serves as a reminder of Illinois' historical significance during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. A customized Tea Ladies Inc. event at the estate may also be arranged.

Monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal are offered by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau under the name Twin City Tours. At the McLean County Museum of History, tours begin.

Bloomington's primary retail destination is Eastland Mall. Shops like Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters can be found at Eastland Mall along with restaurants like Applebee's and Buckle. There are also several recreational activities to be found at Eastland Mall. Although the mall has been in decline in recent years, it is consistent with the overall fall of retail malls in the United States.

In addition to the many museums and banks that can be found in the heart of Bloomington's downtown, the area also has a high concentration of artists' studios and galleries, as well as a variety of specialized shops and support services. There are a wide variety of eateries and a vibrant nightlife in the city. Tour de Chocolat, Farmer's Market, Tour de Metro, Pub Crawl and Once Upon a Holiday are just few of the unique events that provide visitors an opportunity to get to know the region. State Farm Insurance and other large companies may be found in downtown Bloomington, along with a variety of unique shops, pubs, and restaurants. The city and county governments of Bloomington and McLean County also have offices in the area.

There is only one town in Illinois where Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are made. There are two Beer Nuts Company Stores in Bloomington. Each store has a video tour of the plant in Bloomington and a history of the snacks.

Bloomington has two school districts. School District 87 serves the city's interior, with one high school (Bloomington High), one junior high (Bloomington Junior High), six elementary schools (Oakland Washington Bent Irving Sheridan Stevenson) and one pre-school (Sarah Raymond) (named for the first female superintendent for Bloomington).

A second district, McLean County Unit District No. 5, was created as a result of growth. Originally serving only suburban areas, including Normal, Unit Five now serves a majority of Bloomington-area students. Untiion Five runs two high schools, four junior highs, and many elementary schools. EJHS (George Evans Junior High School) was built in 2010 by Unit Five. On top of that, Unit 5 is planning to build two new elementary schools and a new high school in Bloomington by 2011.

The McLean County Museum of History, which has a big dome on top, is a good way to find the city's old parts. The courthouse square is surrounded by buildings that were built in the 1800s. Many of them have interesting history. museums, banks, a legal and government center, residential living, a lot of artists, and a lot of businesses and services are all available to visitors. People can go to a lot of restaurants and have fun at night.

There are government buildings in downtown Bloomington, including those for the City of Bloomington and McLean County. There are also a lot of great specialty stores, bars, restaurants, and art galleries in the area.