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Population & Size
With a population of nearly 70,000, the City of Bloomington includes 20 square miles and ranks as Indiana's seventh largest city. Monroe County has a total population of nearly 123,000 and covers 394 square miles. Education Bloomington’s population is substantially more highly educated than state or national averages, reflecting the presence of a flagship state university campus, a robust community college, and numerous scientific, technical and professional establishments. Over 90% of Bloomington’s population has a high school diploma and over 80% have some college education. Of all Monroe County adults over age 25, 39.6 percent have a B.A. or higher degree, ranking the county second in Indiana and placing Monroe County in the top 2.2% of all counties in the nation Cultural
Diversity
Although US Census numbers indicate that 87% of Bloomington’s population is Caucasian, the presence of Indiana University ensures a lively mix of cultures and ethnicities in and around Bloomington. Of the remaining population, slightly over 5% are Asian, just over 4 percent are African American and 2.5% are Latino. Bloomington is home to centers celebrating the cultures of Tibetan Buddhists, African Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans and Latinos.
Age Distribution
Not surprisingly for a university town, the county’s median age (28.5 years) is much younger than that of the state as a whole (35.5), with a high proportion of residents in the 18-to-24 age group. The three groups ranging from 18 to 64 years of age, representing the majority of “working age” residents, currently account for nearly threefourths of the county population, suggesting a sizable potential workforce in the county. However, two thirds of the growth in the county’s population projected through 2020 will occur in the 45-and-up age groups.
Economy & Employment
Bloomington has a thriving economy, thanks in part to Indiana University and Crane Naval Base, two of the largest employers in the area. Other major employers can be found in health carea, social services, tourism and manufacturing. Manufacturing currently retains its spot as the leading employment sector in the Bloomington area, but its payrolls have declined greatly for several years (by more than one-sixth in the last nine years), while employment has risen sharply in the health care and social services sector. At this rate, jobs in the latter sector will likely outnumber those in manufacturing in Monroe County in the near future. Monroe County’s average employment in 2003 was 59,897, an increase of 1.1% over 2000 and 10.5% over 1994.
Indiana University
IU enrolled its first 10 students in 1824 as the first college west of the Allegheny Mountains. Now, total enrollment is approaching 40,000 and includes students from all 50 states and more than 130 countries. Students choose IU for its outstanding research resources, facilities and academic programs, 110 of which are ranked in the top 20 nationally. IU is also home to several visitor attractions and performance venues including the I.M. Pei designed IU Art Museum and the IU Auditorium, which hosts a number of nationally-known performers and Broadway shows each year. And, of course the Hoosiers athletic teams have won 24 NCAA titles over the years in everything from Basketball to Soccer to Swimming!
Total # of Hotel Rooms - 1800
Room Tax - 5%
Sales Tax - 6% |
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