There are many reasons Bloomington is considered one of America’s top college towns. Our small community of 70,000 offers more to do than you might imagine.
A sophisticated small town
Culture
If you want it, we’ve got it. You’ll find coffeehouses, art fairs, live music, festivals, bookstores, open-air markets, historic architecture, cafes, more than 30 ethnic restaurants, museums, and theaters. The famous IU Jacobs School of Music is here, staging more than 1,100 performances every year ranging from operas to ballet to jazz quartets. We’ve got so much going on that it’s often said: “Bloomington is a small town with a big-city feel.”
Family fun
Many Kelley doctoral students bring their families along for the ride, and B-town is definitely a family-friendly place. We offer Big Ten athletics (go Hoosiers!), a children’s science museum called WonderLab, an outstanding public library with a thriving Children’s Services department, the John Waldron Art Center, a Student Recreational Sports Center, a local YMCA, swimming pools, roller skating and ice skating rinks, and hundreds of recreational programs offered through Bloomington Parks & Recreation.
Natural beauty
IU’s campus is a lush, landscaped masterpiece all its own, named one of the nation’s five most beautiful campuses in the book The Campus as a Work of Art. Trees line our streets, parks are all over the city, and we’re surrounded by lakes, state and national parks, and miles of trails.