Whether you are into nightlife, the arts, sports, good food, nature, or just want to live in a great community, Bloomington is known as one of the best college towns in the country.
USA Today named Bloomington "one of the top ten places for rich campus culture."
Affordable, comfortable off-campus housing is available within walking, biking, or bussing distance to campus. The city also offers shopping centers, parks, and the B-Line Trail.
Plus, there are many great places to eat in Bloomington, with delicious international and local food only a stroll away from our department. Downtown Bloomington offers a diverting arts and entertainment district, with Lotus World Music Festival concerts and an annual concert series at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
Bloomington is distinguished by the people who live here, and by those who spend time here as part of the university. Home to a diverse and international community, it is marked by Midwestern charm, open-minded residents, and a peaceful, community-minded way of life.
Indiana University is unwavering in its commitment to create safe and welcoming learning environments that advocate access, diversity, equity, inclusion, and community for all. Learn more about campus cultural centers and institutes through the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs.
Bloomington is bordered by Yellowwood State Forest, Brown Country State Park, and Hoosier National Forest and is within a few miles’ drive of three lakes, one of which is the largest in Indiana. Together, these resources provide almost unlimited recreational opportunities for Bloomington residents.
Finally, if you have time for a weekend getaway, Bloomington is not far from Indianapolis, Louisville, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Chicago. An amenable haven for student life, it is surrounded by many exciting Midwestern cities.
Never before have I been to a place where it was so easy to make friends. At the university, on the bus, in a store. Bloomingtonians are warm and welcoming, and that, above all, makes life livable in this town. Bloomington was chosen as one of the top ten college towns in the U.S. for its ‘rich mixture of atmospherics and academia.’
Edward B. Fiske, former education editor of the New York Times
The College of Arts