About Bloomington
Beyond academic rankings, IU and Bloomington rack up accolades like #1 City for Work-Life Balance (Forbes), #6 Best College Town to Live in Forever (College Ranker), #7 Smartest Town (Lumosity), and #8 LGBTQ+ Friendly College (College Magazine). IU consistently ranks among the most beautiful campuses in the country and benefits from being just 50 miles away from Indianapolis, allowing enjoyment of the museums, music, shopping, or whatever you might want from a major city. As a member of the Big 10 conference, the Indiana Hoosier athletic teams provide entertainment and school spirit throughout the school year. The campus, and the whole state of Indiana, is known for its passion for championship basketball.
Bloomington itself is known for its culture and year-round activities. The downtown district of galleries, music venues, restaurants and more offer a wide variety of entertainment. Bloomington is listed as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in America on Livibility.com. Bloomington lies adjacent to Lake Monroe, a more than 10,000 acre lake, that is the largest in the state, and Hoosier National Forest is less than an hour’s drive away. Bloomington has been named a Tree City USA for the last 30 years and counting.