Bloomington–Normal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bloomington–Normal
Bloomington–Normal, IL MSA
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Uptown Normal, looking east on North Street, 2011
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Principal cities | |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 49.2 sq mi (127 km2) |
| • Metro | 1,601 sq mi (4,150 km2) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Urban | 132,600 (243rd) |
| • MSA | 190,345 (225th) |
| • CSA | 229,253 (130th) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Bloomington–Normal is a special area in Central Illinois. It's often called the "Twin Cities" because it's made up of two main towns: Bloomington and Normal. Even though they are separate towns, they work together like one big community.
This area is officially known as the Bloomington, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. This is a way the government groups nearby towns and cities that are closely connected. In 2010, about 132,600 people lived in the urban parts of Bloomington and Normal. The wider metropolitan area had about 169,572 people.
What is Bloomington–Normal?
Bloomington–Normal is more than just two towns. It's a busy center in Illinois. It has many businesses, schools, and homes. People often say "Bloomington–Normal" to talk about the whole area.
How the Area is Defined
The way this area is officially defined has changed over time. Before 2013, the metropolitan area only included McLean County. This is the county where both Bloomington and Normal are located.
In 2013, the official definition changed. It now includes all of DeWitt County as well as McLean County. This means the area is considered even larger.
The Combined Statistical Area
There's also something called the Bloomington–Pontiac Combined Statistical Area. This is an even bigger way to group connected areas. It combines the Bloomington metropolitan area with the Pontiac, Illinois micropolitan statistical area. A micropolitan area is like a smaller version of a metropolitan area. This larger combined area includes McLean County and Livingston County.
