Rents are 2% below what Bloomington's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,681 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Bloomington usually run 0.5% below trend in December and 0.4% above it in August, about $15 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Bloomington is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in November 2015.
Rent in Bloomington changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 53 Minnesota cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bloomington rose 16.4% while median household income rose 24.1% ($75,130 to $93,211). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Bloomington is 21.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($93,211) is $2,330 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,893); a 3-bedroom is $2,520.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Bloomington, 55431 ($1,805/mo), costs 8% more than the cheapest, 55425 ($1,669/mo).
Richfield, 3 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,393/mo), about $3,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bloomington. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Bloomington, MN is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 46.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bloomington, MN has changed in 5 years
Rent in Bloomington, MN has increased 20.2% since 2021, going from about $1,398 per month to roughly $1,681 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $80,582 in 2021 to $93,211 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 4.5 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 34.3% of households rent today, against 32.7% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 43.4% to 46.2%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Bloomington, MN market of 2021.
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At $1,681/mo, how Bloomington rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bloomington rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bloomington. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bloomington
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Bloomington is $1,681/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,373/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,893/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,550/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,520/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($93,211/yr), Bloomington ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Bloomington?
At $1,681/mo, rent takes ~22% of Bloomington's median household income ($93,211/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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