Is Bloomington, MN Safe? (For Visiting & Living in 2024)
Are you planning a visit to Minnesota and have found yourself wondering, is Bloomington, MN safe?
Determining how safe a location is is very important when you’re planning to travel, or you’re planning to move somewhere.
There’s a lot to consider, from crime rates to weather, and the neighborhoods that you’re in.
But there is so much to do in Bloomington, so you definitely do not want to miss it!
I’ve spent a lot of time in Bloomington growing up, since I’m from Minnesota and have spent plenty of days exploring the city.
In this post, I’m going to share with you everything that you need to know so that you feel confident in making your way to Bloomington.
Planning Your Trip to Minnesota? Use My Favorite Resources!
🛌 Accommodations: I love using Booking.com for any hotels or short-term rentals.
🏡Vacation Rentals: If you want your own house, VRBO is the best platform.
✈️ Flights: For flights to get here, check out Expedia to save some money!
🚘 Car Rentals: To get around, I use Discover Cars!
📍Tours: I recommend Viator for fun experiences.
Is Bloomington, MN Safe to Visit?
Being located right next to the Twin Cities and being home to the Mall of America makes Bloomington a pretty prominent city in Minnesota.
In fact, it’s the fourth largest city in the state by population, coming in behind Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth.
One of the most important factors that we can look at it the crime rate, which will tell us a little more about the safety of the city.
Bloomington has a slightly higher crime rate than the United States, coming in with a rate of around 38 crimes per 1,000 residents.
This number includes all sorts of crimes, including property and violent.
But, when we look at the crime rates of other cities surrounding Bloomington, we can see that it actually has a much lower rate!
For example, Minneapolis’ crime rate is around 58 per 1,000 residents, and St. Paul’s is around 49 per 1,000 residents.
We can also compare it to other large cities in the Midwest like Milwaukee and Detroit, and see that Bloomington has a much lower rate.
Luckily, Bloomington has not made any lists (that I’ve found!) of dangerous cities in the Midwest.
Bloomington is just like any other major city though, since they will all always have some sort of crime, and we need to always watch out for ourselves.
I’ve lived here my whole life and rarely feel unsafe, but we still need to use caution.
One thing to note though, is that the neighborhoods where you’ll typically find the most crime happen to have the best things to do.
So it can be hard to avoid these areas, but by using extra safety precautions, we can typically avoid getting involved in crime.
Another thing that we should consider when it comes to safety in Minnesota is the weather since we can have extreme weather.
During the winter months, temperatures regularly drop below 0 degrees F, and can remain there for weeks.
This can be really dangerous and hypothermia or frostbite can set in quickly.
But when we look at the overall safety, we can pretty confidently say that with the proper precautions, Bloomington is safe to visit and visitors can typically enjoy their time without having to worry!
Is Bloomington, Minnesota Safe to Live in?
When you’re deciding if Bloomington is safe to live in or not, you can look at many of the same things that we just talked about above.
There are a lot of great reasons to live in Bloomington, so let’s go over the safety of living here.
We’ll want to consider the crime rate, which is higher than the national average, but safer than many of the other surrounding cities.
One of the most important factors to take into consideration is what neighborhood that you’ll be moving into.
As with any other major city, there are great neighborhoods, and there are neighborhoods that you should try to avoid.
Choosing the correct neighborhood can make all the difference in how safe you feel living in Bloomington.
I’ll go more in-depth about the best neighborhoods to move to below, but for now, a few to consider are Marsh Lake Park and Nord Myar Lake.
Is Bloomington Safe at Night?
The question of is Bloomington, MN safe at night can be a tricky one to answer, as it can be for almost all big cities.
We can kind of go off of everything that I discussed above, about the crime rates and certain neighborhoods being worse than others.
When the sun goes down, it’s even more important to be vigilant and stay in safe areas.
The Twin Cities after dark can be a great place to enjoy some nightlife, but there are also more risks without light, so unfortunately, while there is no clear answer here, you can increase your safety by following some safety precautions.
Safest Neighborhoods in Bloomington
Below are some of the safer neighborhoods and areas in Bloomington that you can use to plan where you’re going to live if you’re moving here.
These areas are harder to go to if you’re just visiting, since they’re largely residential, but they’re still beautiful places.
Marsh Lake Park
This district is a nice area with lots of outdoor space, a community college, an archery range, and so much more.
There are a lot of residential homes and real estate, so it makes for a great spot to live for safety while living in Bloomington.
It’s also near many other great areas in Bloomington like the Hyland Hills Ski Area the Bloomington off-leash dog park.
Nord Myr Park
The area around Nord Myar Park tends to be a pretty safe place with much fewer crimes in Bloomington than what you’ll find in other neighborhoods.
It’s a heavily residential area with lots of real estate and green, outdoor spaces to enjoy, like Nord Myr Park itself.
The Normandale Lake neighborhood is also nearby, which also features a lot of residential space and is a safe space to live in Bloomington or visit.
The only downside here is that it takes a bit longer to reach the fun activities like the Mall of America and Fort Snelling.
Southeast Bloomington
If you’re visiting and want to stay somewhere safe but in a place that’s a bit closer to all of the fun things to do, then check out Southeast Bloomington.
This area lines the Minnesota River and is right next to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, so there’s plenty of green space to get outside.
But it also features plenty of hotels and places to stay, as well as easy access to lots of great shopping and things to do.
Safest Places to Stay in Bloomington
Now that you know the safest neighborhoods in Bloomington, Minnesota, I want to share a few of the safest places to stay, so you can feel confident in where you’re booking your accommodations.
🏨 Radisson Blu Mall of America
Right next to the Mall of America, the Radisson Blu offers an indoor pool, restaurant, and bar, as well as being just a short distance from some of the best things to do in Bloomington.
🏨 Best Western Plus Bloomington
If you’re visiting with kids, then a stay at the Best Western Plus is going to be the most fun for your entire family! With a fantastic indoor waterpark, on-site restaurant, and spacious rooms, it’s a great place for everyone.
🏨 La Quinta by Wyndham Bloomington
I’ve stayed several times at the La Quinta in Bloomington because it’s a budget-friendly hotel with great amenities. It offers a view of the skyline, easy access to great activities, and a safe atmosphere.
Places to Avoid in Bloomington
Below are a few neighborhoods where crimes seem to happen more often. These neighborhoods aren’t terrible, but they just have a bit more risk with them.
Bloomington Northeast
This neighborhood in Bloomington is located along the banks of the Minnesota River on the far eastern side of the city.
It’s found near the airport, but there’s no need to fear going to the airport, as the crime in Bloomington happens outside of that area.
As I mentioned above, this neighborhood isn’t all bad, and it’s actually located near most of the great things to do in Bloomington.
It just sees more crime than other areas, so it’s good to avoid walking around and instead, drive and just go from place to place.
Bryant Park
This is another neighborhood found in Central Bloomington. Nearby you’ll also find several of the best things to do, so it might be hard to avoid it.
Since crime happens more often here, I’d recommend just driving around and finding your destinations, rather than walking.
Although there does seem to be more crime here, I’ve visited the Bryant Park area several times and usually feel safe.
Crime in Bloomington, MN
As we’ve discussed, the crime rate in Bloomington, MN is higher than the national average but lower than in other surrounding cities.
For property crimes, Bloomington tends to have a higher rate than Minnesota, but for violent crimes, it’s the opposite.
In Bloomington, there is about a 1 in 28 chance that you’ll become a victim of a property crime, compared to 1 in 48 in all of Minnesota.
As for violent crimes, it’s about a 1 in 322 chance in Bloomington while there’s a 1 in 317 chance in all of Minnesota.
According to Neighborhood Scout, the city is 6% safer than most US cities, while Minneapolis is only 1% safer.
When compared to other nearby cities, we can see that Bloomington has a lower rate since Minneapolis’ is 58 crimes per 1,000 residents and St. Paul’s is 49 per 1,000.
The most common Bloomington crimes that you’ll find here are property, which include things like theft, motor vehicle theft, and burglary.
So when we go off of statistics and data, we can see that Bloomington does have a higher crime rate than Minnesota, but when compared to other nearby cities, it’s safer.
I think that it’s safe to say that Bloomington is a safer place to visit than other major cities in Minnesota and that with the proper precautions, you can have an enjoyable trip!
Most Common Crimes in Bloomington
There are all sorts of crimes out there, and some that you really can’t even prepare yourself for.
These are the most common crimes in Bloomington, Minnesota, but keep in mind that this is not an all-inclusive list.
Theft
The most common form of Bloomington crime is theft, whether that be of wallets or purses, jewelry, or anything else.
This is classified under property crimes and gives Bloomington a rate of 29 per 1,000 people becoming a victim of theft, whereas the United States is only 14 per 1,000.
One of the most common ways to avoid becoming a target of theft is to leave your valuables at home and not flash them, but honestly, it gives no excuse to be stolen from.
Motor Vehicle Theft
Next on the list of common crimes here is motor vehicle theft, which is the act of stealing or attempting to steal a vehicle.
Behind regular theft, this is the second most common form of property crimes, with a rate of 3 per 1,000 people becoming a victim of motor vehicle theft.
Assault
This is the most common form of violent crime that takes place in Bloomington, and you should always be on the lookout for this.
Assault can take place anywhere, and it’s very important to be aware of your surroundings to protect yourself from becoming a victim.
In Bloomington, on average, 2 out of every 1,000 people will become an assault victim.
Dangerous Weather in Bloomington
Something that you might not think of when planning a visit to Minnesota and asking yourself is Bloomington, MN safe, is the weather.
But it plays an important factor in safety, since Minnesota does experience some pretty harsh winters.
While we, thankfully, don’t have many natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes, aside from the occasional tornado, we do have really cold temperatures.
In the winter, temperatures often drop below 0 degrees F and can cause hypothermia and frostbite to set in very quickly.
This is why it’s very important to understand the weather here, dress appropriately, and sometimes even just stay inside if it’s too cold.
Safety Tips for Visiting Bloomington
While we can now see that Bloomington is safe to visit in most ways, we still should go over some safety tips that you can use for your visit.
Even though I’m from Minnesota and visit Bloomington often, I still follow these precautions to keep myself safe!
Don’t Walk Alone
It’s really important, especially after dark, to try to avoid walking alone, this statistically makes you a bigger target.
I totally agree that this is really unfortunate, and we should be able to just walk where we want, but that’s just not the case.
So try your best to walk in the buddy system, and if that’s not possible, like if you’re visiting the Twin Cities solo, then try to always stay in safe neighborhoods and let someone you trust know where you’ll be.
Stay in Well-Lit Areas
When the sun goes down, avoid walking in dark areas and stay in locations where there are plenty of street lights and things going on.
Sticking to well-trafficked areas can help reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime.
Stick to Safe Neighborhoods
Like most major cities, Bloomington has a few neighborhoods that are more likely to experience crime, and it’s in your best interest to avoid them.
Typically, crime is confined to smaller areas and you can avoid it by just sticking to the ‘safe zones.’
We covered these safe areas above, so make sure you check those out and stick to them!
Dress for the Weather
Make sure that you have the appropriate clothes for the weather and pack correctly for your Minnesota visit.
This can reduce your chances of hypothermia or frostbite, and just ensures that you’ll have a more comfortable and enjoyable trip.
No one likes to be cold!
FAQs
Yes, Bloomington is a great place to live with plenty to do, lots of great outdoor spaces, nice employment opportunities, and a lower crime rate than other nearby large cities.
Yes, Bloomington is generally a safe place to live, especially when compared to other cities close by. It has a lower crime rate than Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Yes, Bloomington, MN has normal safety, and the crime rates are lower than other surrounding cities. It’s a safer place to live than the Twin Cities!
Yes, Bloomington is a suburb of Minneapolis and is located just south of the city of Minneapolis.
Bloomington, Minnesota’s violent crime rate is around 1 in 322. This means that your chance of becoming a victim of violent crime here is 1 in 322 people.
The main thing that Bloomington is known for is the Mall of America, which is the country’s largest shopping mall.
Wrap-Up: Is Bloomington, MN Safe?
If you’re considering a visit to Minnesota and are wondering, is Bloomington, MN safe, I hope that you now have a bit more peace of mind.
The city is well known for being a major suburb to Minneapolis and for being home to the Mall of America.
So it makes for a perfect spot to stay while in Minnesota, and now that we know that it’s generally a safe city, you can enjoy your trip in confidence!
