Jobs, pay and daily life in Normal, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Normal is a city in Illinois with 53,569 residents. The median household earns $64,785 a year and the median rent is $965 a month, which is 17.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Bloomington, IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 88,110 jobs.
How Normal compares. Among the 100 largest places in Illinois, Normal is #26 by population, #8 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #92 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #10 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, McLean County, is #12 of 102 counties for average pay ($66,183).
Normal has 53,569 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Illinois. It covers 19 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,867 people per square mile. The median age is 25.0, 36% younger than the state median (25.0 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $965 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% below the state median ($965 against $1,274). Over a year that is 17.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $213,600, which is 3.3 times the median household income ($64,785); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 54.8% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (54.8% against 67.1%).
The Bloomington, IL metropolitan area has 88,110 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $53,140 a year, 4% above the national median ($53,140 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are business and financial operations (9,550 jobs, median $78,130); office and administrative support (9,320 jobs, median $45,950); food preparation and serving related (8,530 jobs, median $31,290). The area is most specialised in business and financial operations (1.6 times) and production (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($128,590) and business and financial operations ($78,130). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of McLean County was 3.3%. 62.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in McLean County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.9% drive alone, 1.4% use public transit, 8.1% walk, 13.4% work from home. 6.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 69% below the state average (6.0% against 19.7%).
52.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 40% above the state share (52.9% against 37.9%). 8.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 45% below the state share (8.1% against 14.8%). The poverty rate is 21.4%, 81% above the state rate (21.4% against 11.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (23.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-4.0°C). About 1,001 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (118 mm) and Feb the driest (53 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Bloomington (3 miles, rent 9% higher); Pekin (33 miles, rent 15% lower); Peoria (36 miles, rent 4% higher); Decatur (46 miles, rent 12% lower). Rent differences are against Normal; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Illinois (1,067) →State guide: IllinoisCountry guideMcLean CountyIllinois rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,067 federal postings open in Illinois (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Illinois →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,430 | 1.11 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,060 | +0% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,990 | 1.04 | $79,970 | $62,980 | $107,260 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 1,980 | 1.13 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,470 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,910 | 0.87 | $31,670 | $31,200 | $44,040 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,900 | 0.96 | $93,250 | $46,220 | $244,300 | -12% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,570 | 1.25 | $36,660 | $31,200 | $48,110 | -0% |
| Software Developers | 1,570 | 1.64 | $123,320 | $91,360 | $190,180 | -9% |
| Financial Managers | 1,400 | 2.93 | $156,240 | $97,630 | $291,980 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,370 | 1.06 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,870 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,280 | 0.87 | $39,120 | $31,200 | $57,660 | -13% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,280 | 0.92 | $41,320 | $31,200 | $66,140 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,180 | 0.73 | $35,030 | $31,200 | $39,530 | -6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,070 | 0.92 | $54,610 | $35,290 | $79,450 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,060 | 0.43 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $37,360 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 960 | 0.58 | $36,610 | $31,200 | $53,030 | -9% |
| Nursing Assistants | 950 | 1.16 | $43,180 | $37,380 | $51,470 | +2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 930 | 0.96 | $51,880 | $33,860 | $79,460 | +9% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 850 | 1.06 | $35,310 | $31,200 | $42,100 | -6% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 800 | 0.99 | $31,710 | $31,200 | $42,640 | -14% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 780 | 2.87 | $82,040 | $42,810 | $178,720 | +32% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 570 | 1.50 | $169,720 | $123,490 | $314,240 | -3% |
| Financial Managers | 1,400 | 2.93 | $156,240 | $97,630 | $291,980 | -6% |
| Lawyers | 530 | 1.25 | $124,100 | $38,680 | $282,680 | -22% |
| Software Developers | 1,570 | 1.64 | $123,320 | $91,360 | $190,180 | -9% |
| Data Scientists | 590 | 4.00 | $120,760 | $73,800 | $191,260 | +0% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 630 | 2.13 | $103,030 | $75,960 | $124,990 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,900 | 0.96 | $93,250 | $46,220 | $244,300 | -12% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 780 | 2.87 | $82,040 | $42,810 | $178,720 | +32% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,990 | 1.04 | $79,970 | $62,980 | $107,260 | -18% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | 630 | 3.09 | $77,280 | $59,990 | $193,050 | -25% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 750 | 0.91 | $76,510 | $49,250 | $117,910 | -9% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 510 | 0.98 | $74,210 | $49,710 | $119,830 | -2% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 530 | 0.88 | $66,280 | $47,010 | $110,280 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 670 | 0.85 | $65,590 | $47,360 | $106,580 | +3% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 540 | 0.75 | $61,850 | $35,350 | $130,000 | -12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,070 | 0.92 | $54,610 | $35,290 | $79,450 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 930 | 0.96 | $51,880 | $33,860 | $79,460 | +9% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 710 | 0.82 | $48,070 | $32,730 | $75,840 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 510 | 0.80 | $46,020 | $33,070 | $70,960 | -5% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 590 | 0.76 | $45,220 | $35,990 | $61,270 | -11% |
These figures are for the whole Bloomington, IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $53,140 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 13.2% |
| Retail trade | 12.2% |
| Manufacturing | 7.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.9% |
| Other services | 4.1% |
| Public administration | 3.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.1% |
| Construction | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Normal lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County | 171,556 | $16,910 million | $98,570 | 88,945 | 3,357 | $66,183 | +2.1% | 3.3% | 92,333 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 17,372 | 24.1% | $110,363 | 4.81 |
| Health care and social assistance | 10,532 | 14.6% | $59,159 | 0.83 |
| Manufacturing | 9,817 | 13.6% | $80,990 | 1.34 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,819 | 12.2% | $24,635 | 1.09 |
| Retail trade | 8,240 | 11.4% | $36,272 | 0.93 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,913 | 5.4% | $47,961 | 0.75 |
| Construction | 2,639 | 3.7% | $74,455 | 0.57 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,624 | 3.6% | $52,042 | 0.98 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,058 | 2.9% | $62,034 | 0.55 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,009 | 2.8% | $72,991 | 0.57 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,253 | 1.7% | $25,733 | 0.84 |
| Educational services | 1,075 | 1.5% | $41,235 | 0.58 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,036 | 1.4% | $44,506 | 0.75 |
| Information | 460 | 0.6% | $70,761 | 0.28 |
| Utilities | 232 | 0.3% | $125,778 | 0.69 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.9% |
| Public transit | 1.4% |
| Walk | 8.1% |
| Work from home | 13.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,785 |
| Income per person | $36,168 |
| Median gross rent per month | $965 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.9% |
| Median home value | $213,600 |
| Homeowners | 54.8% |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $53,140 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 25.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 52.9% |
| Born abroad | 8.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.0 | 25 | 55 |
| Feb | -2.3 | 28 | 53 |
| Mar | 4.2 | 40 | 69 |
| Apr | 11.0 | 52 | 99 |
| May | 16.9 | 62 | 115 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 118 |
| Jul | 23.8 | 75 | 101 |
| Aug | 23.0 | 73 | 91 |
| Sep | 19.2 | 67 | 85 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 87 |
| Nov | 4.8 | 41 | 66 |
| Dec | -1.2 | 30 | 62 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | IL | 3 mi | 78,907 | $77,384 | $1,050 |
| Pekin | IL | 33 mi | 31,781 | $60,790 | $819 |
| Peoria | IL | 36 mi | 112,169 | $59,410 | $1,005 |
| Decatur | IL | 46 mi | 69,815 | $51,592 | $845 |
| Champaign | IL | 47 mi | 89,996 | $56,118 | $1,123 |
| Urbana | IL | 51 mi | 39,341 | $45,346 | $972 |
| Springfield | IL | 61 mi | 113,330 | $66,064 | $975 |
| Kankakee | IL | 71 mi | 23,996 | $47,514 | $1,023 |
| Danville | IL | 77 mi | 28,595 | $45,957 | $846 |
| Galesburg | IL | 78 mi | 29,481 | $48,297 | $801 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
53,569 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$965 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.9% of the median household income.
$64,785 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, McLean County (latest month 2026M09)).
Illinois. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.