Taxes in Bloomington
Bloomington's tax picture combines Illinois's real, statewide flat income tax with a genuinely elevated local property tax and a genuinely high combined sales tax.
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Learn moreIllinois's flat income tax, with a real retirement exemption
Illinois levies a simple, flat 4.95% tax on wages statewide, but taxes NONE of a retiree's Social Security, pension, or 401(k)/IRA income -- see illinois.js for the full mechanic.
A real, elevated local property tax
McLean County's effective property tax rate (2.12%-2.27% depending on source) runs meaningfully above Illinois's own already-high 1.88% statewide average.
A genuinely high combined sales tax
Bloomington's 9.75% combined sales tax is identical to adjacent Normal's own rate and runs genuinely high for a city outside Chicago.
Key takeaways
- Illinois's flat 4.95% income tax exempts all retirement income -- a real, distinct positive for retirees.
- McLean County's property tax rate (2.12%-2.27%) runs meaningfully above Illinois's statewide average.
- Bloomington's 9.75% combined sales tax runs genuinely high outside Chicago.
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