1900s to 1930s

After 1900, the population surpassed 1,000 and Bloomington began to transform into a city. With rising population came conflict among citizens over social issues. Among the major issues during this period were parents' unwillingness to consolidate the individual schools into a single, larger school, and fear of mounting taxes. By 1900, there were six rural schools spread throughout the territory with over 200 students enrolled in grades first through eighth. In 1917, the school consolidation issue was settled when voters approved the consolidation. A year later, secondary education and school bus transportation began throughout the city. Telephone service and automobiles appeared.

1940s to 1950s

From 1940 to 1960, the city's population increased to nine times that of the population at the turn of the century. During the 1940s, the city's development vision was low-cost, low-density housing, each with its own well and septic system. The rapid population growth was due in part to the post-World War II boom and subsequent birth of the baby boomer generation. In 1947, the first fire station was constructed and equipped at a cost of $24,000 and the Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department was established with 25 members.

Toro moved to Bloomington in 1952

The 1950s saw a considerable expansion of the city and its infrastructure, with the city shifting away from its small-town atmosphere and feel. In 1950, because of the increasing population, the first elementary school, Cedarcrest, was built. It was evident that one consolidated school could no longer serve the growing population, and ten new schools were built in this decade to meet the need. In 1952, the first large business, Toro Manufacturing Company, moved to Bloomington. The significance of this can be seen in Bloomington today, which is home to hundreds of businesses of all types.

In 1953, Bloomington changed from a township to a village form of government. This more professional approach to government was accompanied by open council meetings, land use plans, and published budgets. The effects of this new form of government began immediately, first with the formation of the city police department (at a cost of $2 per taxpayer) and then with the first parkland acquisition. Both Bush Lake Beach and Moir Park were established at a cost of one dollar to each residence. Today, about 1/3 of the city's land area is devoted to city and regional parks, playgrounds, and open space.^[17] In 1956, the first city land-use plan was initiated with the construction of Interstate 35W and Metropolitan Stadium.

In 1957, Bloomington High School opened at West 88th Street and Sheridan Avenue South.

In 1958, the city changed from a village government to a council-manager form. One of the first policies the council adopted was encouragement of commercial and industrial development, low-cost housing, and shopping centers. Due to the rapid population increase during this time, police and fire departments changed to a 24-hour dispatching system, and the fire department (now with 46 members) converted a garage into the second fire station.

1960s to 1970s

Bloomington Kennedy High School was built in 1965

The 1960s saw accelerated school and business growth throughout the city. On November 8, 1960, Bloomington officially became a city as voters approved the city's organizing document, the city charter. The charter provides for a council-manager form of government in which the city council exercises the city's legislative power and determines all city policies (see City of Bloomington Government). In 1965, a second high school, John F. Kennedy High School, was built, and Bloomington High School was renamed Abraham Lincoln High School. In 1967, a second and third official fire station were approved and built to more effectively combat fires in the increasingly large city. In 1968, Normandale State Junior College opened with an initial enrollment of 1,358 students. In 1974, it was renamed Normandale Community College to reflect expanded courses of study.

Owned by the City of Minneapolis but located in Bloomington, major league teams played at the Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 until 1981. It was demolished in 1985 to make room for the Mall of America.

From 1961 to 1981, Bloomington was home to most of Minnesota's major sports teams. In 1961, after the completion of Metropolitan Stadium in 1956, both the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings began regular-season play. Though originally built for the American Association Minneapolis Millers, a minor league baseball team, Metropolitan Stadium was renovated and expanded for Major League Baseball and the National Football League. The first Twins game was held on April 21 (Washington 5, Twins 3) and the first Vikings game was held on September 17 (Vikings 37, Chicago Bears 13). On August 21, 1965, The Beatles played Metropolitan Stadium, their only stop ever in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. In 1967, with the expansion of the National Hockey League, the Metropolitan Sports Center was built near Metropolitan Stadium and the Minnesota North Stars began play later that year.

A number of new city buildings were constructed in the 1970s. In 1970, Thomas Jefferson High School, Bloomington Ice Garden rink one, and a fourth fire station were built. In 1971, school enrollment peaked with 26,000 students, and the fire department had grown to a force of 105 men. (In 1974, after a six-hour city council meeting, women were allowed to join the Bloomington Fire Department, but the city's first female firefighter, Ann Majerus Meyer, did not join the department until 1984; she retired in 2013). In 1975, a second rink was added to the Bloomington Ice Garden and a fifth fire station built, with a sixth added in 1979.

1980s to present

Bloomington skyline

Bloomington IKEA

The 1980s brought radical change to Bloomington with the departure of the Twins and Vikings. On September 30, 1981, the last baseball game was played at Metropolitan Stadium (Kansas City Royals 5, Twins 2) as the Twins and Vikings moved to the newly constructed Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis for the 1982 season. In 1985, the Bloomington Port Authority purchased the 86-acre (350,000 m²) Met Stadium site and in less than two years approved first site plans for Mall of America. Two years later, groundbreaking took place for the new megamall, and in 1992, it opened to the public. Today, tenants of Mall of America, when combined, constitute the largest private-sector employer in Bloomington, employing about 13,000 people.

In 1993, the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas, and a year later the Metropolitan Sports Center was demolished. In 2004, an IKEA store opened on the west end of the former Met Center site. The remainder of the property is planned to be the site for Mall of America Phase II. In May 2006, the Water Park of America opened. It is the country's ninth-largest indoor waterpark.

In 2019, Bloomington passed an ordinance that forbade filming students of Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in a public park, which led to a successful lawsuit in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit against the city to reinstate the First Amendment rights of the parties involved.^[18] Keith Ellison had previously asked the court to drop the case.^[19]

Bloomington was a potential site for hosting the Expo 2027. However, in June 2023, Belgrade, Serbia was chosen for hosting the Expo 2027.^[20]

Top employers

Mall of America and its tenants represent the largest employer in Bloomington.

According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[26] the top employers in the city are:

Other major employers include Express Scripts, Holiday Stationstores, Thermo King Corporation/Ingersoll Rand Inc., and Polar Semiconductor Inc.^[27]

Private schools

• Bloomington Lutheran School is a K–8 Christian school associated with the WELS. The school is near Bloomington Ferry Road and Old Shakopee Road.
• Nativity of Mary School is on Lyndale Avenue. It is associated with the Nativity of Mary Catholic Church and community.
• Bethany Academy provides K–12 Christian Education. Just west of France Avenue on 98th Street, it is interdenominational with representation of over 60 different Christian churches.

Higher education

Japanese garden at Normandale Community College

• Normandale Community College is a two-year college with about 18,000 full- and part-time students,^[33] founded in 1968. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system.
• Northwestern Health Sciences University focuses on alternative health care and patient research, in the areas of chiropractic, acupuncture, oriental medicine, and massage.
• Bethany Global University is a small Christian school focused on missionary preparation.
• Rasmussen University offers more than 70 programs leading to associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and a variety of certificates and diplomas.

2020 census

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the 2005–07 American Community Survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau, White Americans made up 82.7% of Bloomington's population; of which 80.9% were non-Hispanic whites. Blacks or African Americans made up 6.6% of Bloomington's population. American Indians made up 0.3% of the city's population. Asian Americans made up 5.1% of the city's population. Pacific Islander Americans were nonexistent in the city. Individuals from some other race made up 3.9% of the city's population, of which 0.8% were non-Hispanic. Individuals from two or more races made up 1.4% of the city's population; of which 1.3% were non-Hispanic. In addition, Hispanics and Latinos made up 5.0% of Bloomington's population.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 82,893 people, 35,905 households, and 21,618 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,390.2 inhabitants per square mile (922.9/km²). There were 37,641 housing units at an average density of 1,085.4 per square mile (419.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.7% White, 7.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.8% of the population. East Bloomington is notably more diverse than West Bloomington.

There were 35,905 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. Of all households 32.2% were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.89.

The median age in the city was 42.7 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64; and 18.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Of the 19.7% of the population under 18, much of the young population is considerably more diverse than the mostly white adult population.

Politics

2020 Presidential Election by Precinct
Biden:      50–60%      60–70%

Bloomington is governed by a seven-member part-time city council. Members include the mayor and six council members, of whom four are elected from districts and two elected at-large. Members are elected to four-year terms, except during redistricting when all district council members have a two-year term. Elections are nonpartisan and since 2021 have been conducted by ranked-choice voting after more than 51% of voters voted yes on a ballot question on the topic.^[39]

City operations are controlled by three interrelated entities: the City itself, the Port Authority, and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The Port Authority is responsible for managing development in the South Loop district, in the easternmost part of the city, where the Mall of America is. The HRA handles low-income housing in the city and manages the city's redevelopment activities. Membership on the boards of the Port Authority and HRA is controlled by the City Council.

The city's organizing document, the City Charter, was approved by voters on November 8, 1960.

• For a list of city mayors (past and present) see List of mayors of Bloomington, Minnesota

Municipal services

The Bloomington Fire Department is one of Minnesota's largest remaining volunteer fire departments, operates out of six fire stations, and uses the latest in fire-fighting equipment. The department has 30 fire-fighting vehicles, including pumpers, hook and ladders, specialty units (one vehicle compact enough to navigate the Mall of America's parking ramps), and spares, all of which are equipped with Opticom System equipment, which automatically switches traffic signals to expedite emergency runs. The average response time is four minutes.^[40]

Public safety is protected by Bloomington's 120-officer police force. The officers have Ford Police Interceptor squad cars. Each contains a computer-assisted dispatching center that contains a computerized records system, mobile digital terminals that allow officers direct access to warrant information and state motor vehicle and driver's license records, and Opticom System equipment, which automatically switches traffic signals. The police force is also supported by six canine teams: four dual-purpose patrol dogs, a single-purpose narcotics dog, and a single-purpose explosives-detection dog assigned to the Mall of America. The police department has one of Minnesota's four bomb squads and a 20-member SWAT team.^[41]

Federal representation

Bloomington is in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Dean Phillips in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the U.S. Senate, Minnesota is served by Democrats Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar.

Museums

The Works is an experiential technology learning museum for youth.

The Bloomington History Museum focuses on the history of Bloomington, ranging from the prehistoric period through the present day.

The NWA History Museum documents the history of Northwest Airlines.

Theater

Artistry is a professional theater and visual arts nonprofit that produces musicals and plays in the 366-seat Schneider Theater at the municipally owned and operated Bloomington Center for the Arts.

The Theater program at Normandale Community College presents five productions during the academic year.^[43]

The high school theater companies at Jefferson and Kennedy each stage three full length productions, a one-act, and a combined fifth production in the summer, annually.

Visual arts

Artistry curates two galleries in the Bloomington Center for the Arts.

Mhiripihri Gallery features Zimbabwean sculpture in a 3,000 sq ft (280 m²) gallery.^[44]

Major public art works

"Creating Together" mural on the Bloomington City Hall

Noted muralist Erik Pearson's^[45] 2007 work "Creating Together" adorns the flyloft of the theater at Bloomington Center for the Arts. Pearson also created the mural "Science and Nature" in the city's South Loop district, at the Bass Ponds trailhead entrance.

2015 also marked the unveiling of "Convergence", by sculptor James Brenner^[46]

In 2018, the Wright's Lake Park mural, "Seasons of Becoming", was completed by GoodSpace Murals. It is located on Old Cedar Avenue facing Wright's Lake Park. It was inspired, designed, and painted both by the general public and by students from Valley View Middle School, from a gifted program called Nobel, focused on creativity.

In 2021, the WE Mural was completed. WE, a tapestry of murals was curated and produced by Ua Si Creative, and commissioned by the City of Bloomington as part of their creative placemaking efforts; an initiative by the City of Bloomington and the nonprofit arts organization, Artistry, to establish the South Loop as a vibrant, distinctive community. The mural faces American Boulevard and 30th Avenue South along two walls of an Xcel Energy Substation in Bloomington's South Loop District. WE Artists include: Andrés Guzman + Xee Reiter, City Mischief featuring Thomasina Topbear and Tom Jay, Reggie LeFlore, Marlena Myles, Martzia Thometz, and Ua Si Creative.

Also in 2021, The Goldfinch sculpture was installed in South Loop District, by artist Donald Lipski with support from sculptor Christopher Collins, fabricators Yetiweurks and FAST Fiberglass, and project manager John Grant. It is located at the intersection of Old Shakopee Road and Killebrew Drive. Artist Donald Lipski was inspired by the more than 250 species of birds that pass yearly through the nearby, spectacular Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. He entrusted the choice of species to a public poll, and the goldfinch was the overwhelming favorite.

Multiple other art projects such as an augmented tour at Old Cedar Avenue Bridge, smaller scale sculptures, wrapped utility boxes, known as "Artboxes", and more can be found at the South Loop Public Art Guide on the Otocast App.

Television

Comcast provides access to four Bloomington cable television stations for Public, educational, and government access (PEG) programming. They include The Bloomington Channel 14, a comprehensive source of Bloomington information and programming. The Government-access television (GATV) channel features City Council and school board meetings, a weekly news magazine show called "Bloomington Today", "Roll Call", a weekly update on public safety news produced by the Bloomington Police Department, arts events, and sports. Bloomington Educational Community Television (BEC-TV) highlights educational and school-based programs from the Bloomington's public and private schools. Programming on this channel includes Educational-access television content, concerts, choir shows, graduations, and sporting events. Two student produced shows are also on BEC-TV. Tomorrow's Voices Today (TVT) is a teen news show that highlights the good things teens are doing around the city and talks about teen related issues. YRU-Up was a late night call-in Public-access television cable TV talk show, airing from 1991 to 2017. Skits for the show were produced by students and the show was live every Friday night (Sat. Morning) at 12:30am on TBC (Channel 14). A third channel, BCAT, (Bloomington Cable Access Television)^[47] is a Public-access channel that allows individuals and organizations to learn video production and create television shows. The schedules for these channels can be found on a channel called the B.R.A.I.N. The PEG channels are funded by Cable television franchise fees collected in the city.

Film

Parts of the Coen brothers film A Serious Man were filmed in an East Bloomington neighborhood. The neighborhood was chosen for its original suburban ranch-style houses and young trees (due to a storm knocking older ones down), giving it a 1960s new-development look.^[48]