Normal, Illinois
Normal is a town of 53,569 people in McLean County, Illinois, founded in 1865.
Why visit Normal
Townapedia lists 56 museums and landmarks, 87 parks and trails, 215 places to eat, 25 places to stay and 14 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include AMC Classic Normal 14, Theatre at Ewing, David Davis Mansion and Broadview Mansion.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 20 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Normal
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Normal
Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 52,736 at the 2020 census. Normal is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, and is Illinois's seventh most populous community outside the Chicago metropolitan area. It is home to Illinois State University and Heartland Community College.
From the Wikipedia article Normal, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do14
Illinois State University
School · 0.7 mi
Public university in Normal, Illinois
Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
Cinema and theater · 2.5 mi
600 North East Street, Bloomington
Connie Link Amphitheatre
Cinema and theater · 1.3 mi
617 South Linden Street, Normal
2 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks56
David Davis Mansion
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
House museum in Bloomington, Illinois
1000 East Monroe Drive, Bloomington
Broadview Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
1301 South Fell Avenue, Normal
McLean County Museum of History
Museum · 2.8 mi
History museum in Bloomington, Illinois
200 North Main Street, Bloomington
Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00; Tu 09:00-21:00; May-Sep: Su 10:00-14:00
Bloomington Central Business District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, United States
David Davis III & IV House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Bloomington, Illinois, NRHP-listed in McLean County
1005 East Jefferson Street, Bloomington
East Grove Street District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Franklin Square
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Listed on the NRHP in McLean County, Illinois
George H. Cox House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
701 East Grove Street, Bloomington
John M. Hamilton House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
502 South Clayton Street, Bloomington
Normal Theater
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Movie theater in Normal, Illinois, United States
209 West North Street, Normal
Ruben M. Benjamin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Bloomington, IL, listed on the NRHP in Illinois
510 East Grove Street, Bloomington
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Sprague's Super Service
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building in Illinois, United States of America
305 East Pine Street, Normal
44 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds87
Grossinger Motors Arena
Sports field and stadium · 2.9 mi
101 South Madison Street, Bloomington
Playsynthesis Children’s Activity Center
Playground · 2.4 mi
1 Auto Row Drive, Bloomington
Tu-Sa 09:00-15:00
The Corn Crib
Sports field and stadium · 1.1 mi
1000 West Raab Road, Normal
Upper Limits Rock Gym & Pro Shop
Sports field and stadium · 3.1 mi
1304 West Washington Street, Bloomington
75 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes215
Fiesta Ranchera
Restaurant · Mexican, Tex-Mex · 2.9 mi
604 IAA Drive, Bloomington
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 11:00-22:00
Anju Above
Restaurant · Asian, American · 2.8 mi
220 East Front Street, Bloomington
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Bloom's Coffee Bar
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.4 mi
1209 1/2 South Towanda Avenue, Bloomington
Mo-Sa 06:00-19:00; Su 07:00-19:00
Bloomin Café
Restaurant · Breakfast, American · 0.9 mi
1720 Bradford Lane, Normal
Tu-Fr 07:00-14:00; Sa-Su 07:00-15:00
Coffee Hound Roastery and Café
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.7 mi
407 North Main Street, Bloomington
Tu-Su 06:30-16:00; Mo off; PH off
Empire Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Donut, Juice, Pastry, Liquor · 2.7 mi
1406 East Empire Street, Bloomington
Mo-Th 06:00-01:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-02:00; Su 06:00-01:00
Epiphany Farms Restaurant
Diner · American · 2.8 mi
220 East Front Street, Bloomington
Mo-Th 16:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 16:00-22:00
Imperial Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese, American, Japanese, Italian, Mongolian Grill · 2.6 mi
1950 East College Avenue, Normal
Mo-Su 11:00-21:30
Jack's Restaurant
Restaurant · Mediterranean · 2.0 mi
1600 Visa Drive, Normal
Tu-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:00
Kobe Revolving Sushi Bar
Restaurant · Japanese, Sushi · 2.8 mi
1500 East Empire Street, Bloomington
Mo-Th 11:00-14:00,16:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-14:00,16:00-21:30; Su...
203 more on the map.
History
The town was laid out with the name North Bloomington on June 7, 1854, by Joseph Parkinson. From its founding, it was generally recognized that Jesse W. Fell was the force behind the creation of the town. He had arranged for the new railroad, which would soon become the Chicago and Alton Railroad, to pass west of Bloomington and then curve to cross the Illinois Central Railroad at a point where he owned or controlled land. Most of the original town lies south of these tracks, with Beaufort Street as its northern limit, and some blocks west of the Illinois Central and north of the tracks. Fell, his brothers, and associates quickly laid out many additions to the original town.
The town was renamed Normal in February 1865 and officially incorporated on February 25, 1867. The name was taken from Illinois State Normal University, a normal school (teacher-training institution) located there. The school has since been renamed Illinois State University after becoming a general four-year university. Normal is adjacent to Bloomington, Illinois, and when mentioned together they are known as the "Twin Cities", "Bloomington–Normal", "BN", or "BloNo".
From the History section of Normal, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay25
Country Inn & Suites, Bloomington-Normal West, IL
Motel and hotel · 3.1 mi
923 Maple Hill Road, Bloomington
Churches and places of worship55
First Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.8 mi
2502 East College Avenue, Bloomington
Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.1 mi
527 West Jackson Street, Bloomington
Shopping49
Gas and EV charging32
Schools, colleges and libraries71
Healthcare24
Merle Pharmacies Inc
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.5 mi
201 East Locust Street, Bloomington
Chestnut Health Systems
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.5 mi
1003 Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Bloomington
Carle Cancer Institute Normal
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.4 mi
407 East Vernon Avenue, Normal
Map of Normal
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 16°F | 2.4 in | 7.5 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 2.0 in | 5.5 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 3.7 in | 0.5 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 60°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 61°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 53°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 42°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 31°F | 2.8 in | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 21°F | 2.3 in | 3.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Normal 4Ne (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
McLean County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-01-17: Illinois Winter Snow Storms (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Bloomington 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Hudson 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Morton 26 mi west, about 41 min by car
- East Peoria 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Lincoln 32 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Peoria 36 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Mahomet 39 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Decatur 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Champaign 47 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Canton 55 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Normal, Illinois, Willjay, CC BY 3.0
- Normal Fire Tower Co 2, Mike Matejka photo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bloomington Il David Davis Mansion3, See above., CC BY 2.5
- Broadview Mansion South View, Casmeltzer at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McLean County Courthouse and Square (7436726814), Michael from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sprague's Super Service in Normal, Illinois on Route 66., William Wesen Appraiser, CC BY-SA 3.0
- EastGrove, William Wesen Appraiser, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bloomington Il David Davis III & IV House1, See above., CC BY 2.5
- Bloomington Il White Bldg1, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Bloomington IL John M. Hamilton House1, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Bloomingtonbusiness, William Wesen Appraiser, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bloomington Il George Cox House1, See above., CC BY 2.5
- Normal Theater (5978150267), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bloomington Il Benjamin House2, See above., CC BY 2.5
- View of the BBC at ISU from the third floor of Milner Library, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View of the BBC at ISU from the fourth floor of Milner Library., ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View of Kensington Suites from floor six of Milner Library, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View of the School Street parking lot from the fourth floor of Milner Library, ParentingPatch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 438, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507066449), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507148893), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 419, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 425, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 446, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507066739), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 414, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 416, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 437, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507065684), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54506014117), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507066789), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54506014962), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 423, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54506880621), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 445, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 439, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 426, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Charlie Kirk (54507150003), Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 424, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring American Comeback Tour 2025 444, Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0
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