Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, home to about 53,569 people across 18 square miles. Its ZIP code is 61761.
Homes sold for a median of $122 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Normal. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Normal’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Normal well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)109 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI)5 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Chicago, IL114 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Normal; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Normal had 52,736 residents in the 2020 census, up 16% since 2000.
It’s the 26th largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.
McLean County grew from 67,843 residents in 1900 to 170,954 in 2020.
McLean County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 20 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Normal 4ne, IL weather station (3 miles away).
75,617 jobs at 3,481 businesses in McLean County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
531 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Normal.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 50 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 126 |
| Dentists | 16 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 95 |
| Mental health providers | 150 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 64 |
| Optometrists | 11 |
| Chiropractors | 19 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (55 nearby)
Grocery stores (13 nearby)
Pharmacies (11 nearby)
Libraries (7 nearby)
Museums (4 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (15 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1865.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by McLean County USD 5, DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkside Elementary SchoolNormal | Pre-K–5 | 322 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Sugar Creek Elem SchoolNormal | Pre-K–5 | 468 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Colene Hoose Elem SchoolNormal | K–5 | 413 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Fairview Elem SchoolNormal | K–5 | 280 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Glenn Elem SchoolNormal | K–5 | 272 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Grove Elementary SchoolNormal | K–5 | 519 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Oakdale Elem SchoolNormal | K–5 | 386 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Prairieland Elementary SchoolNormal | K–5 | 450 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Chiddix Jr High SchoolNormal | 6–8 | 597 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Kingsley Jr High SchoolNormal | 6–8 | 730 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| McClean Co Detention CenterNormal | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| Parkside Jr High SchoolNormal | 6–8 | 598 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Central Illinois Bridge AcademyNormal | 7–12 | — | Alternative Education | 2.5 mi |
| Normal Community High SchoolNormal | 9–12 | 2,079 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Normal Community West High SchoolNormal | 9–12 | 1,590 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| YBMC Charter SchNormal | 11–12 | 16 | Charter | 2.6 mi |
| Eugene Field SchoolNormal | 12 | — | Public | 0.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvary Christian AcademyNormal | Pre-K–12 | 212 | Baptist | 0.8 mi |
| Epiphany Catholic SchoolNormal | Pre-K–8 | 308 | Roman Catholic | 0.9 mi |
| Mulberry SchoolNormal | Pre-K–3 | 20 | Nonsectarian | 0.8 mi |
| Hammitt School - the Baby FoldNormal | K–12 | 127 | Nonsectarian | 0.3 mi |
| White Horse AcademyNormal | K–3 | 12 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.7 mi |
| White Horse AcademyNormal | K–3 | 12 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.7 mi |
| Bloom Community SchoolNormal | 1–8 | 39 | Nonsectarian | 0.8 mi |
| Hammitt Junior Senior High SchoolNormal | 6 | 60 | Nonsectarian | 1.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Normal? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.