Normal, Illinois

Normal, Illinois
Location of Normal in McLean County, Illinois
Normal
Normal
Coordinates: 40°30′44″N 88°59′19″W / 40.51222°N 88.98861°W / 40.51222; -88.98861
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyMcLean
TownshipsNormal, Dry Grove, Towanda
Settled1854
FoundedFebruary 1865
IncorporatedFebruary 25, 1867
Government
 • MayorChris Koos
 • City ManagerPamela Reece
Area
 • Total
18.03 sq mi (46.70 km2)
 • Land17.94 sq mi (46.47 km2)
 • Water0.089 sq mi (0.23 km2)  0.33%
Elevation
830 ft (250 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
52,736
 • Estimate 
(2024)
53,304
 • Density2,939.2/sq mi (1,134.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central Standard Time (USA))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (Central Daylight Time)
Zip code
61761, 61790
Area code309
FIPS code17-53234
GNIS ID2396818
Websitenormalil.gov

Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 52,736 at the 2020 census. Normal is the smaller of 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.

Founded in 1865, it was renamed Normal in 1867, because the university when it began was focused on educating teachers (a normal institute), Illinois State Normal University. Chris Koos has been the mayor of Normal since 2003.