City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Champaign, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Champaign - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

88,822
Residents
$57,544
Median income
$199,700
Median home
$1,122
Median rent (state)

Champaign - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Champaign lands in the 31st percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
18th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Champaign, IL

Champaign is a small city in Illinois, home to 88,822 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $57,544 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.1%. Typical homes in Champaign are valued around $199,700, and the median resident age is 27.1 years. About 53.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 378 residential building permits were authorized in Champaign (Construction Slowdown), down 55% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Champaign's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2781.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Champaign's yearly average temperature at 51.1°F with 39.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,122 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Illinois's average monthly utility costs around $240 (state average). Workers in Champaign report an average commute of 13.0 minutes, with 59.2% driving alone and 14.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 90.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

88,822 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$57,544 /yr

Poverty 9.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Champaign compare to other US cities?

Here's how Champaign stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities
Safety 18% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Illinois, Champaign ranks #404 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Champaign's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
18thSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Champaign's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Champaign's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 38 Avg. percentile National median
Champaign's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Champaign's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$199,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Champaign $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Champaign, IL Champaign, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Champaign, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Champaign, IL median $57,544/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Champaign, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Champaign, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 53.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
88,822
Median Income
$57,544
Median Home Value
$199,700
Median Age
27.1
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
53.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2781.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
501.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2279.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.1°F
Annual Precipitation
39.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
88,000 residents89,000 residents90,000 residents91,000 residents92,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 88,385 residents 91,195 residents ▲ +3.2%
Champaign's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
378
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
359
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 846
2020 897
2021 284
2022 572
2023 334
2024 378

Permit volume decreased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.0 minutes
Drive Alone
59.2%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
5.1%
Walk
9.3%
Work from Home
14.9%
Other
2.8%

Based on 42,448 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Champaign sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,122/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Waukegan
88,919 people
Cicero
83,223 people
Bloomington
78,703 people
Schaumburg
76,780 people
Evanston
76,552 people
Arlington Heights
76,220 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Champaign's 88,822 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bloomington, MN
88,838 people
Greenville, NC
88,540 people
San Leandro, CA
88,531 people
Newton, MA
88,504 people
Clifton, NJ
89,247 people
Lawrence, MA
88,297 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Champaign's $57,544 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Broad Creek, NC
$57,545 median income
Litchfield, MN
$57,539 median income
Callahan, FL
$57,538 median income
Spencer, OK
$57,550 median income
Nazareth, PA
$57,551 median income
Fancy Farm, KY
$57,536 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Champaign, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Champaign, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 58.0% 17.4% 14.8% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.5% White 58.0% Black or African American 17.4% Asian 14.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.4% Two or more races 7.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Champaign compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Champaign (this city) 88,822 $57,544
Waukegan 88,919 $70,578
Cicero 83,223 $68,548
Bloomington 78,703 $75,449
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Champaign, IL?

What is the population of Champaign, IL? +

88,822 people live in Champaign, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Champaign, IL? +

The median household income in Champaign is $57,544 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Champaign? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Champaign; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Champaign, IL safe? +

Champaign has a total crime rate of 2781.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Champaign, IL? +

The median home value in Champaign is $199,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Champaign? +

The average annual temperature in Champaign runs 51.1°F, 39.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.