Population 208,741 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Champaign County
Household size in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.33 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Champaign County is a place of small households, averaging 2.33 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.37 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.2 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.3 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.0, Champaign County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.4, as it has nationally. Champaign County has the youngest population of any Illinois county.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Champaign County (9.9%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Champaign County
Renters in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.0% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Champaign County than nationally: 46.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, mirroring the country. Only one other Illinois county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Champaign County as nationally: 10.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Illinois as a whole (8.1%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Champaign County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Illinois as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only eight have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $790 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $852 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $931 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,115 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$325 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Champaign County costs $1,115 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $325 a month since 2006–10, up 41%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Champaign County
Bachelor's degrees in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.8% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.6% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Champaign County: 47.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.3 points, in line with the national trend. Only one other Illinois county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.1% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Champaign County is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Champaign County has a higher share of high school graduates than most Illinois counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Champaign County
| Period | Champaign County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Champaign County than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Champaign County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign County | 2.33 | 35.0 | 9.9% | 46.0% | 10.8% | 1981 | $1,115 | 47.8% | 93.1% | 4.6% |
| Piatt County | 2.41 | 44.2 | 6.8% | 15.2% | 6.6% | 1972 | $1,124 | 32.5% | 96.3% | 3.0% |
| Vermilion County | 2.36 | 42.0 | 13.9% | 29.8% | 12.3% | 1958 | $843 | 19.6% | 91.2% | 6.6% |
| De Witt County | 2.33 | 44.1 | 8.8% | 21.5% | 9.5% | 1961 | $798 | 23.0% | 93.4% | 4.3% |
| Fountain County | 2.42 | 43.3 | 13.2% | 25.4% | 12.3% | 1962 | $802 | 14.8% | 91.3% | 4.6% |
| Logan County | 2.23 | 41.8 | 11.9% | 31.5% | 6.7% | 1963 | $825 | 21.3% | 93.0% | 4.0% |
| Montgomery County | 2.44 | 40.4 | 9.7% | 19.7% | 7.0% | 1964 | $860 | 20.5% | 89.4% | 3.5% |
| Mason County | 2.22 | 44.8 | 9.7% | 18.2% | 13.5% | 1959 | $780 | 17.3% | 93.0% | 4.7% |
| Clinton County | 2.60 | 37.5 | 12.1% | 25.8% | 8.2% | 1958 | $939 | 15.9% | 86.0% | 2.7% |
| Boone County | 2.65 | 39.6 | 9.0% | 21.2% | 4.2% | 1988 | $1,477 | 52.6% | 94.8% | 2.5% |
| Hamilton County | 2.73 | 39.1 | 7.3% | 23.9% | 5.7% | 1999 | $1,739 | 62.8% | 97.4% | 2.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: York County, ME · Yolo County, CA · Gloucester County, NJ · Lexington County, SC · Leon County, FL · Lake County, OH · Kitsap County, WA · Kalamazoo County, MI · Johnston County, NC · Jefferson County, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Champaign County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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