RANK #308 / 1001 NAT · #12 / 28 IL · POP 208,741
1YR FORECAST: +3.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +31%
Home to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign County, Illinois, offers a blend of academic influence and Midwestern character. The county seat, Urbana, along with the larger city of Champaign, form a central hub surrounded by rich farmland. Commutes within the county are generally short, with an average travel time of under 17 minutes. The area provides extensive outdoor recreation, including over 4,000 acres of green space across seven forest preserves, featuring lakes for paddling and fishing, and miles of trails for hiking and biking, such as the Kickapoo Rail Trail.
Life in Champaign County is shaped by its diverse population, including a significant international community drawn by the university. The public school systems in towns like Mahomet, St. Joseph, and within the Champaign and Urbana districts are notable. The local economy benefits from ongoing investment in sectors like biomanufacturing, technology, and agriculture, attracting both established businesses and new ventures. Transportation options include a comprehensive bus network, bike-sharing programs, and Amtrak service, connecting residents to regional and national destinations.
Champaign County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +6.9% YoY, population +1.3%, wages +2.1%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Harsh climate or flat terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 7.1x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Urbana Technology Hub (Data Center)
Thor Equities, CyrusOne
|
$1,000M | Proposed |
|
Open Plains Wind Project
Apex Clean Energy
|
$300M | Proposed |
|
Little Prairie Hybrid Project (Solar + Battery Storage)
BayWa r.e. Americas
|
$298M | Undergoing Permitting |
|
Prairie Solar Project
BayWa r.e. Americas
|
$183M | Under Construction |
|
Rising Battery Storage Project
Unknown
|
$100M | Planned |
|
iFAB Tech Hub (Biomanufacturing)
Champaign County EDC (with EDA grant)
|
$51M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 69/100, Champaign County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $63,683 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in IL.
Housing in Champaign County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $211,500 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.30, with rents averaging $1,051/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Champaign County's population is growing — up +1.3% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of +0.2%). Home values shifted +6.9% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
In significant numbers — 5.59% of Champaign County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.
Home values climbed +6.9% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Champaign County is now valued at $211,500. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.