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Champaign County, Illinois facts for kids

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Champaign County
County
The Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana
The Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana
Location within Illinois
Location within Illinois
Illinois' location within the United States
Illinois' location within the United States
Country United States
State Illinois
Region Central Illinois
Metro area Champaign–Urbana Metropolitan
Incorporated February 20, 1833
County seat Urbana
Largest city Champaign
Area
 • Total 998 sq mi (2,580 km2)
 • Land 996 sq mi (2,580 km2)
 • Water 2.1 sq mi (5 km2)
Area rank 5th largest county in Illinois
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 205,865
 • Density 206.28/sq mi (79.64/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (Central)
ZIP Code prefixes
60949, 61801, 61802, 61815, 61816, 61820-61822, 61840, 61843, 61845, 61847, 61849, 61851-61853, 61859, 61862-61864, 61866, 61871-61875, 61877, 61878, 61880
Area codes 217/447
Congressional district 2nd, 13th, 15th
Elected countywide officials
Champaign County, IL
Office Name Party
County Executive Steve Summers Democratic
Assessor Paula Bates Democratic
Auditor George P. Danos Democratic
County Board Chair Jennifer Locke Democratic
County Board Majority Jennifer Locke Democratic
Circuit Clerk Susan W. McGrath Democratic
County Clerk & Recorder Aaron Ammons Democratic
Coroner Laurie Brauer Democratic
Sheriff Dustin Heuerman Democratic
State's Attorney Julia Rietz Democratic
Treasurer Cassandra Johnson Democratic

Champaign County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 205,865. This makes it the 10th-most populated county in Illinois. The main city, or county seat, is Urbana.

Champaign County is part of the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area. The two main cities, Urbana and Champaign, are the only cities in the county. They are located around the campus of the University of Illinois.

History of Champaign County

Champaign County was officially started in 1833. Before that, it was part of Vermilion County. The county grew a lot when the Chicago Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad arrived. It grew even more when the University of Illinois was built. This university was a "land-grant" school, meaning it received land from the government to help it get started.

Later, the county also got an airport and a public transportation system called a mass transit district. In the 1990s, the northern part of the county faced some challenges when the Chanute Air Force Base closed down.

  • Champaign County Illinois 1833

    Champaign County when it was created in 1833

  • Rural Champaign County grain elevator

    A country grain elevator in Champaign County

Geography and Landscape

Champaign County is about 27 miles wide (east to west) and 36 miles long (north to south). Its total area is 998 square miles. Most of this (996 square miles) is land, and a small part (2.1 square miles) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Illinois by land area.

The county sits on a very flat plateau. Because it was so flat, it used to have many wetlands (swampy areas) with almost no natural way for water to drain. People started building drainage ditches in the 1870s to solve this problem. Before these ditches, many people got malaria because of the standing water.

The landscape of Champaign County was shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation, a period when huge sheets of ice covered the area about 20,000 years ago. These ice sheets left behind a thick layer of soil, up to 300 feet deep. They also created many moraines, which are small, flat areas with no natural water outlets.

Champaign County is located on a divide between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. This means that rivers flow out of the county in different directions: east, west, and south.

Champaign County Courthouse
Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana

Neighboring Counties

Transportation

Corn fields near Royal, Illinois
Corn and soybean fields are common in the rural areas of Champaign County

Main Roads

Airports

There are three public airports in Champaign County:

  • University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) – serves Champaign–Urbana
  • Rantoul National Aviation Center (Frank Elliott Field) (TIP) – in Rantoul
  • Frasca Field (C16) – in Urbana

Train Travel

Champaign County has two train stations:

  • The Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign
  • Rantoul station in Rantoul

Both stations are served by Amtrak's Illini and Saluki trains. These trains run once a day between Chicago and Carbondale. The Illinois Terminal also has the City of New Orleans train, which runs daily between Chicago and New Orleans. These passenger trains use tracks owned by the Canadian National Railway, which are also used by freight trains.

The Norfolk Southern Railway has two smaller train lines in the county. The Canadian National Railway also operates other smaller lines. These lines mostly carry freight.

Bus Services

Amtrak, Greyhound, and Peoria Charter offer bus services from Champaign–Urbana. You can travel to cities like Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis.

Local Public Transit

The Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District runs public city buses in Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy.

The Champaign County Area Rural Transit System (C-CARTS) provides transportation for people living in the county's rural areas. C-CARTS also has local bus routes in Rantoul and a route connecting Rantoul to Champaign–Urbana.

Renewable Energy

In August 2018, the Champaign County Board decided to allow solar farms on some farmland. Solar farms use solar cells to create electricity from sunlight. To build a solar farm, developers need a special permit from the county board. Many applications for these permits were submitted in the first month.

Climate and Weather

Weather chart for Urbana, Illinois
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
1.9
 
32
16
 
 
2
 
38
21
 
 
3.2
 
49
30
 
 
3.7
 
62
40
 
 
4.8
 
74
51
 
 
4.2
 
83
60
 
 
4.7
 
85
64
 
 
4.4
 
83
62
 
 
3.2
 
78
54
 
 
2.8
 
65
43
 
 
3.5
 
50
33
 
 
2.8
 
37
22
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel
Metric conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
48
 
0
-9
 
 
51
 
3
-6
 
 
82
 
9
-1
 
 
93
 
17
4
 
 
122
 
23
11
 
 
107
 
28
16
 
 
119
 
29
18
 
 
111
 
28
17
 
 
82
 
26
12
 
 
71
 
18
6
 
 
88
 
10
1
 
 
70
 
3
-6
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm

In Urbana, the county seat, average temperatures range from a low of 16°F (about -9°C) in January to a high of 85°F (about 29°C) in July. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -25°F (about -32°C) in January 1999. The hottest was 109°F (about 43°C) in July 1954.

The average rainfall each month varies. It's usually lowest in January (1.90 inches) and highest in May (4.80 inches).

Population and People

USA Champaign County, Illinois age pyramid
This chart shows the age groups in Champaign County in 2000. The large group of college-aged people is due to the University of Illinois.
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1840 1,475 —
1850 2,649 79.6%
1860 14,629 452.2%
1870 32,737 123.8%
1880 40,863 24.8%
1890 42,159 3.2%
1900 47,622 13.0%
1910 51,829 8.8%
1920 56,959 9.9%
1930 64,273 12.8%
1940 70,578 9.8%
1950 106,100 50.3%
1960 132,436 24.8%
1970 163,281 23.3%
1980 168,392 3.1%
1990 173,025 2.8%
2000 179,669 3.8%
2010 201,081 11.9%
2020 205,865 2.4%
2023 (est.) 205,644 2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2019

In 2010, there were 201,081 people living in Champaign County. The population density was about 201.8 people per square mile.

The county's population is made up of different groups:

  • 73.4% White
  • 12.4% Black or African American
  • 8.9% Asian
  • 0.3% American Indian
  • 0.1% Pacific Islander
  • 2.2% from other races
  • 2.7% from two or more races

About 5.3% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin. The most common ancestries were German (23.9%), Irish (12.2%), American (11.5%), and English (8.9%).

The average age in the county was 28.9 years. This is younger than many places, partly because of the large number of college students.

The median income for a household was $45,262. For a family, it was $65,785. About 20.5% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Champaign County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: The US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980 Pop 1990 Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 146,970 144,824 139,143 142,470 125,280 87.28% 83.70% 77.44% 70.85% 60.86%
Black or African American alone (NH) 14,492 16,534 19,881 24,553 28,215 8.61% 9.96% 11.07% 12.21% 13.71%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 269 429 345 360 279 0.16% 0.25% 0.19% 0.18% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 3,286 7,819 11,553 17,879 24,420 1.95% 4.52% 6.43% 8.89% 11.86%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 55 76 64 129 60 0.03% 0.04% 0.04% 0.06% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 915 130 325 387 897 0.54% 0.08% 0.18% 0.19% 0.44%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) — — 3,155 4,696 10,048 — — 1.76% 2.34% 4.88%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,405 1,637 5,203 10,607 16,666 1.43% 0.95% 2.90% 5.27% 8.10%
Total 168,392 173,025 179,669 201,081 205,865 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Economy and Jobs

The University of Illinois plays a big role in the county's economy. It supports growth in many areas, including:

  • Information Technology
  • Micro/Nanotechnology
  • Bio-Imaging
  • Healthcare
  • Logistics (moving goods)
  • Distribution
  • Agribusiness (farming-related businesses)

As of 2023, the top employers in Champaign County include:

  • The University of Illinois
  • Carle Foundation Hospital
  • Champaign Schools Unit 4
  • Kraft Heinz
  • OSF Healthcare
  • Parkland College
  • Kirby Foods
  • Christie Clinic
  • Champaign County Government
  • Urbana School District #116
  • FedEx
  • Plastipak
  • Rantoul Foods
  • Busey Bank
  • SuperValu

Communities in Champaign County

Champaign County has many different communities, including cities, villages, and census-designated places. The largest city is Champaign, and the county seat is Urbana.

Community
 Community
type		 Population Total
Area		 Water
Area		 Land
Area		 Pop.
Density
Bondville village 388 0.25 0.00 0.25 1,545.82
Broadlands village 316 0.32 0.00 0.32 981.37
Champaign (largest city) city 88,302 23.14 0.15 22.99 3,800
Fisher village 2,062 1.33 0.00 1.33 1,550.38
Foosland village 75 0.07 0.00 0.07 1,086.96
Gifford village 911 0.44 0.00 0.44 2,050
Homer village 1,073 0.98 0.00 0.98 1,094.90
Ivesdale village 265 0.72 0.00 0.72 370.11
Lake of the Woods census-designated place 2,403 1.77 0.08 1.68 1,428.66
Longview village 112 0.25 0.00 0.25 453.44
Ludlow village 308 0.40 0.00 0.40 775.82
Mahomet village 9,434 9.79 0.07 9.72 970.38
Ogden village 729 0.59 0.00 0.59 1,239.80
Penfield census-designated place 151 0.26 0.00 0.26 587.55
Pesotum village 550 0.58 0.01 0.57 966.61
Philo village 1,392 0.83 0.00 0.83 1,679.13
Rantoul village 12,371 8.59 0.10 8.49 1,457.13
Royal village 293 0.18 0.00 0.18 1,601.09
Sadorus village 402 1.03 0.00 1.03 391.43
Savoy village 8,857 3.30 0.07 3.23 2,739.56
Seymour census-designated place 317 0.09 0.00 0.09 3,500
Sidney village 1,208 0.63 0.01 0.62 1,935.90
St. Joseph village 3,810 2.10 0.02 2.08 1,829.09
Thomasboro village 1,034 1.00 0.00 1.00 1,034.00
Tolono village 3,604 2.06 0.00 2.06 1,748.67
Urbana (seat) city 38,336 11.90 0.07 11.83 3,240.57
Champaign County county 205,865 998 2.1 996 210

Townships

Townships are smaller local government areas. Champaign County adopted this system on November 8, 1859.

  • Ayers
  • Brown
  • Champaign
  • Champaign City
  • Colfax
  • Compromise
  • Condit
  • Crittenden
  • Cunningham
  • East Bend
  • Harwood
  • Hensley
  • Kerr
  • Ludlow
  • Mahomet
  • Newcomb
  • Ogden
  • Pesotum
  • Philo
  • Rantoul
  • Raymond
  • Sadorus
  • Scott
  • Sidney
  • Somer
  • South Homer
  • St. Joseph
  • Stanton
  • Tolono
  • Urbana

Other Small Places

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or villages.

Education

Champaign County has many schools and school districts. Here are the K-12 school districts that serve the county:

  • Arthur Community Unit School District 305
  • Bement Community Unit School District 5
  • Champaign Community Unit School District 4
  • Fisher Community Unit School District 1
  • Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Community Unit School District 5
  • Heritage Community Unit School District 8
  • Mahomet-Seymour Community Unit School District 3
  • Monticello Community Unit School District 25
  • Paxton-Buckley-Loda Community Unit School District 10
  • Tolono Community Unit School District 7
  • Tuscola Community Unit School District 301
  • Urbana School District 116
  • Villa Grove Community Unit School District 302

There are also high school districts and elementary school districts:

  • High School Districts:
    • Armstrong Township High School District 225
    • Rantoul Township High School District 193
    • St. Joseph-Ogden Community High School District 305
  • Elementary School Districts:
    • Armstrong-Ellis Consolidated School District 61
    • Gifford Community Consolidated School District 188
    • Ludlow Community Consolidated School District 142
    • Prairieview-Ogden Community Consolidated School District 197
    • Rantoul City School District 137
    • St. Joseph Community Consolidated School District 169
    • Thomasboro Community Consolidated School District 130

The famous University of Illinois is also located in Champaign County.

Notable People

See also

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