Average Rent in Champaign, IL↑ Rents rising 3.0% YoY🔺 10th priciest in IL

Champaign, IL has rental prices ranging from $904/month to $1,432/month in 2025, depending on unit size. The typical 1-bedroom apartment rents for $909/month — 35% below the national average of $1,400/month. With a median household income of $64,558/year, spending $909/month on a 1-bedroom represents 17% of gross income — within the recommended 30% threshold.

How Champaign Compares

With an average 2-bedroom rent of $1,080/month, Champaign ranks #10 most expensive of the 87 cities tracked in Illinois — pricier than 73% of all US cities in our data.

The Champaign Rental Market

The Champaign, IL area has a population of about 236,196 and 43% of households renting rather than owning. That renter share runs above the US average of ~34%, pointing to a competitive rental market where vacancies clear quickly and rents are less negotiable.

Rent Trends

2-bedroom rents in Champaign, IL have risen by $31/month (3.0%) over the past year, from $1,049 to $1,080. This modest growth is consistent with broader inflationary trends seen across US rental markets.

Affordability

To afford a 1-bedroom apartment in Champaign, IL without exceeding the 30% housing cost guideline, a renter needs an annual income of approximately $36,360. The local median household income of $64,558 exceeds that threshold by $28,198, making Champaign relatively accessible compared to local wages.

Rent vs. Buy

The median home value in Champaign, IL is $236,984, giving a price-to-rent ratio of 18.3. With a break-even horizon of approximately 18 years, renting is likely the more financially prudent option for most residents unless they plan to stay long-term.

Is Champaign, IL Affordable?

Income needed to rent or buy, price history, and how this city compares to nearby metros.

Rent or Buy in Champaign?

Break-even analysis and mortgage estimates based on local market data.

Living in Champaign

Cost of living, job market, crime rates, and moving cost estimates.