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Champaign-Urbana, IL

Champaign-Urbana, IL

Latest: 2024↑ D+0.6 vs 2020

Leans Democratic — 239K residents — 3 counties

Race & ancestry
Group%
White (Non-Hispanic)(13)
66.2%
Hispanic / Latino(18)
7.6%
Black / African American(9)
11.9%
Asian(6)
10.1%
Middle Eastern / North African(11)
0.6%
Native American / Alaska Native(1)
0.2%
Multiracial / Other
4.0%
View full demographics →
Religious adherence
Tradition% Pop% Adherents
Evangelical Protestant16.1%40.8%
Catholic11.0%27.9%
Mainline Protestant7.4%18.7%
Other2.8%7.0%
Black Protestant2.0%5.1%
LDS (Mormon)1.1%2.7%
Orthodox Christian0.2%0.5%
Non-religious60.6%
View full religion →
Presidential results
YearResult
2024Harris+14.5
2020Biden+13.9
2016Clinton+10.0
2012Obama+0.7
2008Obama+11.8
2004Bush+3.3
2000Bush+2.3
1996Clinton+4.0
1992Clinton+8.2
View full election history →

Champaign-Urbana, IL is a metro area that has a population of 238,842. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Democratic with a margin of D+14.5. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.

Champaign-Urbana, IL Presidential Election Results, 19482024
YearDem %Rep %MarginSwing
202456.0%41.5%D+14.5D+0.6
202055.3%41.4%D+13.9D+3.8
201650.6%40.6%D+10.0D+9.3
201248.8%48.1%D+0.7R+11.1
200854.8%43.0%D+11.8D+15.1
200447.8%51.1%R+3.3R+1.0
200046.6%49.0%R+2.3R+6.4
199647.5%43.4%D+4.0R+4.2
199244.7%36.5%D+8.2D+16.8
198845.3%53.9%R+8.6D+12.6
198439.1%60.3%R+21.1D+1.2
198031.4%53.8%R+22.4R+8.7
197642.0%55.7%R+13.6D+7.2
197239.4%60.2%R+20.8R+1.7
196836.2%55.3%R+19.1R+24.3
196452.6%47.4%D+5.3D+30.3
196037.0%62.1%R+25.1D+10.9
195632.0%68.0%R+36.0R+0.9
195232.4%67.4%R+35.0R+8.8
194835.9%62.2%R+26.3
Political Identity

What defines Champaign-Urbana, IL?

Champaign-Urbana, IL has been drifting steadily toward Democrats — 14pp bluer over the last 4 presidential cycles. It has a racially mixed, moderately educated electorate — the suburban swing demographic that decides close elections.

Constituent Counties

Constituent Geography

Counties in Champaign-Urbana, IL

2024 presidential results across the counties that make up this geography.
Sort:
CountyPop.MarginDemRepTotalShare
Champaign209K
D+23.8
54,31432,96589,58184.8%
Piatt17K
R+30.5
3,2046,1049,5089.0%
Ford13K
R+47.8
1,6434,7786,5536.2%
3 countiesTotal votes: 105,642
Historian Query

Ask the Historian

Explore Champaign-Urbana, IL's political evolution with the Historian
Automated Readout

Key Insights

High-confidence patterns distilled from this geography's election history.
  • Has voted Democratic in the last 5 presidential elections
  • The 2012 election was decided by just 0.7 points — razor-thin
  • Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2024, Republicans in 2004
Race & Ancestry

Who Lives Here

A race-first Census view with ancestry expansion where source coverage is strong enough to support detail.
Champaign-Urbana, ILCensus ACS 2024Ancestry detail available
Census race profile
Major Census race and ethnicity groups shown as a share of total population.
Expand rows for ancestry detail
White (Non-Hispanic) 66.2%Black 11.9%Asian 10.1%Hispanic 7.6%Multiracial 4.0%
GroupChampaign-Urbana, ILNational
White (Non-Hispanic)(13)
66.2%57.4%
Black / African American(9)
11.9%12.2%
Asian(6)
10.1%6.0%
Hispanic / Latino(18)
7.6%19.3%
Multiracial / Other
4.0%4.0%
Middle Eastern / North African(11)
0.6%0.9%
Native American / Alaska Native(1)
0.2%0.9%
Method notes

Census treats race and Hispanic/Latino origin as separate questions. Race categories other than Hispanic reflect total populations (small Hispanic overlap in Black, Asian, AIAN, NHPI). “Multiracial / Other” is derived as a non-overlapping remainder.

Click rows to expand ancestry detail. Ancestry from ACS B04006, B03001, B02020, B02016. Totals may differ from race — individuals can report multiple ancestries.

Black / African American (estimated remainder) is derived as Black population share minus reported Sub-Saharan African and West Indian ancestry. It is shown as an estimated ancestry detail, not a standalone Census ancestry category.

MENA estimated from ancestry reporting — Census does not have a separate MENA race category. Not shown in bar (overlaps with other race groups).

Religious Adherents

Population that are religious adherents:
39.4%(94.1K people)
U.S. Religion Census 2020
Browse all religions

Catholic-Evangelical edge: -17.4pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.

Tradition% Pop% AdherentsUS PopUS Adherents
16.1%40.8%
11.0%27.9%
7.4%18.7%
2.8%7.0%
2.0%5.1%
LDS (Mormon)
1.1%2.7%
0.2%0.5%
Non-religiousPopulation
60.6%
Click the chevron to expand denominations. Tradition and denomination rows label both share of total population and share of all religious adherents. Non-religious is shown as a share of total population only.

Who lives in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area? 238,842 residents across 3 counties.

Demographic Comparison

Demographics

Read this geography's profile in three layers: local, state (where available), and national baseline.
Champaign-Urbana, IL vs National239K residents

44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 11pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+16 on average nationally.

Population & electorate

Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.

Total population
Local vs state vs U.S.
239K
local
239KNational 334.9M
Share of U.S. population
Local vs state vs U.S.
0.07%
local
0.07%National 100%
Voting-age population
Local vs state vs U.S.
74.0%
local
74.0%National 75.7%
Economic profile

Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.

Median household income
Local vs state vs U.S.
$65,803
local
$65,803National $83,960
Poverty rate
Local vs state vs U.S.
17.8%
local
17.8%National 12.5%
College degree
Local vs state vs U.S.
43.7%
local
43.7%National 35.6%
Homeownership
Local vs state vs U.S.
57.3%
local
57.3%National 65.2%
Community profile

Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.

Median age
Local vs state vs U.S.
32.2 yrs
local
32.2 yrsNational 39.1 yrs
Age 18–29
Local vs state vs U.S.
27.7%
local
27.7%National 15.7%
Age 65+
Local vs state vs U.S.
14.7%
local
14.7%National 17.0%
Foreign born
Local vs state vs U.S.
12.7%
local
12.7%National 14.1%
Non-English at home
Local vs state vs U.S.
17.0%
local
17.0%National 22.2%
English only
Local vs state vs U.S.
83.0%
local
83.0%National 77.8%
Voter Turnout

Turnout in Champaign-Urbana, IL

Estimated using 2020 Census voting-age population.
2024 Turnout
59.8%
vs Previous
-3.8pp
Voting-Age Pop
176,763
History
19882024
Competitiveness

How competitive is Champaign-Urbana, IL?

Likely DAvg margin: D+12.8 (last 3 elections)
2008
D+11.8
2012
D+0.7
2016
D+10.0
2020
D+13.9
2024
D+14.5
Elasticity
13.8pp
margin range
Party Flips
2
last 30 years
5-Elec Avg
D+10.2
Ticket-Splitting

Do voters in Champaign-Urbana, IL split their tickets?

Divergence between offices in the same election reveals persuadable voters.
ConsistencyHeavy splitting (28/100)
2022 Office Comparisons
OfficesMargin AMargin BSplit
Senate vs GovernorD+13.5D+11.42.1pp
Average divergence across office pairs: 13.2pp
Containing Geography

Located In

Champaign-Urbana, IL sits inside these higher-level geographies.
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