Twin college cities anchoring a flat-terrain swing corridor
Home to the University of Illinois flagship campus, Champaign-Urbana turns notably more Democratic than surrounding McLean and Vermilion counties, making it a reliable turnout target in statewide races decided by single-digit margins.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign | 209K | D+23.8 | 54,314 | 32,965 | 89,581 | 21.2% |
| Champaign | 206K | D+23.8 | 54,314 | 32,965 | 89,581 | 21.2% |
| Champaign | 192K | D+23.8 | 54,314 | 32,965 | 89,581 | 21.2% |
| Champaign | 180K | D+23.8 | 54,314 | 32,965 | 89,581 | 21.2% |
| Piatt | 17K | R+30.5 | 3,204 | 6,104 | 9,508 | 2.3% |
| Piatt | 16K | R+30.5 | 3,204 | 6,104 | 9,508 | 2.3% |
| Piatt | 16K | R+30.5 | 3,204 | 6,104 | 9,508 | 2.3% |
| Piatt | 16K | R+30.5 | 3,204 | 6,104 | 9,508 | 2.3% |
| Ford | 14K | R+47.8 | 1,643 | 4,778 | 6,553 | 1.6% |
| Ford | 14K | R+47.8 | 1,643 | 4,778 | 6,553 | 1.6% |
| Ford | 14K | R+47.8 | 1,643 | 4,778 | 6,553 | 1.6% |
| Ford | 13K | R+47.8 | 1,643 | 4,778 | 6,553 | 1.6% |
| Group | Champaign-Urbana, IL | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 73.9% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(9) | 10.8% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 7.9% | 6.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 4.9% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.4% | 4.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(11) | 0.6% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
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 | % Adherents | US Pop | US 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% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area? 908,366 residents across 12 counties.
40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 7pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+8 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | D+13.5 | D+11.4 | 2.1pp |