2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Champaign, IL vs Normal, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Normal older or younger than people in Champaign?
- The Median Age in Normal is 1.8 years younger than in Champaign.

Are housing costs cheaper in Normal or Champaign?
- Normal housing costs are 10.2% more expensive than Champaign housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Normal or Champaign?
- The average commute for residents of Normal is 2.1 minutes longer than it is for residents of Champaign.

Things to do in Champaign?
Champaign, Illinois is a thriving university town located approximately two hours south of Chicago. It has plenty of recreational facilities ranging from libraries to state parks offering access to Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve or Homer Lake.

Things to do in Normal?
Normal, Illinois is a vibrant city located in McLean County, just north of Bloomington-Normal. It is home to Illinois State University and has a bustling downtown area with numerous shops, restaurants, and businesses. Normal is a major hub in the region for healthcare, finance and education opportunities. There are abundant recreational options including natural areas, parks and trails that offer plenty of outdoor activities. A variety of cultural amenities are also available such as theater performances, festivals, art galleries and other entertainment venues that give residents something to do in their spare time. Normal is truly a wonderful place where people can come together to work, play, learn and live!

 Champaign, ILNormal, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock53,446329,725,481
 Median Income$52,687  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock25.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$190,400  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.4%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time15.68  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Champaign    13 Reviews

Over 6 years ago

Pros - close to Chicago, has Parkland community college and lots of places to eat. There is a train station downtown that is really good. Beautiful deciduous trees and  More

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Over 8 years ago

I wonderful city with great  More

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Actually it's barely a nice place to live. The pros: Not terribly expensive - at one point the least expensive place to live in the country among modest sized  More

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Reviews for Normal    5 Reviews

While not a perfect town by any stretch of the imagination, I have lived in Normal my entire life and I have to say that there are FAR worse places one could live. The  More

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Over 16 years ago

I would like to know more about the quality of education at Illinois State  More

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With relatively low crime, good schools and excellent access to higher education, Normal is a great place to raise a family. The city is trying to update its city center  More

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