2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Iowa City, IA vs Champaign, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Champaign older or younger than people in Iowa City?
- The Median Age in Champaign is 0.8 years older than in Iowa City.

Are housing costs cheaper in Champaign or Iowa City?
- Champaign housing costs are 28.4% less expensive than Iowa City housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Champaign or Iowa City?
- The average commute for residents of Champaign is 1.4 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Iowa City.

Things to do in Iowa City?
Iowa City, Iowa is a vibrant city located in the Midwestern United States. Home to attractions such as The University of Iowa and The Old Capitol Museum, visitors can explore outdoor activities and historical sites when visiting Iowa City. There are also plenty of museums, galleries, and performance venues such as The Kalona Historical Village and Studio Arts. For entertainment, visitors can explore boutique shops and restaurants along with movie theaters and live music clubs. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an exciting night out, Iowa City has something for everyone!

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.

 Iowa City, IAChampaign, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock88,343329,725,481
 Median Income$51,925  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock26.938.4
 Avg. Home Price$265,800  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.9%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time17.05  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Iowa City    24 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

I was there 5 years. Nothing to do but we’ll go shopping... at Walmart. It lacks so many things. There is no experience here, it jumps on any political band wagon and  More

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Over 5 years ago

Entertainment lacks greatly - especially the Hancher shows. I was hoping after they rebuilt they would be getting better shows there, that didn't happen. One has to  More

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Over 7 years ago

Iowa City is great. It's diverse and never boring. There always a variety of new shops and restaurants to explore and try out. Also watching college kids do stupid  More

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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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