ZIP Code · IL

ZIP 61820

Part of Champaign, IL

Pop. 40,599·Champaign County·193rd most expensive ZIP in Illinois

Median rent (all units)

$1,264/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.6%

Month-over-Month

+0.2%

vs US Median

-$668

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 61820 · $1,264

More affordable than 88% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,060

1 BR

$1,070

2 BR

$1,270

3 BR

$1,630

4 BR+

$1,680

Research median

$1,270/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

July. Asking rents in ZIP 61820 usually run 0.6% below trend in July and 0.6% above it in March, about $15 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 61820 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2021.

Past year vs. the rest of Illinois

Rent in ZIP 61820 changed +4.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 172 Illinois ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.7%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 15 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($27,539) is $688 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,060).

Rank in Champaign

1st cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Champaign.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 61820. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$15,168/yr

At $1,264/mo median

Location

CityChampaign

StateIL

CountyChampaign County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.6% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.6% YoY, +0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 61820 (Champaign, IL) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 53.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

40,599

Median income

$27,539

Median age

21.9

Renters

80.4%

Age distribution

70.8%

Under 188.8%

18–3470.8%

35–5411.1%

55–644.9%

65+4.4%

Gender

53.4%

46.6%

Male53.4%

Female46.6%

Race & ethnicity

56.3%

19.3%

White56.3%

Black11.7%

Hispanic10.5%

Asian19.3%

Other2.2%

Education (25+)

18.1%

21.5%

53.3%

No HS diploma7.1%

HS diploma18.1%

Some college21.5%

Bachelor's+53.3%

Housing tenure

19.6%

80.4%

Owner19.6%

Renter80.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 61820 in Champaign, IL has changed in 5 years

Rent

$900 → $1,264

up 40.4%

Income

$28,949 → $27,539

down 4.9%

Population

38,553 → 40,599

up 5.3%

Renter share

78.6% → 80.4%

+1.8 pts

Bachelor's+

55.5% → 53.3%

-2.2 pts

Median age

22.4 → 21.9

-0.5 yrs

Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 61820 in Champaign, IL has increased from $900 to $1,264, a 40.4% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $28,949 to $27,539 across the same window, down 4.9% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 5.3% since 2021, moving from about 38,553 residents to roughly 40,599. Renters now make up 80.4% of households, compared with 78.6% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 53.3% of adults here, versus 55.5% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 61820 in Champaign, IL look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 61820

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 61820 covers Champaign, IL. The median rent here is $1,264/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,070/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,270/mo.

At 55% of local median household income ($27,539/yr), ZIP 61820 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.6% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 61820?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $51,000/year (about $25/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,264/mo in ZIP 61820. The local median household income is $27,539/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 61820?

Rent in ZIP 61820 has risen 4.6% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2021.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 61820?

Asking rents in ZIP 61820 are usually lowest in July, about 0.6% below their yearly trend, and highest in March, about 0.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $15 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 61820 compare to other ZIPs in Illinois?

ZIP 61820 is one of the more affordable among Illinois ZIP codes for rent, ranking #193 of 227 at $1,264/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 61820 changed +4.6%, against a typical +4.7% across the 172 Illinois ZIP codes Zillow tracks.