1st Advantage MortgageIn Champaign County, Ohio, the typical household earns $75,556 a year and the typical rent is $905. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Champaign County at a glance
- Paychecks and income spread in Champaign County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Champaign County
- Jobs and commutes in Champaign County
- Champaign County and the counties next door
- Places inside Champaign County
- What a median Champaign County budget can carry
- Who lives in Champaign County, in numbers
- Local borrowing considerations for Champaign County
- Lender oversight for Champaign County
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Champaign County at a glance
Champaign County is home to about 38,804 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 63rd most populous of 88 county-level areas in Ohio. Packed into 429 square miles, that is close to 90 residents for every square mile of land. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 8 Census places inside Champaign County, Urbana leads by population with about 11,204; 7 of the 8 are incorporated.
Paychecks and income spread in Champaign County
Half of Champaign County households take in less than $75,556 a year and half take in more, 6% above the Ohio median of $71,389.
| Household income | Champaign County | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.6% | -4.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.4% | +3.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.5% | +4.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.5% | -3.6 pts |
Some 20% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 35% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 8.0%, 5 points lower than the state's 13.3%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.394 here. A household earning below the $75,556 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Champaign County
A typical Champaign County rental runs $905 a month including utilities, which is 12% below Ohio. By the Census definition, 38% of Champaign County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $204,000, a typical Champaign County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 77% of homes.
| Champaign County | Ohio | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $905/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $204,000 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 77% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 38% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 21% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 8% | 8% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Jobs and commutes in Champaign County
By the Census industry count, 26% of employed Champaign County residents work in manufacturing and 20% in education and health care. Manufacturing stands out: 26% of workers here, versus 15% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Champaign County averages 4.8% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.8%). 18% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 8% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Champaign County workers | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 25.7% | +11.0 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.9% | -4.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.2% | -0.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.9% | -3.4 pts |
| Construction | 6.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.2% | +0.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Champaign County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 15 to 27 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $63,132 in Clark County to $112,322 in Union County; 3 of these neighbors top Champaign County's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign County | - | $75,556 | $905/mo | 77% |
| Clark County, OH | 15 mi | $63,132 | $872/mo | 69% |
| Logan County, OH | 18 mi | $71,551 | $845/mo | 78% |
| Union County, OH | 24 mi | $112,322 | $1,247/mo | 79% |
| Miami County, OH | 25 mi | $76,817 | $966/mo | 73% |
| Madison County, OH | 25 mi | $87,045 | $943/mo | 78% |
| Shelby County, OH | 27 mi | $73,978 | $922/mo | 74% |
Places inside Champaign County
8 Census places fall mainly inside Champaign County; the 8 biggest are below. They account for 18,339 residents, leaving about 53% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $58,147 in St. Paris to $68,003 in Urbana. Median rent ranges from $744 in St. Paris to $1,097 in North Lewisburg. None of the 8 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urbana | city | 11,204 | $68,003 | $935 | 2 mi |
| St. Paris | village | 2,248 | $58,147 | $744 | 10 mi |
| Mechanicsburg | village | 1,713 | $59,583 | $785 | 12 mi |
| North Lewisburg | village | 1,706 | $59,271 | $1,097 | 13 mi |
| Christiansburg | village | 708 | $62,250 | $979 | 15 mi |
| Rosewood | CDP | 362 | $114,390 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Woodstock | village | 311 | $65,357 | $896 | 13 mi |
| Mutual | village | 87 | $62,500 | $1,250 | 8 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
What a median Champaign County budget can carry
How much room does a median Champaign County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Champaign County: $6,296
- Median rent: $905, or 14 cents of every gross dollar
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,614 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Who lives in Champaign County, in numbers
College graduates make up 19% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 5.1%, against 6.4% for Ohio.
| Measure | Champaign County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.0% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.1% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.6% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Champaign County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 29.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.5% |
| 60+ min | 8.2% |
Local borrowing considerations for Champaign County
What the Champaign County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Lender oversight for Champaign County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Champaign County resident can confirm its license with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Ohio guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Champaign County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Champaign County-area credit union.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Ohio.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Ohio guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Champaign County household make?
About $75,556 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 6% above the Ohio median.
How much is rent in Champaign County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $905 a month; 38% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Champaign County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 77% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Champaign County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Urbana, St. Paris, Mechanicsburg, North Lewisburg, Christiansburg and 3 more.
Can Champaign County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Ohio county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.