Near U of I
Student rentals, high occupancy.
Champaign, IL
Is Champaign a good place to buy rental property in 2026?
Short answer: yes — for cash-flow investors. Champaign's median cap rate runs about 7.5% (Illinois state median), above the ~6.5% national median, with typical rent at $1,122–$1,436/mo and Illinois property tax near 2.08%.
Champaign-Urbana is built around the University of Illinois — a large, renewing student base keeps demand reliably high.
Champaign market snapshot
Cash-flow marketHigher typical cap rates — built for monthly cash flow more than price growth.
Typical cap rate
7.5%
Illinois state median
Typical rent
$1,122–$1,436/mo
HUD FMR · 2–3BR · 2026
Typical price
$170,000–$260,000
est., all-in
Property tax
2.08%
Illinois effective
Rent is HUD Fair Market Rent where available, otherwise a market estimate; price is a market estimate. Cap-rate and tax are the defaults TrueCap applies — enter a specific address for exact, auto-filled numbers.
Sources & methodology. These are screening defaults and market estimates — not an appraisal, and not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify rents, taxes, insurance, and local landlord/tenant law against the county assessor and your state's landlord-tenant statute before relying on them.
Data: HUD Fair Market Rent · FRED 30-yr mortgage rate · Tax Foundation (property tax) · Updated July 2026
Metro-level estimates — precision is lower at the neighborhood and parcel level; pull a specific address for exact, auto-filled figures. Reviewed by the TrueCap team. See our full methodology.
Why Champaign works for rental investors
University demand underpins occupancy at affordable entry. Model Illinois taxes; near-campus submarkets turn over each year.
See the full Illinois investing guide — taxes, landlord law & top metros →
Neighborhoods to look at in Champaign
Southwest Champaign
Family renters, low vacancy.
Neighborhood notes are starting points, not recommendations — always underwrite the specific property.
Run a Champaign deal in 60 seconds
Paste a Champaign address into TrueCap and get cap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR, cash flow, and a 10-year projection — auto-filled with Illinois tax and HUD rent so you start from the right assumptions.
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