Aurora, IL vs Champaign, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Aurora, IL and Champaign, IL spend within 0.8% of each other per resident — $15,301 versus $15,173 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Aurora, IL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 87/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Champaign, IL — a 32-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Champaign, IL reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Aurora, IL carries $489 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Aurora, IL leads with parks and recreation at $494 per resident, while Champaign, IL leads with police at $1,426.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 5% of total revenue in Aurora, IL and 276% in Champaign, IL.
Summary
Aurora spends 0.8% more per capita than Champaign ($129/person difference). Aurora, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 87/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $114 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $144 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,481 | $4,573 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,224 | $0 |
| Other | $1,114 | $1,152 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,426 |
| Fire Protection | $216 | $488 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $231 |
| Public Welfare | $922 | $465 |
| Hospitals | $257 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $494 | $0 |
| Housing | $4,836 | $895 |
| Utilities | $2,366 | $5 |
| Other | $6,210 | $11,663 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.