Champaign, IL vs Elgin, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Champaign, IL and Elgin, IL spend within 6.6% of each other per resident — $15,173 versus $14,229 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Elgin, IL edges Champaign, IL on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 58/100 (grade C) to 55/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Champaign, IL reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Elgin, IL carries $617 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Champaign, IL leads with police at $1,426 per resident, while Elgin, IL leads with parks and recreation at $1,641.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Champaign, IL at 276% of total revenue, whereas Elgin, IL relies most on charges and fees at 43%.
Summary
Champaign spends 6.6% more per capita than Elgin ($943/person difference). Elgin, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 58/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $0 | $754 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $651 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,573 | $1,170 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,267 |
| Other | $1,152 | $1,754 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,426 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $488 | $222 |
| Highways & Roads | $231 | $116 |
| Education | $0 | $53 |
| Public Welfare | $465 | $718 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,641 |
| Housing | $895 | $4,472 |
| Utilities | $5 | $2,850 |
| Other | $11,663 | $4,159 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.