C-U. We’re not like any other cities. We say that’s our best feature. With a small-town feel and urban perks, you will find a place with a vibrant community, relaxed lifestyle and a 6,370-acre campus nestled between the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana.
BY THE NUMBERS
CHAMPAIGN & URBANA: 1,008 mi²
POPULATION: 130,000+
ELEVATION: 227 meters (746 feet)
AVERAGE COMMUTE: 15.7 minutes
YEARLY TRANSIT RIDES: 11,000,000+
TREE CITIES SINCE: 1985 & 1976
Arts are big here.
From museums to a world-class performing arts center, savor a symphony, experience experimental theater, see cutting-edge dance or take in the scene at a county-wide arts celebration.
Enjoy the music.
Catch diverse live music nightly at local venues. Hear internationally renowned musicians at festivals showcasing guitar, indie rock, blues, classical, folk and roots music.
Celebrate the seasons.
Attend community corn festivals, Oktoberfests, county fairs, maker fests, craft shows and mistletoe markets.
See it on the big screen.
Watch movies on the Quad, in a pool or at an art house theater. Be inspired at film festivals starring insects and dancers, featuring cinematic gems and independent movies.
Go where you want.
Students have access to unlimited public transportation. Discover local shops in walkable historic downtowns, use bike share on tree-lined, cycle-friendly streets or get a lift using rideshare or car share.
Pick local. Eat local.
An active caffeine scene will keep you moving through farmer’s markets overflowing with locally grown produce. Relish farm-to-fork eateries, enjoy global cuisine or grab-and-go from a wide selection of food trucks. Pair it with local craft microbrews.
Activities for everyone.
Go vertical on a wall, flow in yoga, defy gravity on a pole, scale indoor boulders, hike amid soaring prairie plants, try your hand at disc golf, break out of an escape room, be tested at trivia nights, train with a group to run a marathon or pedal for pleasure on a railbed converted into a recreational prairie trail.
Families can play here.
Get cheap seats to Big Ten NCAA games, plunge into a pool, skate in the ice arena, visit bees at a pollinatarium, pet baby goats or pick pumpkins, apples and blueberries at nearby farms.
All are welcome.
An accessible, diverse community, with a large international population, thrives in these not-too-busy and not-too-quiet twin cities.