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Living in
Bourbonnais.
About
Life in Bourbonnais
This is a solidly middle-class village where you can actually afford a home without the Chicago price tag—median home values sit around $253,100 with median household income at $81,017, which makes the math work for families and professionals who want breathing room. The community skews toward families and married couples, with about a third of households raising kids and a median age of 34.6 years, which means you'll find yourself in a place where school events and youth activities actually matter to the social fabric. Bourbonnais is home to Olivet Nazarene University, which brings some institutional stability and occasional cultural programming, though don't expect a vibrant college-town atmosphere—this is more of a quiet residential village where people genuinely stay put rather than constantly churn.
Bourbonnais at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
4.5%
Broadband Internet
94.4%
of households
Population Growth
-2.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.5% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Bourbonnais: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bourbonnais, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (18.1%), and 3.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.6%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.5%
of households
Married Couples
51.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IL
Rent, home values, and income in Bourbonnais
Rent and home values here are close to the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,568
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
73.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $303,033 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Bourbonnais
Unemployment in Kankakee County, which includes Bourbonnais, is 0.9 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Bourbonnais: Kankakee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Kankakee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Bourbonnais Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.6 min avg
How Bourbonnais residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bourbonnais, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 43 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 56 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bourbonnais runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
165.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
497.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bourbonnais Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kankakee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kankakee County, which includes Bourbonnais, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 11 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kankakee County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Will County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 19 miles from Bourbonnais) is typically good — 225 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
225
per year
Moderate Days
135
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Will County, IL (19 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bourbonnais has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.1"
Annual Snowfall
27.4"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
129
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 16°F | 2.37" |
| Feb | 37°F | 20°F | 1.94" |
| Mar | 49°F | 29°F | 2.49" |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 3.87" |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 5.15" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 5.21" |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.65" |
| Aug | 83°F | 63°F | 3.85" |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 3.56" |
| Oct | 65°F | 43°F | 3.40" |
| Nov | 50°F | 32°F | 2.82" |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 2.35" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bourbonnais
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Bourbonnais's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Riverside Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.1 mi away · Kankakee
Presence St Marys Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Kankakee
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bourbonnais
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,603 students · in-state tuition $41,120 · 63% graduate · median earnings $58,865 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
38 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
51 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais Public Library District
250 West John Casey Road, Bourbonnais
Cities Near Bourbonnais
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bourbonnais?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bourbonnais FAQ
Is Bourbonnais, Illinois affordable?⌄
Bourbonnais's median rent is $1,269/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $81,708/year. Median home value is $253,100.
Is Bourbonnais, Illinois safe?⌄
Bourbonnais's violent crime rate was 166 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 498 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bourbonnais, Illinois?⌄
Kankakee County, which includes Bourbonnais, has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bourbonnais, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Bourbonnais is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,269/month and median household income is $81,708/year. The median home value is $253,100. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bourbonnais, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Bourbonnais is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from