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Living in
Kankakee.
About
Life in Kankakee
Kankakee is a community of 24,384 people in Illinois. The median household income is $47,514, median rent runs about $1,023 per month, and median home values are around $105,500. The unemployment rate is 7.3%.
Kankakee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
25.5%
Foreign-Born
13.4%
Broadband Internet
84.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kankakee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kankakee, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (76.9%), and 21.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.1%
of residents
65 and Older
14.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.2%
of households
Married Couples
30.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
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 20% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Kankakee
In Kankakee, rent runs 20% below the IL average, and home values are 60% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,054
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $155,977 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.7 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Kankakee
Unemployment in Kankakee is 2.7 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Kankakee Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22 min avg
How Kankakee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kankakee, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 46 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 59 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 136% above national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Kankakee runs 136% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
943.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
3,159
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Kankakee 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 Kankakee, 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 25 miles from Kankakee) 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 (25 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kankakee 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
41.7"
Annual Snowfall
20.7"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
129
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
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" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kankakee
Kankakee has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
8.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Presence St Marys Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Riverside Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education18.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kankakee
Kankakee's student/teacher ratio is 18.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 13.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Kankakee (within 15 miles)
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, 43 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kankakee
Kankakee has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (43 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
43 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
54 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kankakee
Kankakee Public Library
201 East Merchant Street, Kankakee
Cities Near Kankakee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kankakee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kankakee FAQ
Is Kankakee, Illinois affordable?⌄
Kankakee's median rent is $1,023/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,514/year. Median home value is $104,900.
Is Kankakee, Illinois safe?⌄
Kankakee's violent crime rate was 943 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is significantly above the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3159 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kankakee, Illinois?⌄
Kankakee has an unemployment rate of 7.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kankakee, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Kankakee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,023/month and median household income is $47,514/year. The median home value is $104,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kankakee, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Kankakee is 22 minutes, which is about 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