What it's like to live in Bradley
Bradley is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bradley deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bradley compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bradley
Based on Bradley's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,372
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,440 a year
- 45% of Bradley renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$34,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $17,340
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,186/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,186 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $173,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $173,400 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Kankakee County is 5.5%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Kankakee County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 11% below US
295 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2095/100k · Bradley Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 43% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (39 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bradley's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,186/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bradley
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