What it's like to live in Kankakee
Kankakee is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kankakee deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
How Kankakee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kankakee
Based on Kankakee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,046
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,920 a year
- 48% of Kankakee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$20,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $10,490
- Homes cost 2.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 28% below US
$1,023/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,023 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $104,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $104,900 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 70% above US
7.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 7.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 136% above US
943 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3159/100k · Kankakee Police Department · 2020 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
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
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 64% below US
13% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (43 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kankakee's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,023/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than 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.
Other places near Kankakee
All Illinois guides →Moving to Bourbonnais →
6 mi away · pop. 18,078
Rent $1,269/mo · Income $81,708
Compare with Kankakee →Moving to Manhattan →
23 mi away · pop. 11,026
Rent $1,213/mo · Income $128,522
Compare with Kankakee →Not sure Kankakee is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.