City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Kankakee, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Kankakee - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

24,384
Residents
$45,119
Median income
$105,500
Median home
$1,326
Median rent (state)

Kankakee - the verdict

Kankakee ranks in the 13th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

13th
percentile, household income
11th
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Kankakee, IL

Illinois's Kankakee is a small city, with 24,384 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Kankakee brings in $45,119 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.0%. Home values in Kankakee run a median of $105,500, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. 12.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 40 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Illinois scores 100.0 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,326 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 88.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

24,384 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$45,119 /yr

Poverty 21.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Kankakee compare to other US cities?

Here's how Kankakee stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 13% higher than other cities
Home value 11% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Kankakee against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Kankakee's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,335 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Kankakee ranks #96 - the 93rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Kankakee only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,186 of 1,311
10th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#343 of 1,336
73rd percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#777 of 1,315
41st percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#96 of 1,335
93rd percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#956 of 1,336
28th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

13thIncome percentile

13th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Kankakee's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$105,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Kankakee $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Kankakee, IL Kankakee, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kankakee, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Kankakee, IL median $45,119/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Kankakee, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Kankakee, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
24,384
Median Income
$45,119
Median Home Value
$105,500
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
21.0%
Labor force participation
53.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.5%

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
23,200 residents23,400 residents23,600 residents23,800 residents24,000 residents24,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,996 residents 23,400 residents ▼ -2.5%
Kankakee's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
40
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
22
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 1
2023 4
2024 40

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.4%
Carpool
10.4%
Public Transit
3.0%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
3.3%

Based on 9,724 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kankakee sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,326/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Zion
24,466 people
Belvidere
24,510 people
Melrose Park
24,513 people
Homer Glen
24,516 people
Westmont
24,201 people
Collinsville
24,126 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kankakee's 24,384 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ponca City, OK
24,377 people
Oak Ridge, FL
24,395 people
Oak Harbor, WA
24,396 people
Clinton, IA
24,425 people
Benbrook, TX
24,430 people
Riverside, OH
24,432 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kankakee's $45,119 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eureka, KS
$45,121 median income
Rancho Alegre, TX
$45,122 median income
Hendricks, MN
$45,125 median income
Darby, PA
$45,128 median income
Wrightsville, AR
$45,104 median income
Poplar, MT
$45,104 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kankakee, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Kankakee, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.9% 40.3% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24.0% White 43.9% Black or African American 40.3% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.5% Two or more races 8.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Kankakee compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Kankakee (this city) 24,384 $45,119
Zion 24,466 $62,574
Belvidere 24,510 $62,462
Melrose Park 24,513 $64,740
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kankakee, IL?

What is the population of Kankakee, IL? +

24,384 people live in Kankakee, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kankakee, IL? +

Kankakee households earn a median of $45,119 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kankakee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kankakee; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Kankakee, IL? +

Kankakee's median home value sits at $105,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.