County · Illinois

Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County, Illinois. Kankakee County had 105,525 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.0% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). It holds 38 places (21 cities, villages and boroughs and 17 towns and townships) and 30 census tracts. GEOID 17091.

Kankakee County is the county of the Kankakee, IL metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

105,525

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 107,502 · ACS 2020-2024: 106,635

Median household income

$71,281

±$2,921 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390

Median home value

$192,600

±$5,640 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300

Median gross rent

$1,097

±$36 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274

How many people live in Kankakee County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 107,502 residents in Kankakee County. The Census Bureau estimates 105,525 for July 1, 2025, down 2.0% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 106,635 over 676 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 −442 (106,960)
2021→2022 −1,086 (105,874)
2022→2023 −31 (105,843)
2023→2024 −29 (105,814)
2024→2025 −289 (105,525)

Kankakee County in Illinois. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Kankakee County	Illinois	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	106,635	12,694,798	−4,002
Households	40,996±520	5,036,449	+1,200
Average household size	2.48±0.03	2.46	−0.16
Housing units	45,415±69	5,457,452	no clear change

Kankakee County's population since 2000

From 103,833 in 2000 to 105,525 in 2025: up 1.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

2000 Census 103,833
2005 (estimate) 107,917
2010 Census 113,449
2015 (estimate) 111,786
2020 Census 107,502
2025 (estimate) 105,525

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Kankakee County?

Kankakee County holds 38 places: 21 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 17 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government). The largest is Bourbonnais Township with 38,541 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Kankakee County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Bourbonnais Township	township	39,210	39,048±50	$76,228	$213,200	10.0%	100%
Kankakee Township	township	24,508	24,144±50	$50,768	$116,600	22.4%	100%
Kankakee	city	24,052	23,996±499	$47,514	$104,900	25.5%	100%
Bourbonnais	village	18,164	18,078±106	$81,708	$253,100	9.5%	100%
Bradley	village	15,419	15,325±72	$67,420	$173,400	7.7%	100%
Manteno Township	township	11,255	11,203±24	$92,476	$258,000	4.6%	100%
Manteno	village	9,210	9,030±509	$97,634	$248,400	3.5%	100%
Limestone Township, Kankakee County	township	5,057	5,010±23	$112,258	$253,200	5.0%	100%
Aroma Township	township	4,912	4,895±27	$74,740	$167,000	15.8%	100%
Momence Township	township	3,586	3,519±30	$66,976	$159,200	10.5%	100%
Ganeer Township	township	3,148	3,164±39	$65,208	$203,100	18.8%	100%
Momence	city	3,117	3,291±421	$58,365	$154,800	10.1%	100%
Yellowhead Township	township	2,573	2,570±38	$95,231	$246,700	9.5%	100%
Otto Township	township	2,137	1,935±253	$80,250	$179,800	5.5%	100%
St. Anne Township	township	2,030	2,166±281	$90,000	$171,200	3.1%	100%
Pilot Township, Kankakee County	township	1,979	1,867±321	$92,222	$214,700	11.4%	100%
Pembroke Township	township	1,843	1,698±344	$32,153	$99,100	18.0%	100%
Limestone	village	1,558	1,419±295	$103,906	$212,200	4.7%	100%
Herscher	village	1,521	1,246±269	$91,667	$197,600	12.1%	100%
Essex Township, Kankakee County	township	1,512	1,590±275	$100,962	$208,900	2.5%	100%
Grant Park	village	1,294	1,449±274	$78,385	$215,800	9.0%	100%
Salina Township	township	1,223	1,246±230	$82,357	$207,400	2.6%	100%
St. Anne	village	1,161	1,104±232	$83,077	$154,900	5.3%	100%
Norton Township	township	936	925±197	$74,063	$166,400	7.9%	100%
Essex	village	841	1,026±250	$108,250	$228,200	3.8%	100%
Sumner Township, Kankakee County	township	837	812±244	$102,679	$318,900	7.3%	100%
Rockville Township	township	756	843±170	$127,917	$333,000	5.1%	100%
Aroma Park	village	664	655±170	$78,500	$157,200	12.1%	100%
Hopkins Park	village	597	627±247	$30,660	$91,700	30.6%	100%
Sun River Terrace	village	455	636±214	$65,481	$125,000	45.2%	100%
Chebanse	village	1,044	920±153	$65,278	$161,500	1.5%	38%
BonfieldGEOID 1707237	village	351	473±140	$91,250	$195,100	2.8%	100%
BuckinghamGEOID 1709304	village	244	308±85	$85,938	$129,200	2.9%	100%
Sammons PointGEOID 1767372	village	214	223±132	$62,250	$168,800	8.5%	100%
Reddick	village	199	202±73	$84,063	$154,500	7.5%	89%
Cabery	village	231	235±103	$48,750	$107,600	23.8%	31%
IrwinGEOID 1737803	village	68	78±32	$102,750	$160,900	3.8%	100%
Union HillGEOID 1776771	village	55	73±29	$112,500	$158,300	2.8%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Kankakee County?

The median resident of Kankakee County is 39.0 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 17.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 68.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 14.3%. 5.7% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Kankakee County	Illinois	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	39.0±0.5	39.0	+1.3
Under 18 years	22.8%	21.8%	–
65 years and over	17.8%±0.1 pts	17.0%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	12.7%	18.8%	+2.3 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	68.0%±0.4 pts	58.1%	−4.0 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	14.3%±0.5 pts	13.3%	−0.8 pts
Asian alone, not Hispanic	1.0%±0.1 pts	5.9%	+0.2 pts
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.1%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	3.7%±0.7 pts	3.4%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.2 pts	0.4%	–
Born outside the United States	5.7%±0.5 pts	14.7%	+0.8 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	10.9%±0.6 pts	24.0%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.5%±0.6 pts	4.8%	–
With a disability	15.6%±0.7 pts	12.1%	–
No health insurance coverage	5.7%±0.6 pts	6.9%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	91.6%±0.8 pts	90.5%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	21.2%±1.1 pts	37.8%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	8.1%±0.7 pts	15.3%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	0.7%±0.2 pts	1.6%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Kankakee County earn?

Half of Kankakee County's 40,996 households earn less than $71,281 a year (±$2,921), against $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $72,490 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.2% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Kankakee County	Illinois	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$71,281±$2,921	$83,390	no clear change
Mean household income	$94,302±$2,819	$115,638	–
Per capita income	$36,825±$905	$46,406	+$2,385
People below the poverty line	12.2%±1.0 pts	11.8%	−2.0 pts
Children under 18 below the poverty line	15.5%±2.4 pts	15.1%	−4.8 pts
Households receiving SNAP	15.9%±1.3 pts	13.8%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	89.0%±1.1 pts	90.8%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Kankakee County?

Owners occupy 69.9% of Kankakee County's occupied homes and renters 30.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,600 by its owner (±$5,640). The median renter pays $1,097 a month including utilities, and 39.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Kankakee County	Illinois	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$192,600±$5,640	$263,300	+$10,580
Median gross rent	$1,097±$36	$1,274	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	39.4%±3.6 pts	39.0%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,649±$39	$1,987	–
Owner-occupied homes	69.9%±1.4 pts	67.1%	no clear change
Housing units	45,415±69	5,457,452	no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.2%±0.5 pts	1.0%	–
Rental vacancy rate	4.2%±1.5 pts	5.0%	–
Single-family detached homes	70.9%±1.5 pts	58.2%	–
Mobile homes	6.5%±0.8 pts	2.3%	–
Built 2020 or later	0.6%±0.3 pts	0.7%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	15.0%±1.1 pts	20.2%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Kankakee County building?

Builders took permits for 113 new housing units across Kankakee County in 2025 (92 single-family), 1.1 per 1,000 residents.

2019 85 units
2020 93 units
2021 140 units
2022 116 units
2023 86 units
2024 139 units
2025 113 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Kankakee County get to work?

78.3% of Kankakee County's workers drive alone and 8.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Kankakee County	Illinois	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	61.6%±1.1 pts	65.0%	–
Unemployment rate	4.9%±0.8 pts	5.8%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	78.3%±1.4 pts	65.9%	–
Carpooled	8.3%±1.0 pts	7.8%	–
Public transportation	1.0%±0.4 pts	5.8%	–
Walked	3.0%±0.8 pts	2.8%	–
Worked from home	8.1%±0.9 pts	15.9%	+4.6 pts
Mean travel time to work	24.9 min±0.9	27.8 min	no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What are Kankakee County's census tracts?

Kankakee County is divided into 30 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $34,226 (Tract 114) to $134,688 (Tract 102.01).

All 30 census tracts of Kankakee County, with their figures

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Kankakee County compare with Illinois's other counties?

Kankakee County's rank among Illinois's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	18th of 102
Growth 2020-2025	46th of 102
Residents per square mile	20th of 102
Median household income	40th of 102
Median home value	16th of 102
Median gross rent	9th of 102
Poverty rate	55th of 102
Bachelor's degree or higher	47th of 102
Median age	88th of 102

Every county in Illinois

Source: PlainCities ranks from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kankakee County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.