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COUNTY

Kankakee County

Illinois · 105,525 residents (2025 est.) · 676.49 sq mi
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The short version

Kankakee County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $71,281. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $192,600. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
106,635
+3%since 2000
from 103,833 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
158 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 164 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.0
+11%since 2000
from 35.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:105,525 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
95K100K105K110K115K1990201020202024Kankakee County
2024107K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(6,063)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(6,636)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(6,925)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.3%(7,826)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(7,312)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.5%(13,374)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(12,861)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(12,778)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(13,830)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.5%(11,154)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(6,040)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(1,836)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,281
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,532 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,825
+93%since 2000
from $19,055 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
48.1%
+18.9 ptssince 2009
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.443
+7%since 2010
from 0.413 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical7.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade5.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$192,600
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,097
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $539 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 69.4% in 2000
30.1% rent
Vacancy rate
9.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.0%
−8.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 45.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.7
−1%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
16
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Kankakee County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic77.8%(80,829)
Black15.4%(15,942)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(4,959)
Asian0.7%(699)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic68%(72,459)
Black14.3%(15,220)
Hispanic / Latino12.7%(13,523)
Asian1%(1,048)
Other4.1%(4,385)
Diversity Score
63
+26%since 2009
from 50 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
42
−3%since 2020
from 43 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican10.8%(11,477)
Puerto Rican0.5%(494)
Guatemalan0.4%(453)
Salvadoran0.3%(364)
Honduran0.1%(130)
Cuban0.1%(120)
Panamanian0.1%(110)
Venezuelan0.1%(64)
Spaniard0%(38)
Colombian0%(30)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(378)
Asian Indian0.2%(189)
Chinese0.2%(171)
Korean0.1%(126)
Thai0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German19.6%(20,882)
Irish11.3%(12,000)
English7.1%(7,583)
Polish5.6%(5,983)
French5.5%(5,859)
Italian4.8%(5,122)
American3.2%(3,418)
Dutch1.7%(1,800)
Swedish1.6%(1,679)
Scottish1.5%(1,549)
French Canadian1.2%(1,249)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.9%(921)
Norwegian0.6%(661)
Czech0.5%(548)
Lithuanian0.4%(443)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(402)
Greek0.3%(323)
Swiss0.3%(307)
Hungarian0.3%(277)
Austrian0.2%(221)
Arab0.2%(201)
Croatian0.2%(198)
West Indian0.2%(196)
British0.2%(181)
Russian0.2%(163)
Welsh0.1%(152)
Slovak0.1%(136)
Ukrainian0.1%(97)
Canadian0.1%(88)
Jamaican0.1%(77)
Haitian0.1%(71)
Brazilian0.1%(56)
Israeli0%(45)
Nigerian0%(40)
Latvian0%(36)
Belgian0%(35)
Bulgarian0%(35)
Serbian0%(30)
Slovene0%(29)
Romanian0%(25)
Finnish0%(23)
Armenian0%(21)
Turkish0%(20)
Lebanese0%(16)
Iranian0%(12)
Kenyan0%(1)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest Subsaharan African population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.6%
+11.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.9 min
+45%since 2000
from 17.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.1%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−5.8 ptssince 2011
from 10.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 64.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.5%
−29.8 ptssince 2009
from 61.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Foreign born
5.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.5%
−41.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2012
from 13.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.7%
−82.1 ptssince 2013
from 87.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.0%
+14.6 ptssince 2017
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
89.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2016
from 90.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.5%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 7.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.4%(16,836)
Married47.8%(20,446)
Widowed2.9%(1,234)
Divorced9.9%(4,237)
Women 15+
Never married33.2%(14,706)
Married44.8%(19,827)
Widowed9%(3,971)
Divorced13%(5,754)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Kankakee County to nearby counties

KANKAKEE COUNTY VS
Will County
Income$109,984+54%
Home value$319,600+66%
Population712,253+575%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANKAKEE COUNTY VS
Newton County
Income$75,481+6%
Home value$171,500−11%
Population14,188−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANKAKEE COUNTY VS
Iroquois County
Income$66,255−7%
Home value$137,800−28%
Population26,150−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KANKAKEE COUNTY VS
Grundy County
Income$92,235+29%
Home value$271,700+41%
Population54,052−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kankakee County, Illinois?

Kankakee County, Illinois has about 106,635 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kankakee County, Illinois?

The typical household in Kankakee County, Illinois earns about $71,281 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kankakee County, Illinois expensive?

In Kankakee County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $192,600, and the typical rent is about $1,097 a month.

How educated are people in Kankakee County, Illinois?

About 21.2% of adults age 25 and over in Kankakee County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kankakee County, Illinois?

About 12.2% of people in Kankakee County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kankakee County, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Kankakee County, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,380 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

30 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 105Census Tract 107.02Census Tract 106.02Census Tract 102.04Census Tract 120Census Tract 106.01Census Tract 107.01Census Tract 104Census Tract 109Census Tract 124Census Tract 102.03Census Tract 126Census Tract 123Census Tract 103Census Tract 108Census Tract 121Census Tract 117Census Tract 122Census Tract 118Census Tract 125
16 ZIP codes
ZIP 60901ZIP 60914ZIP 60950ZIP 60915ZIP 60954ZIP 60964ZIP 60940ZIP 60922ZIP 60958ZIP 60913ZIP 60941ZIP 60935ZIP 60961ZIP 60910ZIP 60917ZIP 60969
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →