The Town FilesKankakee, Illinois
City in Kankakee County · population 24,052 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,900
- Household income
- $47,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 36.1
Kankakee is a city of 24,052 people in Kankakee County, Illinois. The median home is worth $104,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Illinois towns, hipper than 90% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 81% of Illinois towns.
How Kankakee ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kankakee is worth $104,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $47,514, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,023 a month. 50.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kankakee | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,023 | $960 |
| Median household income | $47,514 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 50.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Kankakee
| People | Kankakee | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Kankakee
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.7 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kankakee since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 17, 1963 about 3.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 88 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 6.60 inches on March 10, 2026.
Severe weather in Kankakee County since 1996
Kankakee County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| April 23, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1513: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| January 17, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3161: Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
Jobs and pay in Kankakee County
Kankakee County had 42,231 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,890 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Kankakee itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Kankakee
14 public schools with 5,120 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee High School | 9-12 | 1,447 | 17.2 |
| John Kennedy Middle Grade School | 2-6 | 515 | 22.4 |
| Kankakee Junior High School | 7-8 | 502 | 16.7 |
| Limestone Middle Sch | 5-8 | 465 | 14.1 |
| Proegler School | PK-PK | 463 | 38.6 |
| Lincoln Cltrl Ctr-Montessori Elem | PK-8 | 445 | 15.9 |
| King Middle Grade School | 3-6 | 351 | 17.6 |
| Taft Primary School | K-3 | 301 | 14.3 |
| Steuben Elementary School | PK-3 | 214 | 15.3 |
| Mark Twain Primary School | PK-3 | 212 | 19.3 |
| Edison Primary School | K-3 | 205 | 17.1 |
| Avis Huff Student Support Service | K-12 | — | — |
Towns near Kankakee
- Bradley, IL4.4 mi · 15,419 people · home $173,400
- Bourbonnais, IL5.6 mi · 18,164 people · home $253,100
- Manteno, IL10.2 mi · 9,210 people · home $248,400
- Momence, IL11.3 mi · 3,117 people · home $154,800
- Peotone, IL16.2 mi · 4,150 people · home $271,000
- Beecher, IL21.4 mi · 4,713 people · home $269,500
- Wilmington, IL21.5 mi · 5,664 people · home $223,800
- Braidwood, IL22.0 mi · 6,194 people · home $202,500
Kankakee questions
Is Kankakee, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kankakee scores better for retirees than 10% of Illinois towns and quieter than 6%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Kankakee?
The median owner-occupied home in Kankakee is valued at $104,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,514, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,023 a month.
What is the weather like in Kankakee?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 20.7 inches of snow.
Does Kankakee get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kankakee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 17, 1963. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)