Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★4.9 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Kankakee, IL
Explore Kankakee and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.7 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Kankakee at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population23,996
Median Household Income$47,514
Median Home Value$104,900
Median Gross Rent$1,023
Median Age36.1
Average Household Size2.5
Unemployment7.6%
Work From Home4.7%
Homeownership50.8%
Housing Vacancy17.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Kankakee is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal. Unemployment is elevated enough that job location and industry-specific opportunities deserve closer review.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Kankakee Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Kankakee →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Kankakee and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Kankakee
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$104,900
Median Gross Rent$1,023
Homeownership50.8%
Housing Vacancy17.4%
Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Kankakee, IL
Median Household Income$47,514
Unemployment7.6%
Work From Home4.7%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Kankakee and how households are structured
Population23,996
Median Age36.1
Average Household Size2.5
Kankakee is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Kankakee
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Kankakee point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and a meaningful winter snowfall season.
Average Summer High84.8°F
Average Winter Low16.3°F
Annual Rainfall41.7 in.
Annual Snowfall20.7 in.
Seasonal Life in Kankakee
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Kankakee is located in Kankakee County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Kankakee County.
County Intelligence
Kankakee & Kankakee County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Kankakee is located in Kankakee County, Illinois.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Kankakee.
Current NarrowTheList data for Kankakee shows a population of about 23,996. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Kankakee County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Kankakee.
For someone considering a move to Kankakee, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income and employment conditions that make job-specific research important. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.