Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety55#417/924
Economy40#554/925
Housing50#463/925
Health49#469/925
Healthcare49#468/923
Environment24#696/917
Education40#558/925
Infrastructure58#392/925
Community43#527/925
Leisure & amenities49#470/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Kankakee, IL metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Distance to an Amtrak station · low5 mi
97/100Illinois 13 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Suicide rate · low13.2 /100k
86/100Illinois 11.7 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Drought exposure · low8%
85/100Illinois 37%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Public transit commuters · high1.0%
82/100Illinois 5.8%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Public EV charging ports · high8.8 /10k
82/100Illinois 4.8 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Cost of buying a home today · low26.3%
81/100Illinois 31.5%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research

Weaknesses

Effective property tax rate · high2.04%
1/100Illinois 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Job growth · low-3.2%
7/100Illinois 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Unemployment rate · high5.5%
11/100Illinois 4.6%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Primary care physicians · low37 /100k
12/100Illinois 82 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · low0.8 /1k
16/100Illinois 1.5 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Income adjusted for local prices · low$57,152
21/100Illinois $74,553United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Homicide rateImproving
15.9 /100k (2021) → 4.8 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−70%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Property crime rateImproving
1,998 /100k (2019) → 838 /100k (2024)
−58%5 yearsUS 2,082 /100k → 1,761 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
77.8% (2015-2019) → 89.0% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Violent crime rateImproving
428 /100k (2020) → 195 /100k (2025)
−55%5 yearsUS 389 /100k → 328 /100k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
34.7 /100k (2021) → 16.0 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−54%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
New business applicationsImproving
8.0 /1k (2020) → 11.4 /1k (2025)
+43%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Kankakee, IL metro area improved on 12 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 7. 6 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved12

Violent crime−55%428 /100k → 195 /100k
High school++3.4 points88.2% → 91.6%
Overdose deaths−62%42.0 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Broadband+11 points77.8% → 89.0%
Child poverty−4.8 points20.3% → 15.5%

Declined7

Firearm deaths+72%9.3 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Gyms−37%1.2 /10k → 0.8 /10k
Transit use−0.6 points1.6% → 1.0%
Suicides+18%11.2 /100k → 13.2 /100k
Traffic deaths+12%14.5 /100k → 16.2 /100k

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Kankakee, IL metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.4 /10k2020	3.3 /10k2025	−3.7%	Little change	22%
Average commute time	24.6 min2015-2019	24.9 min2020-2024	+0.2 min	Within the margin of error	56%
Average weekly wage	$9062020	$1,1242025	+24%	Improved	58%
Bachelor's degree or higher	20.8%2015-2019	21.2%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Broadband subscriptions	77.8%2015-2019	89.0%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	73%
Child poverty rate	20.3%2015-2019	15.5%2020-2024	−4.8 points	Improved	74%
Distance to an airport	44 mi2020	44 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	42.0 /100k2020	16.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−62%	Improved	91%
Effective property tax rate	2.23%2015-2019	2.04%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	71%
Firearm deaths	9.3 /100k2020	16.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+72%	Declined	5%
Grocery stores	1.5 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	−4.6%	Little change	35%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.2 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	−37%	Declined	8%
High school diploma or higher	88.2%2015-2019	91.6%2020-2024	+3.4 points	Improved	86%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	2.7×2020-2024	+0.2×	Declined	81%
Homicide rate	7.1 /100k2020	4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−32%	Improved	59%
Income adjusted for local prices	$45,7612019	$57,1522024	+25%	Improved	8%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4302015-2019	0.4432020-2024	+0.013	Within the margin of error	23%
Median household income	$58,9022015-2019	$71,2812020-2024	+21%	Improved	18%
New business applications	8.0 /1k2020	11.4 /1k2025	+43%	Improved	44%
Pharmacies	2.0 /10k2020	1.8 /10k2025	−7.9%	Declined	51%
Poverty rate	14.2%2015-2019	12.2%2020-2024	−2 points	Improved	73%
Public libraries	0.7 /10k2019	0.8 /10k2024	+3.5%	Little change	83%
Public transit commuters	1.6%2015-2019	1.0%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Declined	31%
Rent as share of income	30.0%2015-2019	28.5%2020-2024	−1.5 points	Within the margin of error	82%
Rent-burdened households	49.9%2015-2019	47.1%2020-2024	−2.8 points	Within the margin of error	78%
Restaurants and bars	9.9 /10k2020	10.0 /10k2025	+0.8%	Little change	49%
Suicide rate	11.2 /100k2020	13.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+18%	Declined	27%
Traffic deaths	14.5 /100k2015-2019	16.2 /100k2020-2024	+12%	Declined	42%
Unemployment rate	8.9%2020	5.5%2025	−3.4 points	Improved	63%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	6.1%2015-2019	6.8%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	24%
Violent crime rate	428 /100k2020	195 /100k2025	−55%	Improved	96%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Kankakee, IL metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Kankakee, IL metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Kankakee, IL metro area itself moved +0.8 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

106,635 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

40,996 households (±520)

Kankakee, IL metro area
United States share

Under $25k15%6,221
$25k–50k19%7,776
$50k–75k18%7,290

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

40,996 households (±520)

Kankakee, IL metro area
United States share

Own70%28,641
Rent30%12,355

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+1.8 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

48,970 workers (±1,035)

Kankakee, IL metro area
United States share

Drive alone78%38,347
Carpool8.3%4,071
Public transit1.0%†494

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Kankakee, IL employ 10,350 people. 2 pay a median above the US median and 8 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Kankakee, IL by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Registered Nurses1,390 jobs	1,390	$86,220US $97,550	−12%	1.51×
Fast Food and Counter Workers1,220 jobs	1,220	$31,220US $31,200	0%	1.16×
Cashiers1,190 jobs	1,190	$31,200US $32,880	−5%	1.42×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand1,190 jobs	1,190	$37,110US $40,240	−8%	1.48×
Retail Salespersons1,140 jobs	1,140	$32,650US $35,410	−8%	1.07×
General and Operations Managers970 jobs	970	$93,310US $105,770	−12%	1.01×
Nursing Assistants860 jobs	860	$37,900US $42,260	−10%	2.18×
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians820 jobs	820	$61,200US $62,930	−3%	9.05×
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders800 jobs	800	$45,480US $43,220	+5%	7.77×
Stockers and Order Fillers770 jobs	770	$33,110US $37,330	−11%	1.0×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Kankakee, IL.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Kankakee, IL has 2,268 employer establishments, 214 for every 10,000 residents (0.86× the US rate of 248), with 35,392 paid employees at an average annual pay of $54,827. The Census Bureau also counts 6,794 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,268; 6,794 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 214; US 248
Paid employees: 35,392
Average annual pay: $54,827; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Kankakee, IL by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	227	21.4	1.03×About typical	2,498	$84,259	254
Restaurants and other eating places	176	16.6	0.91×About typical	3,324	$20,046	50
Specialty trade contractors	136	12.8	0.83×About typical	716	$84,851	374
Truck transportation	87	8.2	1.63×More than typical	654	$64,668	192
Limited-service restaurants	81	7.7	0.95×About typical	1,609	$19,339	30
Automotive repair and maintenance	76	7.2	1.43×More than typical	390	$50,215	114
Full-service restaurants	75	7.1	0.92×About typical	1,490	$20,958	12
Lessors of real estate	75	7.1	0.58×Fewer than typical	156	$39,840	578
Offices of physicians	74	7	1.08×About typical	1,098	$88,667	25
Religious organizations	66	6.2	1.12×About typical	419	$24,055	—
Offices of other health practitioners	64	6	1.00×About typical	251	$43,801	117
Services to buildings and dwellings	64	6	0.90×About typical	285	$42,025	453

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 105,843 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $3.3M on contracts performed in Kankakee, IL metro area: $30.86 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3.3M; +2,452% vs FY2025
Per resident: $30.86; US $1,994
Sole-source: 2.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 75%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Environmental Protection Agency$2.3M70%
Forest Service$470.2K14%
Department of Veterans Affairs$282.7K8.7%
U.S. Customs and Border Protection$185.2K5.7%
Agricultural Marketing Service$53.4K1.6%

Top recipients

TETRA TECH, INC.$2.3M70%
INTEGRATED LAKES MANAGEMENT, INC.$279K8.6%
CARVELL CONSULTING, LLC$211.8K6.5%
ADVANCED LUBRICATION INC$185.2K5.7%
GOLD WAVE INC$118.7K3.6%

Spending by fiscal year

1.4MFY2017
254.8KFY2018
184.9KFY2019
379.4KFY2020
-102.6KFY2021
250.6KFY2022
283.1KFY2023
2.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Remediation and other waste management services · 5629$2.4M73%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$351.5K11%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$211.8K6.5%
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing · 3241$185.2K5.7%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$71K2.2%
Other food manufacturing · 3119$53.4K

Largest awards

CROSS BROTHERS SUPERFUND SITE, SSID 0586, NEW SEMD SFGLAES TETRATECH TASK ORDER, CONTRACT 68HE0523D0004.$2.3M
TETRA TECH, INC.· Kankakee County, IL· Facilities & utilities· Sep 21, 2026 – Sep 21, 2026· 68HE0526F0142
JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR THE KANKAKEE COUNTY VA CLINIC, BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS.$579.7K
CARVELL CONSULTING, LLC· Kankakee County, IL· Facilities & utilities· Sep 8, 2022 – Jun 26, 2026· 36C25222P1032
SOUTH PATROL ROAD WOODY VEGETATION REMOVAL TASK ORDER$279K
INTEGRATED LAKES MANAGEMENT, INC.· Kankakee County, IL· Facilities & utilities· Nov 19, 2025 – Nov 19, 2025· 12444526F0001
MOTOR OIL - RGV

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $651.3M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Kankakee, IL metro area: $6,172 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $651.3M; −2.8% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,172; US $12,955
Loan face value: $28.5M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$404.5M62%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$61.2M9.4%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$47M7.2%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$42.7M6.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$20.2M3.1%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$19.4M3.0%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$10.9M1.7%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$6.7M1.0%

Top recipients (organizations)

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$24.8M3.8%
SPRINGFIELD, IL
KANKAKEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT #520$7M1.1%
KANKAKEE, IL
KANKAKEE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY$5.8M0.9%
KANKAKEE, IL
KANKAKEE SCHOOL DISTRICT$1.5M0.2%
KANKAKEE, IL
CRESTVIEW PRESERVATION ASSOCIATES

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$533M82%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$50.9M7.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$24.8M3.8%
Department of Transportation
Railroad Retirement Board$10.9M1.7%
Farm Service Agency$9.3M1.4%

Assistance by fiscal year

617.5MFY2021
608.3MFY2022
602.5MFY2023
596.7MFY2024
670.1MFY2025
651.3MFY2026

County aggregates

91%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Kankakee, IL

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Kankakee CountyCentral county47105,525

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

KankakeePrincipal city23,996

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Illinois

Areas based in Illinois, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M28100

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved12

Declined7

Metro and micro areas like Kankakee, IL metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Kankakee, IL

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Illinois

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved12

Declined7

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought