Kankakee County, Illinois
Located in Illinois, Kankakee County has a population of 106,635 residents and a median age of 39.0 years, making it the #586 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.2%. The median home value is $192,600, and the median household income is $71,281, which is 5% below the national median.
Demographics
Kankakee County has a population of 106,635, making it the #586 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Kankakee County is $71,281, ranking #1,108 out of 3,222 counties — 5.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.2% and unemployment stands at 4.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Kankakee County is $192,600 (-31.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,097/mo and the homeownership rate is 69.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Kankakee County, 21.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 37.1% below the national average, ranking #1,791 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Kankakee County is 74.6 years. 19.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.1% of adults in Kankakee County smoke , 40.3% are obese , and 20.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 40.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Kankakee County is 8.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 12.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.7 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
15.8% of children in Kankakee County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Kankakee County is 60.8%. The mean commute time is 27.4 min, which is 0.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Kankakee County voted Republican with a margin of 20.8%. The vote was 38.7% Dem / 59.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Kankakee County, Illinois
Kankakee County, Illinois has a total population of 106,635, making it the 586th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Kankakee County is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Kankakee County is $71,281, which ranks #1,108 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 5.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.9%.
The median home value in Kankakee County is $192,600, 31.7% below the national median. Renters in Kankakee County pay a median gross rent of $1,097 per month. The homeownership rate is 69.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Kankakee County, 21.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.4 min.
Kankakee County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 68.0% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (14.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (12.7%).
All data for Kankakee County, Illinois comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.