Kankakee County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Kankakee County, Illinois had an estimated 106,410 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 107,647, across 677 square miles. County output reached $8.53 bn in 2024, 2,268 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 57 7(a) approvals worth $33.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Kankakee County
How many people live in Kankakee County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024106,635
- Households40,996
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$71,281
- Median age39.0
- Median gross rent$1,097 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$192,600
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over71,873
- Population under 1824,272
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over19,030
- Share 65 and over17.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6463,333
- Civilian labor force52,754
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.1 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties18th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included586th of 3,222
Kankakee County is the 18th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 17.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Kankakee County
Is Kankakee County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024106,410
- Census 2020 base population107,647
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.15 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202424
- Births, 20241,135
- Deaths, 20241,184
- Natural change, 2024-49
- Net domestic migration, 2024-346
- Net international migration, 2024419
- Total net migration, 202473
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,458
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2241st of 3,144
The county has lost 1.15 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Kankakee County
Where are people moving to Kankakee County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,967
- People arriving, from those returns3,483
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,191
- Net household movement-224
- Adjusted gross income arriving$111.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-22.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,596
- Average income of a leaving household$61,020
- Largest single originCook County (451 households)
- Largest single destinationCook County (307 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 451 | 787 | $25.5 m |
| Will County | 413 | 752 | $24.8 m |
| Iroquois County | 134 | 246 | $6.7 m |
| Lake County | 63 | 104 | $4.6 m |
| DuPage County | 50 | 83 | $4.0 m |
| Champaign County | 43 | 70 | $1.7 m |
| Grundy County | 37 | 73 | $2.0 m |
| Maricopa County | 32 | 56 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $4,424 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cook County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Kankakee County
What is the Kankakee County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$8.53 bn
- County GDP, 2023$8.12 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years30.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes16th of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes503rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$79,982
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 30.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Kankakee County
Employment by industry in Kankakee County
- Covered employment, annual average42,231
- Establishments reporting2,200
- Average annual pay$55,890
- Average weekly wage$1,075
- Health care and social assistance, employment7,757
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$57,251
- Manufacturing, employment6,674
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$88,514
- Retail trade, employment5,015
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,399
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,642
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,924
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,064
- Wholesale trade, employment1,916
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,757 | 235 | $57,251 |
| Manufacturing | 6,674 | 126 | $88,514 |
| Retail trade | 5,015 | 314 | $34,399 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,642 | 223 | $20,924 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,064 | 124 | $38,132 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,916 | 100 | $71,676 |
| Construction | 1,611 | 214 | $75,476 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,309 | 122 | $61,884 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,757 jobs, 18.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Kankakee County
How many businesses are in Kankakee County?
- Establishments, all industries2,268
- Employment at those establishments35,392
- Annual payroll$1.94 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Kankakee County
Building permits in Kankakee County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024139
- Declared construction value permitted$34.0 m
- Single family units authorized95
- Multifamily units authorized44
- Multifamily share of units31.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$244,631
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.4
Single-family homes are 68.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Kankakee County
SBA loans in Kankakee County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded57
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$33.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$586,735
- Median 7(a) approval$273,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,525,700
- Largest single approval$1,950,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)629
- Jobs per approval11.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active24
- Distinct industries receiving approvals30
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer24.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter40
- Franchise loans9
- Franchise share of approvals15.8 percent
- Most active lenderByline Bank (9)
- 504 approvals recorded23
- 504 gross approval dollars$19.2 m
- Average 504 approval$833,130
- Median 504 approval$641,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval11.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.9
- Most active CDCSmall Business Growth Corporation (13)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$52.6 m
The average approval of $586,735 sits well above the median of $273,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 24.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kankakee County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Kankakee County
Do SBA loans in Kankakee County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full12
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure37
- Status: Paid in full12
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 12 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kankakee County
SBA lending by place in Kankakee County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Kankakee, approvals18
- Bourbonnais, approvals17
- Bradley, approvals11
- Momence, approvals5
- Manteno, approvals5
- Beecher, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kankakee | 18 | $11,627,000 |
| Bourbonnais | 17 | $9,494,600 |
| Bradley | 11 | $6,134,700 |
| Momence | 5 | $3,087,200 |
| Manteno | 5 | $2,800,000 |
| Beecher | 1 | $300,400 |
Kankakee accounts for 18 approvals against 17 in Bourbonnais. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Kankakee County
How large is Kankakee County?
- Land area677 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties27th of 102
- Width, east to west37.8 mi
- Height, north to south21 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land158
- Establishments per square mile3.35
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Kankakee County
Flood risk in Kankakee County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Kankakee County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170336
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book12
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Kankakee County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Kankakee County (community 170336), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Kankakee County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 83.3 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Kankakee County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Kankakee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024106,635
- Households40,996
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$71,281
- Median age39.0
Common questions
Kankakee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Kankakee County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 106,410 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 106,635, in 40,996 households, ranking 18th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Kankakee County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.15 percent since the 2020 census base of 107,647, to 106,410 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,135 births against 1,184 deaths, with net migration of 73. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Kankakee County?
$71,281. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,600, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,097 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Kankakee County?
2,268 establishments, employing 35,392 people with an annual payroll of $1.94 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Kankakee County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,757 jobs, 18.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 42,231 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,890, or $1,075 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Kankakee County?
57 7(a) approvals totaling $33.4 m since FY2020, across 24 lenders, with a median approval of $273,000, plus 23 504 approvals worth $19.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Kankakee County?
139 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $34.0 m. Multifamily was 31.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Kankakee County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Kankakee County come from?
The largest single origin is Cook County, with 451 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,596 against $61,020 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Kankakee County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Kankakee County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Kankakee County
Cities and places in Kankakee.
21 Census places lie wholly or partly in Kankakee County. All 21 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee | city | 23,996 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Bourbonnais | village | 18,078 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Bradley | village | 15,325 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Manteno | village | 9,030 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Momence | city | 3,291 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Grant Park | village | 1,449 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Limestone | village | 1,419 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Herscher | village | 1,246 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Anne | village | 1,104 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Essex | village | 1,026 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chebanse | village | 920 | None recorded | 39.1 percent here, 60.9 percent Iroquois County |
| Aroma Park | village | 655 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sun River Terrace | village | 636 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hopkins Park | village | 627 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bonfield | village | 473 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Buckingham | village | 308 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cabery | village | 235 | None recorded | 44.4 percent here, 55.6 percent Ford County |
| Sammons Point | village | 223 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Reddick | village | 202 | None recorded | 84.1 percent here, 15.9 percent Livingston County |
| Irwin | village | 78 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Union Hill | village | 73 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 57 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Kankakee County, the largest being Beecher (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.