Jobs, pay and daily life in Kankakee, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kankakee is a city in Illinois with 23,996 residents. The median household earns $47,514 a year and the median rent is $1,023 a month, which is 25.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Kankakee, IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 42,340 jobs.
How Kankakee compares. Among the 100 largest places in Illinois, Kankakee is #96 by population, #100 for remote work (#1 = most), #98 for college degrees (#1 = most), #97 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Kankakee County, is #33 of 102 counties for average pay ($55,890).
Kankakee has 23,996 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Illinois. It covers 15 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,584 people per square mile. The median age is 36.1, 7% younger than the state median (36.1 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $1,023 a month (rent plus utilities), 20% below the state median ($1,023 against $1,274). Over a year that is 25.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $104,900, which is 2.2 times the median household income ($47,514); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 50.8% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (50.8% against 67.1%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Kankakee, IL metropolitan area has 42,340 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,830 a year, 10% below the national median ($45,830 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are healthcare practitioners and technical (4,800 jobs, median $74,860); office and administrative support (4,480 jobs, median $42,670); food preparation and serving related (4,040 jobs, median $31,350). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kankakee County was 4.2%. 57.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kankakee County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.1% drive alone, 2.7% use public transit, 2.6% walk, 4.7% work from home. 13.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 31% below the state average (13.7% against 19.7%).
13.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 66% below the state share (13.0% against 37.9%). 13.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 9% below the state share (13.4% against 14.8%). The poverty rate is 25.5%, 116% above the state rate (25.5% against 11.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (23.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.2°C). About 991 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (116 mm) and Feb the driest (51 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lowell (27 miles, rent 10% higher); New Lenox (29 miles, rent 40% higher); Cedar Lake (29 miles, rent 32% higher); Chicago Heights (31 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Kankakee; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Illinois (1,066) →State guide: IllinoisCountry guideKankakee CountyIllinois rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,066 federal postings open in Illinois (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Illinois →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,390 | 1.51 | $86,220 | $66,020 | $108,720 | -12% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,220 | 1.16 | $31,220 | $31,200 | $35,400 | +0% |
| Cashiers | 1,190 | 1.42 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,130 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,190 | 1.48 | $37,110 | $31,200 | $48,040 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,140 | 1.07 | $32,650 | $31,200 | $42,240 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 970 | 1.01 | $93,310 | $46,750 | $205,120 | -12% |
| Nursing Assistants | 860 | 2.18 | $37,900 | $32,750 | $49,760 | -10% |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | 820 | 9.05 | $61,200 | $37,950 | $95,800 | -3% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 800 | 7.77 | $45,480 | $37,730 | $57,560 | +5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 1.00 | $33,110 | $31,770 | $41,700 | -11% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 760 | 1.35 | $46,750 | $33,770 | $76,780 | -20% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 590 | 0.50 | $37,380 | $31,200 | $44,140 | +4% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 590 | 1.52 | $35,430 | $31,200 | $44,580 | -4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 570 | 0.95 | $36,000 | $31,200 | $50,720 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 560 | 0.83 | $40,450 | $31,200 | $59,990 | -10% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 550 | 0.89 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,910 | -11% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 540 | 1.16 | $44,740 | $32,550 | $63,240 | -6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 520 | 1.24 | $58,400 | $35,860 | $77,460 | +18% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 500 | 1.31 | $38,120 | $31,200 | $59,740 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 480 | 0.68 | $40,490 | $31,200 | $63,310 | -10% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 970 | 1.01 | $93,310 | $46,750 | $205,120 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,390 | 1.51 | $86,220 | $66,020 | $108,720 | -12% |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | 820 | 9.05 | $61,200 | $37,950 | $95,800 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 520 | 1.24 | $58,400 | $35,860 | $77,460 | +18% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 760 | 1.35 | $46,750 | $33,770 | $76,780 | -20% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 800 | 7.77 | $45,480 | $37,730 | $57,560 | +5% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 540 | 1.16 | $44,740 | $32,550 | $63,240 | -6% |
| Office Clerks, General | 560 | 0.83 | $40,450 | $31,200 | $59,990 | -10% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 500 | 1.31 | $38,120 | $31,200 | $59,740 | -15% |
| Nursing Assistants | 860 | 2.18 | $37,900 | $32,750 | $49,760 | -10% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 590 | 0.50 | $37,380 | $31,200 | $44,140 | +4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,190 | 1.48 | $37,110 | $31,200 | $48,040 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 570 | 0.95 | $36,000 | $31,200 | $50,720 | -2% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 590 | 1.52 | $35,430 | $31,200 | $44,580 | -4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 1.00 | $33,110 | $31,770 | $41,700 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,140 | 1.07 | $32,650 | $31,200 | $42,240 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,220 | 1.16 | $31,220 | $31,200 | $35,400 | +0% |
| Cashiers | 1,190 | 1.42 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,130 | -5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 550 | 0.89 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,910 | -11% |
These figures are for the whole Kankakee, IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,830 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.7% |
| Manufacturing | 16.7% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.9% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Public administration | 4.1% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kankakee lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee County | 106,635 | $8,529 million | $79,982 | 42,231 | 2,200 | $55,890 | +0.3% | 4.2% | 49,774 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,757 | 22.6% | $57,251 | 1.28 |
| Manufacturing | 6,674 | 19.5% | $88,514 | 1.92 |
| Retail trade | 5,015 | 14.6% | $34,399 | 1.19 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,642 | 10.6% | $20,924 | 0.95 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,064 | 6.0% | $38,132 | 0.83 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,916 | 5.6% | $71,676 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 1,611 | 4.7% | $75,476 | 0.73 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,309 | 3.8% | $61,884 | 0.73 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,141 | 3.3% | $43,076 | 0.90 |
| Educational services | 842 | 2.5% | $36,832 | 0.96 |
| Finance and insurance | 791 | 2.3% | $68,796 | 0.46 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 401 | 1.2% | $46,918 | 1.17 |
| Real estate and rental | 382 | 1.1% | $53,760 | 0.58 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 340 | 1.0% | $21,956 | 0.48 |
| Information | 223 | 0.7% | $47,860 | 0.28 |
| Utilities | 149 | 0.4% | $81,256 | 0.93 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 35 | 0.1% | $93,549 | 0.22 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.1% |
| Public transit | 2.7% |
| Walk | 2.6% |
| Work from home | 4.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,514 |
| Income per person | $25,563 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,023 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.8% |
| Median home value | $104,900 |
| Homeowners | 50.8% |
| Poverty rate | 25.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,830 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 82.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 13.0% |
| Born abroad | 13.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.2 | 24 | 52 |
| Feb | -2.7 | 27 | 51 |
| Mar | 3.8 | 39 | 65 |
| Apr | 10.5 | 51 | 96 |
| May | 16.4 | 62 | 114 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 116 |
| Jul | 23.7 | 75 | 103 |
| Aug | 22.9 | 73 | 101 |
| Sep | 19.1 | 66 | 85 |
| Oct | 11.7 | 53 | 87 |
| Nov | 4.7 | 40 | 62 |
| Dec | -1.5 | 29 | 59 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell | IN | 27 mi | 11,073 | $84,024 | $1,123 |
| New Lenox | IL | 29 mi | 28,006 | $140,865 | $1,431 |
| Cedar Lake | IN | 29 mi | 15,295 | $83,381 | $1,350 |
| Chicago Heights | IL | 31 mi | 26,736 | $54,798 | $1,038 |
| St. John | IN | 31 mi | 22,567 | $131,467 | $989 |
| Joliet | IL | 32 mi | 150,445 | $92,201 | $1,276 |
| Tinley Park | IL | 32 mi | 54,842 | $105,189 | $1,495 |
| Dyer | IN | 33 mi | 16,400 | $107,159 | $1,225 |
| Crown Point | IN | 34 mi | 34,393 | $101,686 | $1,485 |
| Schererville | IN | 34 mi | 29,701 | $89,466 | $1,310 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
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23,996 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,023 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.8% of the median household income.
$47,514 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Kankakee County (latest month 2026M09)).
Illinois. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.