Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 107,502.[1] Its county seat is Kankakee.[2] Kankakee County comprises the Kankakee, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Kankakee County
County
Kankakee County Courthouse
Kankakee County Courthouse
Map of Illinois highlighting Kankakee County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°08′N 87°52′W
Country United States
State Illinois
FoundedFebruary 11, 1853
Named forKankakee River
SeatKankakee
Largest cityKankakee
Area
 • Total681 sq mi (1,760 km2)
 • Land677 sq mi (1,750 km2)
 • Water4.8 sq mi (12 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total107,502
 • Density160/sq mi (61/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts1st, 2nd
Websitewww.co.kankakee.il.us

History

Starting in the 1770s, if not earlier, the area that is now Kankakee County was largely populated by the Pottawatami.

French Canadian Settlers came to Kankakee County in 1834, after the federal government signed the Treaty of Camp Tippecanoe in 1832. They were soon joined by migrants from New York and Vermont, mostly locating in Momence, Illinois. In the 1840s, most of the migrants were French Canadians, and they settled in such places as Bourbonnais.

An act of the Illinois Legislature created Kankakee County out of the north part of Iroquois County and the south part of Will County in February 1853. The six original townships were Yellowhead, Rockville, Bourbonnais, Momence, Aroma Park, and Limestone. The population of the new county was about 8,000. In 1855 the two western townships (Norton and Essex) were taken from Vermilion County and added to Kankakee County. The county was named for the Kankakee River.

  • Kankakee County at the time of its creation in 1853
    Kankakee County at the time of its creation in 1853

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 681 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 677 square miles (1,750 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (0.7%) is water.[3]

Climate and weather
Kankakee, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source:The Weather Channel[4]
Metric conversion
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Kankakee have ranged from a low of 12 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.62 inches (41 mm) in February to 4.54 inches (115 mm) in May.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
186015,412—
187024,35258.0%
188025,0472.9%
189028,73214.7%
190037,15429.3%
191040,7529.7%
192044,92010.2%
193050,09511.5%
194060,87721.5%
195073,52420.8%
196092,06325.2%
197097,2505.6%
1980102,9265.8%
199096,255−6.5%
2000103,8337.9%
2010113,4499.3%
2020107,502−5.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010[9]
2000 census age pyramid for Kankakee County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 113,449 people, 41,511 households, and 28,680 families residing in the county.[10] The population density was 167.7 inhabitants per square mile (64.7/km2). There were 45,246 housing units at an average density of 66.9 per square mile (25.8/km2).[3] The racial makeup of the county was 77.6% white, 15.1% black or African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 4.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.0% of the population.[10] In terms of ancestry, 26.5% were German, 14.2% were Irish, 7.4% were English, 6.7% were Italian, 5.8% were Polish, and 3.6% were American.[11]

Of the 41,511 households, 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.9% were non-families, and 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 36.7 years.[10]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,484 and the median income for a family was $59,998. Males had a median income of $49,858 versus $32,247 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,888. About 10.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.[12]

Communities

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated Communities

Townships

Kankakee County is divided into seventeen townships:

Politics
United States presidential election results for Kankakee County, Illinois[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 28,532 57.02% 20,271 40.51% 1,237 2.47%
2016 25,129 53.12% 18,971 40.10% 3,205 6.78%
2012 23,136 50.68% 21,595 47.30% 923 2.02%
2008 22,527 46.80% 24,750 51.41% 861 1.79%
2004 24,739 54.93% 20,003 44.42% 294 0.65%
2000 20,049 49.89% 19,180 47.73% 954 2.37%
1996 14,595 41.41% 16,820 47.73% 3,826 10.86%
1992 15,411 38.46% 17,229 43.00% 7,431 18.54%
1988 20,316 56.82% 15,147 42.36% 292 0.82%
1984 23,807 60.02% 15,246 38.44% 612 1.54%
1980 23,810 58.25% 14,626 35.78% 2,437 5.96%
1976 23,003 54.63% 18,394 43.68% 711 1.69%
1972 26,866 66.54% 13,434 33.27% 73 0.18%
1968 20,025 52.35% 14,460 37.80% 3,765 9.84%
1964 16,082 43.61% 20,792 56.39% 0 0.00%
1960 20,311 54.23% 17,115 45.70% 26 0.07%
1956 21,993 66.39% 11,088 33.47% 47 0.14%
1952 20,279 61.44% 12,636 38.29% 90 0.27%
1948 15,699 57.71% 11,305 41.56% 197 0.72%
1944 15,256 57.16% 11,342 42.50% 90 0.34%
1940 15,998 53.62% 13,716 45.97% 124 0.42%
1936 10,935 41.21% 13,162 49.60% 2,441 9.20%
1932 10,873 43.86% 13,555 54.67% 364 1.47%
1928 11,905 53.44% 10,247 45.99% 127 0.57%
1924 12,462 67.47% 2,488 13.47% 3,521 19.06%
1920 12,853 79.33% 2,828 17.46% 520 3.21%
1916 10,594 62.28% 6,096 35.84% 319 1.88%
1912 3,178 36.41% 2,532 29.01% 3,018 34.58%
1908 5,999 68.46% 2,461 28.08% 303 3.46%
1904 6,162 74.93% 1,652 20.09% 410 4.99%
1900 5,798 67.44% 2,674 31.10% 125 1.45%
1896 5,471 68.20% 2,370 29.54% 181 2.26%
1892 3,577 54.42% 2,763 42.04% 233 3.54%

Kankakee County is currently considered a Republican-leaning swing county. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Kankakee County voted 52 percent in favor of Illinois native Barack Obama (D), giving 47 percent to John McCain (R). However, in the 2004 Presidential Election, Kankakee County voted 55 percent in favor of George W. Bush (R) and 44 percent for John Kerry (D).

Kankakee County is split between Illinois's 2nd congressional district, represented by Democrat Robin Kelly (D-Matteson), and Illinois's 1st congressional district, represented by Jonathan Jackson (D-Chicago). Kankakee County has produced three governors: Len Small (R), Samuel H. Shapiro (D), and George H. Ryan (R).

In December 2016, Kankakee County became the only county in Illinois to have a Libertarian county board member when Jim Byrne of Bradley left the Republican Party to join the Libertarian Party.[14] In the 2020 general election, Byrne lost reelection to Democratic candidate Heather Bryan, while Libertarian Jacob Collins was elected unopposed on the Libertarian line continuing Kankakee County's distinction of being the only county with a Libertarian board member[15][16] until Collins opted not to run for reelection in the 2022 general election.[17]

Education

The county is home to Olivet Nazarene University and Kankakee Community College.

Transportation

Kankakee County is served by the Greater Kankakee Airport. Amtrak runs train service through the city via Kankakee station. The station serves the Illini and Saluki trains to Carbondale as well as the City of New Orleans. The city of Kankakee has local public transit service provided by the River Valley Metro Mass Transit District. Momence and rural Kankakee county are served by SHOW Bus.

Major highways

See also

References
Specific
  1. "Kankakee County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  4. "Monthly Averages for Kankakee, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  9. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  11. "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  12. "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  14. "Kankakee County Board's Byrne Joins Libertarian Party of Illinois" (Press release). Springfield, Illinois: Libertarian Party of Illinois. December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  15. Winger, Richard (November 22, 2020). "Libertarian Party Won Four Partisan Races Earlier This Month". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  16. Breach, Chris (November 4, 2020). "Kankakee County Board District 23". Daily Journal. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020.
  17. Breach, Chris (November 9, 2023). "Republicans sweep other 5 contested Kankakee County Board seats". Daily Journal. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
General
  • Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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