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City · 23,996 residents · Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee , Illinois

In Kankakee, a typical home is worth $104,900 and typical rent is $1,023 a month. Compared with all of Kankakee County, the typical home value is 46% lower, typical household income is 33% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 19 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $104,900

    46% below the county

    60% below Illinois

    • Kankakee
    • County
    • Illinois

  • Typical rent

    $1,023a month

    7% below the county

    20% below Illinois

    • Kankakee
    • County
    • Illinois

  • Typical household income

    $47,514a year

    33% below the county

    43% below Illinois

    • Kankakee
    • County
    • Illinois

  • Households that own their home

    51%

    19 points below the county

    16 points below Illinois

    • Kankakee
    • County
    • Illinois

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$155,977
4.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,204 a month
3.3% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Kankakee is in Kankakee County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Kankakee County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Kankakee apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. The typical home in Kankakee is worth $104,900, 46% less than in Kankakee County as a whole ($192,600).

  2. Kankakee has the 13th lowest homeownership rate of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people (51%).

  3. Kankakee has the 15th lowest typical household income of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($47,514).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Kankakee

What homes there are in Kankakee, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Kankakee, but it weighs less than in Kankakee County: 61% against 71%.

Year built

Homes in Kankakee are older: the typical year built is 1956; in Kankakee County, 1972.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

About 74% of rented homes in Kankakee cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Kankakee County ($1,349).

With a mortgage

$1,331 a month

Kankakee County: $1,649 a month

Without a mortgage

$654 a month

Kankakee County: $718 a month

Owners with a mortgage

55%

Kankakee County: 58%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Kankakee is $1,331 a month, less than in Kankakee County ($1,649); without one, $654.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Kankakee rose 19% since 2015–2019, less than in Kankakee County (30%).

The typical rent in Kankakee rose 25% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Kankakee County (24%).

To compare: typical income in Kankakee rose 25%; the home, +19%; the rent, +25%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureKankakeeKankakee CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.4%4.2%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.2%1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.0%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.482.482.462.53
Drive alone 75%78%66%69%
Carpool 13%8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%6%3%
Walk or bike 3%3%3%3%
Work from home 5%8%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Kankakee, the rental vacancy rate is 4.4%, about the same as in Kankakee County.

Much as in Kankakee County, a household in Kankakee has 2.48 people on average.

Carpooling is common in Kankakee: 13% of workers get to work that way, against 8% in Kankakee County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Kankakee?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Kankakee, worth $104,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 26% of the typical household income in Kankakee, which is $47,514 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Kankakee County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Kankakee. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $3,672 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,042

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$102,999
Total interest
$148,192
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,771 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,109 a month

    Your payment · 26%

  • Tight

    $1,109 to $1,425 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,425 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Kankakee ($47,514 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,042
Principal & interest$698
Property tax$254
Home insurance$44
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$46

You need at least $3,672 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Kankakee and Kankakee County

Kankakee is in Kankakee County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Kankakee's own numbers

Typical home value
$104,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,023
Typical yearly household income
$47,514
Households that own their home
51%
Effective property tax rate
2.91%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Kankakee County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,349
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Kankakee County.

Everything about Kankakee County

Buying

Buying a home in Kankakee

A typical home in Kankakee is worth $104,900: 46% below the county and 60% below Illinois. With the typical household income in Kankakee ($47,514 a year), a typical home costs 2.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Kankakee 2.2 years
  • County 2.7 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Kankakee County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Kankakee County rose 68% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Kankakee County.

Period County Illinois U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.0% +5.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +68% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Kankakee next to Kankakee County, Illinois and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Kankakee $104,900
  • County $192,600
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Kankakee $1,023
  • County $1,097
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Kankakee $47,514
  • County $71,281
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Kankakee next to Kankakee County and Illinois
Measure Kankakee Kankakee County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $104,900 $192,600 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,023 $1,097 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $47,514 $71,281 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 51% 70% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,054 $4,266 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.91% 2.21% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 54% 47% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Kankakee County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Kankakee

For a typical $104,900 home in Kankakee, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Kankakee's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,042a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,672
    Cash to close
    $6,819
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $46

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,023a month

    Down payment
    $5,245
    Cash to close
    $8,392
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $50

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $867a month

    Down payment
    $20,980
    Cash to close
    $24,127
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $964a month

    Down payment
    $15,735
    Cash to close
    $18,882
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Kankakee and for Kankakee County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Kankakee

2.91%of the home’s value each year

$3,054 a year for the typical owner in Kankakee.

  • Kankakee 2.91%
  • County 2.21%
  • Illinois 2.01%

What Illinois publishes General Homestead Exemption (Illinois Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in Kankakee County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Kankakee County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.6%
1,771
Of those, with NFIP insurance
14%
County Illinois U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.6% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 14% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Kankakee

Typical rent in Kankakee is $1,023 a month: 7% below the county. In Kankakee, 54% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Kankakee County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,349 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.94 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Kankakee County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $939 $18.06 $37,560
1 bedroom $1,031 $19.83 $41,240
2 bedrooms $1,349 $25.94 $53,960
3 bedrooms $1,775 $34.13 $71,000
4 bedrooms $1,876 $36.08 $75,040

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Kankakee

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Kankakee is in ZIP code 60901.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,290: $59 less than the fair market rent for Kankakee County ($1,349).

  • 60901 $1,290$1,700

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Kankakee when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Kankakee

HUD lists 13 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Kankakee. These are the largest.

  • Crestview Village Apartments 202 N Crestlane Dr, Kankakee 60901 132 low-income homes · For families (815) 939-7220
  • Riverwoods Apartments 300 E River St, Kankakee 60901 125 low-income homes · For older adults (815) 939-1500
  • Kankakee Kommons 155 W Mertens St, Kankakee 60901 101 low-income homes · For older adults (815) 937-0360
  • Midtown Towers 340 N Dearborn Ave, Kankakee 60901 100 low-income homes · Run by Kankakee County Housing Authority · Average payment: $357 a month · Average wait: 13 months (815) 939-7125
  • Wildwood Complex 352 N Evergreen Ave, Kankakee 60901 64 low-income homes · Run by Kankakee County Housing Authority · Average payment: $492 a month · Average wait: 22 months · Homes at several sites (815) 939-7125

See all 19 buildings in Kankakee County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Kankakee

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Kankakee County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Kankakee

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Kankakee or Kankakee County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Kankakee the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Illinois

  • IHDAccess Home

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with deferred payments for first-time buyers in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Forgivable

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan forgiven little by little over ten years, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Deferred

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Kankakee

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Kankakee, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Respond Now, Inc.

    1439 Emerald Ave, Chicago Heights · 30 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Homelessness services
    • and 1 more
    (708) 755-4357

  • Ceda - Chicago Heights

    1215 West End Ave., Chicago Heights · 31 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (312) 288-8010

  • Cornerstone Community Development Corporation, NFP

    943 E Lincoln Hwy, Ford Heights · 31 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (708) 758-2565

All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near Kankakee

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Kankakee

HUD’s record names them for Kankakee or Kankakee County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Kankakee County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (815) 939-7125

All housing agencies in Illinois Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Kankakee County

These cities are also in Kankakee County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Kankakee County Housing in Illinois

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Kankakee, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Kankakee County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Kankakee.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Kankakee

Short answers with the numbers for Kankakee and all of Kankakee County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Kankakee?

The typical home value in Kankakee is $104,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Kankakee County it is $192,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Kankakee?

Typical rent in Kankakee is $1,023 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Kankakee County is $1,349.

What is the FHA loan limit in Kankakee?

Kankakee uses the FHA limit for all of Kankakee County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Kankakee?

The typical homeowner in Kankakee pays $3,054 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.91% of the home’s value; in Kankakee County, the rate is 2.21%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Kankakee?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Kankakee County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).