Bradley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bradley
Kankakee
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs21 · Bottom 1%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs38 · Bottom 29%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
35 · Bottom 29%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs27 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Bradley | Kankakee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,325 | 23,996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,420 | $47,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,974 | $25,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,107/sq mi | 1,584/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,400 | $104,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,186 | $1,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 31 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 58.3% | -32.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.47 | 17.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.9% | 10.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.6% | 15.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.8% | 84.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bradley
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Kankakee
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Full profiles: Bradley, IL · Kankakee, IL · How this is calculated: methodology