Bradley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kankakee
Bradley
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 1%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
38 · Bottom 29%
vs42 · Bottom 36%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 4%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Kankakee | Bradley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,996 | 15,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,514 | $67,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,563 | $36,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,584/sq mi | 2,107/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $104,900 | $173,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $1,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.8% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.5% | 7.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 31 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -32.6% | 58.3% | 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 | 43 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.19 | 13.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.8% | 10.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.0% | 23.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.2% | 55.8% | 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
Kankakee
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Bradley
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Full profiles: Kankakee, IL · Bradley, IL · How this is calculated: methodology