Pittsfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pittsfield
Kankakee
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Growth
29 · Bottom 18%
vs25 · Bottom 13%
Climate
59 · Bottom 21%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs41 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 34%
vs99 · Top 32%
Access
86 · Top 31%
vs79 · Top 45%
Economic stability
51 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Pittsfield | Kankakee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,430 | 106,635 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,013 | $71,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,365 | $36,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 140/sq mi | 158/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $305,400 | $192,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $1,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.0% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 137 | 132 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.7% | -12.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.2" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 26.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.3 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Pittsfield
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, hurricane.
Kankakee
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Your best match
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Pittsfield
59
Your Score
56
Area Score
Kankakee
57
Your Score
51
Area Score
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Full profiles: Pittsfield, MA Metro Area · Kankakee, IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology