About Kankakee
Kankakee, IL is a close-knit town located in eastern Illinois with an estimated population of 23,535.
Officially, Kankakee is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 15.14 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,554 residents per square mile.
📰 Kankakee News Today
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Kankakee Unique
- The only place in America named Kankakee — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- Positioned in eastern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 23,535.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 5 miles.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Kankakee
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · click a restaurant to read or write reviews.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
- Kankakee County Museum · Museum
- Splash Valley Aquatic Park · Water park
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Kankakee
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Kankakee
- Avis Huff Student Support Service
- Edison Primary School
- I Kan Regional Alternatve Att Ctr
- John Kennedy Middle Grade School
- Kankakee High School
- Kankakee Junior High School
- King Middle Grade School
- Limestone Middle Sch
- Lincoln Cltrl Ctr-Montessori Elem
- Mark Twain Primary School
- Proegler School
- Salt School
- Steuben Elementary School
- Taft Primary School
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- Presence St Marys Hospital ★★★★ (4/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
- Riverside Medical Center ★★★★ (4/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.