Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population was 103,833. Its county seat is Kankakee, Illinois ⁶. This county is part of Chicagoland.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,765 km² (681 mi²). 1,753 km² (677 mi²) of it is land and 12 km² (5 mi²) of it (0.69%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

Will County - north
Lake County, Indiana - northeast
Newton County, Indiana - east
Iroquois County - south
Ford County - southwest
Livingston County - southwest
Grundy County - northwest

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 103,833 people, 38,182 households, and 26,765 families residing in the county. The population density was 59/km² (153/mi²). There were 40,610 housing units at an average density of 23/km² (60/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.89% White, 15.47% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.38% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 4.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 38,182 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.10% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,532, and the median income for a family was $48,975. Males had a median income of $37,776 versus $25,287 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,055. About 8.70% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

History

Settlers came to Kankakee County in 1834, after the federal government signed the Treaty of Camp Tippecanoe in 1832. As word spread about the government acquiring the land, many immigrants of New York and Vermont moved their way west, mostly locating in Momence, Illinois.

An act of the Illinois Legislature created Kankakee County out of the north part of Iroquois County and the south part of Will County on February 11, 1853. The six original townships were: Yellowhead, Rockville, Bourbonnais, Momence, Aroma Park, and Limestone. The population of the new county was about 8,000. It wasn’t until 1855 that the two western townships of Norton and Essex were taken from Vermilion County and added to Kankakee County.

The County was named for the Kankakee River.

See the The French-Canadian Interview Project, an oral history of Kankakee County descendants of original settlers by the students of Professor James F. Paul of Kankakee Community College.

Townships

Aroma Township
Bourbonnais Township
Essex Township
Ganeer Township
Kankakee Township
Limestone Township
Manteno Township
Momence Township
Norton Township
Otto Township
Pembroke Township
Pilot Township
Rockville Township
St. Anne Township
Salina Township
Sumner Township
Yellowhead Township

Cities and towns

External links

Illinois counties | Kankakee County, Illinois | Chicago metropolitan area

Kankakee County | Condado de Kankakee