Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County, Illinois
Map
Map of Illinois highlighting Kankakee County
Location in the state of Illinois
Map of the U.S. highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded February 11, 1853
Seat Kankakee
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

681 sq mi (1,764 km²)
677 sq mi (1,753 km²)
5 sq mi (13 km²), 0.69%
Population
 - (2000)
 - Density

103,833
153/sq mi (59/km²)
Website: www.co.kankakee.il.us

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[1].

The Kankakee-Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Kankakee County. The county is also part of the larger ChicagoNaperville–Michigan City, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area.

Contents

Geography

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

Townships

Aroma Park, Bourbonnais, Essex, Kankakee, Limestone, Manteno, Momence, Pembroke, St. Anne, Bradley

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2000 census age pyramid for Kankakee County.

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 153 people per square mile (59/km²). There were 40,610 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km²). 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. 21.3% were of German, 9.9% Irish, 8.7% French, 6.6% American and 5.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.1% spoke English and 4.3% Spanish as their first language.

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

Kankakee County Courthouse, in Kankakee, Illinois

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. Kankakee County has produced three governors: Len Small (R), Samuel Shapiro (D) and George H. Ryan (R)

Townships

Kankakee County is divided into seventeen townships:

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

Cities and towns

Kankakee County
Population by year

2000 - 103,833
1990 - 96,255
1980 - 102,926
1970 - 97,250
1960 - 92,063
1950 - 73,524
1940 - 60,877
1930 - 50,095
1920 - 44,940
1910 - 40,752
1900 - 37,154
1890 - 28,732
1880 - 25,047
1870 - 24,352
1860 - 15,412

Cities

Villages

  • Aroma Park
  • Bonfield
  • Bourbonnais
  • Bradley
  • Buckingham
  • Chebanse
  • Essex
  • Grant Park
  • Herscher
  • Hopkins Park
  • Irwin
  • Limestone
  • Manteno
  • St. Anne
  • Reddick
  • Sammons Point
  • Sun River Terrace
  • Union Hill

Unincorporated places

References

  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

External links