Can a typical family afford childcare in Kankakee County, IL?

For most families, no. At $10,487/yr (16.0% of the $65,489 median household income), infant center care in Kankakee County costs 2.3× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $149,814/yr — about $84,325 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 11.7% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Kankakee County, IL?

For infant center care ($10,487/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $149,814 a year. The local median household income is $65,489, a gap of $84,325. These figures cover one child; a second child in care roughly doubles the income you'd need.

What's cheaper, a daycare center or family daycare in Kankakee County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Kankakee County. Infant family daycare runs $147/wk versus $202/wk for a center — about 27% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,823 in savings per year. Center-based care offers more structured curricula and staff redundancy; family daycare is run out of a provider's home with smaller group sizes and often more flexible hours.

How much does childcare cost in Kankakee County, IL?

Infant center-based childcare in Kankakee County, IL costs $202 per week ($10,487 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $147 per week ($7,664 per year). With a median household income of $65,489, the childcare burden index is 16.0% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Kankakee County compare to the rest of IL?

Kankakee County is one of the counties tracked in IL for the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. See the full state ranking for direct comparison.

Is Childcare Affordable in Kankakee County, IL?

No — infant childcare in Kankakee County, IL is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $10,487 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.0% of the $65,489 median household income — 2.3× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $149,814 a year ($84,325 more than the local median) for this care to fall under the 7% line.

The Affordability Math

Affordability isn't about the sticker price — it's the share of income childcare eats. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the line at 7% of household income. In Kankakee County, infant center care costs $10,487/yr against a median household income of $65,489, a burden of 16.0% — 2.3× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Kankakee County household would need to earn about $149,814/yr — roughly $84,325 above the local median of $65,489. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.0% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $147/wk ($7,664/yr), which works out to 11.7% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 27% cheaper than a center. Income-eligible families can also apply for the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy, which caps copays at 7% of income by design — see the subsidy options below.

Affordability Measure	Value
Burden Index (infant center)	16.0% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$149,814/yr
Median Household Income	$65,489
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	11.7%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$202	$147
Toddler (1-2)	$199	$147
Preschool (3-5)	$133	$145
School-Age (6+)	$35	$38

How does Kankakee County compare?

At $202/wk for infant center care, Kankakee County runs 16% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.0% of median household income — a high burden, more than double the 7% HHS affordability threshold.

For families looking to lower the bill, family-based (home) daycare in Kankakee County runs $147/wk for infants — about 27% less than center-based care, or $2,823 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $35/wk (center) or $38/wk (family).

View full Kankakee County childcare data →See all IL county rankings →Most expensive childcare areas →Try the affordability calculator →

More about Kankakee County

How much does childcare cost in Kankakee County, IL? →

The data source behind this answer is the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. Every figure on the page traces back to that source; the methodology page describes the inputs and the refresh cadence in full detail.

For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Childcare Prices, 2026.