NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Kankakee, IL

Metro Market Score 49.5 (Challenging), ranked #129 of 378 metros. 314 establishments, 5,015 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 49.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national retail trade average.

Kankakee's retail trade market sits near the national metro median, ranking #129 of 378 with a market score of 49.5. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration
60.6
LQ: 1.19
Rank #229 of 378 metros
Wage Competitiveness
16.7
$34,399 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 44.4
Employment growth index
Rank #211 of 378 metros
Wage Pressure
67.9
YoY wage change index

314 Retail Trade Firms in Kankakee

314
Establishments
-0.6% YoY
5,015
Total Employment
-0.5% YoY
$34,399
Average Annual Wage
+1.2% YoY
1.19
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Kankakee vs Illinois Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Illinois overall. The state ranks #39/51 for entry risk.

Measure Kankakee IL Statewide
Overall Score 49.5 Challenging 48.1 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #129 of 378 metros #39 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Kankakee

Finance and Insurance 25.8 Construction 27.1 Information 33.1 Accommodation and Food Services 35.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 41.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.5 Other Services 49.2 Administrative and Support Services 59.3

Retail Trade in Other Illinois Metros

Champaign-Urbana 24.9 #3/378 Springfield 40.0 #50/378 Peoria 42.4 #60/378 Decatur 43.1 #71/378 Bloomington 53.4 #179/378 Rockford 60.5 #259/378 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 63.1 #287/378

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Kankakee's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (55.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.