Kankakee County
Kankakee County, Illinois: solar permitting grade B (score 40/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 40/100 |
| Population | 109,862 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Kankakee County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. Illinois's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings · named opposition groups
- 2024-04-18WindThe County Board discussed the Heritage Prairie Wind Farm Update. · agenda
- 2024-04-18WindHeritage Prairie Wind Farm update was discussed with a public hearing scheduled in Dwight. · agenda
- 2022-11-10SolarCounty Board discussed a resolution authorizing the Chairman to sign an agreement to reimburse certain costs related to highways. · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Kankakee County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Kankakee city
- Momence city
- Aroma Park village
- Bonfield village
- Bourbonnais village
- Bradley village
- Buckingham village
- Cabery villagepartly in this county
- Chebanse villagepartly in this county
- Essex village
- Grant Park village
- Herscher village
- Hopkins Park village
- Irwin village
- Limestone village
- Manteno village
- Reddick village
- Sammons Point village
- St. Anne village
- Sun River Terrace village
- Union Hill village
- Aroma township
- Bourbonnais township
- Essex township
Show all
- Ganeer township
- Kankakee township
- Limestone township
- Manteno township
- Momence township
- Norton township
- Otto township
- Pembroke township
- Pilot township
- Rockville township
- Salina township
- St. Anne township
- Sumner township
- Yellowhead township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Will County · ≈22 miF68—
- Newton County, IN · ≈27 miB37—
- Iroquois County · ≈27 miC51—
- Grundy County · ≈30 miD63—
- Lake County, IN · ≈34 miF75—
- Jasper County, IN · ≈40 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Kankakee County ranks #37 of 102 ranked Illinois counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Illinois: DeWitt County (A · 26), Bureau County (A · 26), Edgar County (A · 28). See all Illinois county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.