What Happened to Kankakee, Illinois?
Kankakee, Illinois. Once upon a time, this city was fueled by factories, smokestacks, and paychecks — a textbook Rust Belt starter pack. But by the late 20th century, things went downhill fast. Jobs disappeared, poverty skyrocketed, and in 1999 the Places Rated Almanac officially ranked Kankakee dead last out of 354 metro areas in the U.S. and Canada. That’s when David Letterman famously dubbed it the “Armpit of America.” Ouch. Today, Kankakee is still fighting its reputation, still struggling with its economy, and still trying to figure out where it fits in Illinois beyond just being the place south of Bradley and Bourbonnais. But is it really as bad as the nickname suggests? Let’s find out — Chris Harden style.
👉 In this video:
🏭 The rise (and spectacular collapse) of General Foods, Roper, and other big employers
💉 How Kankakee accidentally became a biotech hub before “biotech” was even a thing
🏛️ The history of the courthouse, Majestic Theater, and Kankakee State Hospital
📉 The brutal population losses, poverty rate, and why the economy keeps struggling
🌳 The nicer pockets of town (yes, they do exist)
📝 And of course… the official Chris Livability Score for Kankakee
❓Serious question: If Kankakee isn’t the “Armpit of America,” then which city should be? Drop your answer in the comments — bonus points for creativity.
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