Located 55 miles south of Chicago, the village of Bourbonnais has a population of over 18,000 people and was rated the Best Place to Live in Kankakee County for its outdoor recreation and family-friendly amenities, according to Niche.com. Named after one of the earliest French-Canadian fur trappers, Francois Bourbonnais Sr., the area has Potawatomi roots, with tribes calling the area "Te-yar-ac-ke," which means "wonderful land." That rings as true today as it did in the 1800s, though Bourbonnais now goes by a different name – "The Village of Friendship." "I absolutely adore Bourbonnais," says Angelina Gear, a Bourbonnais native and sales and marketing director for the Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau. "People actually care and help one another. You know your neighbors, you wave to them in the grocery store. It's a good community vibe."
The village of Bourbonnais has a population of over 18,000 people.
Bourbonnais was rated the Best Place to Live in Kankakee County.
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A growing housing market
With over 6,000 homes built over the decades, Bourbonnais has diverse architectural styles, from classical to contemporary. Most of the ranch-style houses dotting the landscape were built after 1970 and have a median sale price of $281,500, but there are also many townhomes available at a median sale price of $274,000. The village continues to add new development, with new residential units rising on the northwestern end. "It's growing in a really great way," Angelina says. "Bourbonnais is definitely getting its place on the map."
There are many townhomes in Bourbonnais available at a median sale price of $274,000.
Most of the ranch-style houses dotting the landscape of Bourbonnais were built after 1970.
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Going out to The Grove
Located alongside the Kankakee River, Bourbonnais has over 100 acres spread across 22 public parks, each with amenities such as playgrounds, tennis courts and baseball fields. Families will also regularly bring their children to Perry Farm, which has over 4 miles of walking trails, farm animals and a medieval-themed children's museum. On top of the existing parkland, the village unveiled a new 12.5-acre venue called The Grove last year that hosts live performances, community events and a skate plaza that transforms into an ice rink in the winter months.
Bourbonnais unveiled a new 12.5-acre venue called The Grove last year that hosts live performances.
Perry Farm in Bourbonnais has over 4 miles of walking trails, a playground, and farm animals.
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A mix of public and private school options
Kindergarteners through middle schoolers have five public schools they may attend in Bourbonnais School District 53, rated a B-plus by Niche. Private educational opportunities exist in Kankakee Valley Montessori, St. Paul's Lutheran and Bishop McNamara Catholic School. Neighboring village Bradley shares a campus with Bourbonnais' high school population at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, graded a B. Olivet Nazarene University is a religiously affiliated university that serves around 3,500 students on its 275-acre campus and employs hundreds in the community.
Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School has 1,921 students in grades 9-12.
Students may attend in Bourbonnais School District 53, rated a B-plus by Niche.
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Building community connections
The village's premier shopping district is Northfield Square Mall, which has around 30 stores anchored by a Cinemark Theatre. In addition to various retailers and boutique stores, the village partners with local chocolatiers for its annual Chocolate Tour. Residents also come together for the Friendship Festival, a community-wide celebration with live performances, food trucks and a carnival. "It's always been a tradition for the whole county to go and experience that together," Angelina says. "It's like a high school reunion for everybody.”
Bourbonnais village's premier shopping district is Northfield Square Mall.
Cinemark Theater in Bourbonnais has the latest movies.
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An industry driven by manufacturing
Bourbonnais is a business-friendly community home to many manufacturing companies. The biggest employer is the Nucor Corporation, which is the 15th largest steel producer in the world and employs over 400 people, as does All Star Management, which oversees a chain of Wendy’s Restaurants throughout the county. Ardex also has an adhesives and cement warehouse that employs around 40 people. Major grocery chains include Meijer, Jewel-Osco and Walmart.
The biggest employer in Bourbonnais is the Nucor Corporation, a steel manufacturer.
Kroger is one of several large grocery store chains operating in Bourbonnais.
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From the metro to the midway
Three major thoroughfares — Interstate 57 and Highways 52 and 102 — connect Bourbonnais to neighboring cities. The River City Metro provides bus services throughout Bourbonnais and Kankakee County, even offering rides to the Metra train station at University Park and Chicago-Midway Airport 70 miles north. Local emergency care options include the First Family Clinic and Midwest Express.
Weather and crime
Residents experience a chilly climate, with average summer high temperatures being 80 degrees and average winter low temperatures being 21 degrees. In the winter, the public works department will remove snow and treat the roads on a 24-hour basis. Both violent and property crime rates are below the national average, with the Bourbonnais Police Department reporting a 16% decrease in crime overall between 2023 and 2024.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
