KANKAKEE – Deaths beat out births in Kankakee County during the pandemic year.
Released in an information dump by the Kankakee County Clerk Wednesday, a total of 1,410 deaths occurred in Kankakee County last year, up from the previous year by 185 deaths.
Only 1,232 babies were born during the time, resulting in a total population decrease of 178 residents.
Marriages were hardly affected by the pandemic, while births declined by 207 the year prior. Among those children born locally, the most popular names for boys included Liam and Noah with Amelia and Harper most popular for girls.
On the marriage front, the Clerk issued a total of 531 marriages in Kankakee, just three fewer than the previous year. The oldest groom was 79 years old while the oldest bride was 75. The youngest groom was 18 years of age with the youngest bride, 18.
For the fourth consecutive year, October was the most popular month to get married.
