Williamson County, Illinois

Williamson County
County
Williamson County Courthouse in Marion
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°44′N 88°56′W / 37.73°N 88.93°W / 37.73; -88.93
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	February 28, 1839
Named for	Williamson County, Tennessee
Seat	Marion
Largest city	Marion
Area
• Total	444 sq mi (1,150 km2)
• Land	420 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Water	24 sq mi (60 km2)  5.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	67,153
• Density	150/sq mi (60/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	12th
Website	www.williamsoncountyil.gov

Williamson County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 67,153.^[1] The largest city and county seat is Marion.^[2]

Williamson County is included in the Carbondale-Marion, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".^{[citation needed]}

Williamson is in the Metro Lakeland area, 88 miles (142 km) southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Via the nearby intersection of Interstates 57 and 24, and Illinois Route 13, a primary east–west four-lane expressway, the city has access to the major communities of Murphysboro, Carbondale, Carterville, Herrin, Marion and Harrisburg.

The Metro Lakeland area of Jackson-Williamson counties has a total of 120,000 residents. Carbondale (14 miles west), Herrin and Marion are the key urban areas in Metro Lakeland, with a combined population of more than 65,000. Over 235,000 people live within 35 miles (56 km).