Illinois Counties

Cook County is the heart of Chicagoland. It’s massive. Over 5 million people live here, making it the second most populous county in the U.S.

Crawford County hugs the Wabash River in eastern Illinois. Robinson is the county seat, located in the center of the county.

Cumberland County is a small and rural area with Toledo serving as the county seat. It’s situated in central and east of Illinois.

DeKalb County is in northern Illinois. The city of DeKalb as the central hub with Northern Illinois University. Sycamore is the county seat.

DeWitt County sits in central Illinois. Clinton is the county seat. The county is mostly flat farmland. But Clinton Lake is a big draw.

Douglas County sits in east-central Illinois, about halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. It’s mostly farming in this county.

DuPage County sits just west of Chicago in northeastern Illinois. It’s a mix of bustling suburbs and quiet towns, with over 900,000 people.

Edgar County sits on the eastern edge of Illinois, right up against the Indiana border. Paris is the county seat. No, not that Paris.

Edwards County is tucked away in the southeastern part of the state. Albion, the county seat, is home to just over 1,900 folks.

Effingham County sits right in the heart of southern Illinois. It’s where two major interstates cross, so you’ll see trucks passing through.

Fayette County is rural Illinois, about an hour east of St. Louis. Vandalia, the county seat, used to be the state capital in the 1800s.

Ford County is a small patch of east-central Illinois. Paxton is the county seat. There’s lots of farming here such as corn and soybeans.

Franklin County sits in southern Illinois, a place that feels more like Kentucky than Chicago. Benton is the county seat, an old coal town.

Fulton County is in west-central Illinois, along the Illinois River. Lewistown is the county seat, but Canton is the biggest town.

Gallatin County is a tiny sliver of southeastern Illinois, right on the Ohio River. Shawneetown is the county seat, an old river town.