Illinois Counties

Kankakee County sits about an hour south of Chicago, but it feels a world away from the big city. The Kankakee River cuts through.

Kendall County is the poster child for Chicago’s expanding suburbs. It was the fastest-growing county in the U.S. for a while.

Knox County is a prairie county that sits in west-central Illinois. Galesburg is the heart of it all, an old railroad town with Knox College.

Lake County is a weird mix of ritzy North Shore suburbs and blue-collar towns. It stretches along Lake Michigan, north of Chicago.

LaSalle County is a big stretch of land in north-central Illinois, where the Illinois River cuts through. Ottawa is the county seat.

Lawrence County sits on the eastern edge of Illinois, right up against the Wabash River and Indiana. Lawrenceville is the county seat.

Lee County sits in north-central Illinois, a place where the suburbs fade into farms. Dixon is the county seat famous as Reagan’s hometown.

Livingston County is a big patch of central Illinois. Pontiac is the county seat, and is named for the famous Ottawa Indian chief.

Logan County sits in the middle of Illinois, about as heartland as it gets. Lincoln is the county seat. Yep, it’s named after Honest Abe.

Macon County is in the middle of Illinois, with Decatur as its heart. Lake Decatur is the centerpiece, which is good for fishing.

Macoupin County is a part of rural Illinois between St. Louis and Springfield. Carlinville is the county seat, with this massive courthouse.

Madison County sits in southwestern Illinois, right across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Alton is the largest city in this county.

Marion County sits in the south-central part of Illinois, about an hour away from St. Louis, Missouri. There is lots of farming here.

Marshall County is a bite of rural Illinois in the north-central part of the state. The Illinois River basically splits this county in two.

Mason County sits along the Illinois River in the middle of the state. Havana is the biggest town and the county seat.