Overview

Introduction to Metropolis, Illinois

Located in Massac county, Metropolis, Illinois, is 86 miles SW of Evansville, Indiana (center to center) and 127 miles NW of Nashville, Tennessee.

Metropolis History

The city of Metropolis holds a seat on Massac county, which was formed in 1843 by the Illinois Legislature. The French were the first white settlers to arrive in Massac county in the late 1750s; they built the Fort De L'Ascension during their war with the Native Americans. Soon after, the French settlers rebuilt the fort and renamed it Massaic, after the French Minister of Marine. The fort was again destroyed by the Chickasaw tribes, and rebuilt under the supervision of General George Washington in 1794. It served as a military post for the next 20 years and in 1908 it was officially declared as Illinois' first state park. The present-day territory of Metropolis, situated about a mile west of the fort, was formed in 1839. Before the American Civil War, a proposal was laid to establish a western District of Columbia including the present-day territories of Metropolis and Kentucky. In response, the city was named Metropolis by its founders who envisaged it as a 'City of the West.'

Metropolis and nearby Attractions

  • Fort Massac State Park
  • Super Museum
  • Metropolis Country Club
  • Cache River State Natural Area
  • Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site

Things To Do In Metropolis

Declared as the hometown of the comic book hero 'Superman' by Illinois State Legislature, the city hosts an annual Superman Celebration in June as well as holds The Super Museum and the Superman statue. The riverboat casino, known as the Harrah's Metropolis Casino, is also very popular. The closest golf course to the area is the Metropolis Country Club. The Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, which is a village built by Native Americans around 1100 AD, is also nearby.

Metropolis Transportation

Barkley Regional Airport is the closest airport to the city.

Metropolis Higher Education

Higher education is available at John A Logan College, Murray State University, and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Campus.

Demographics

People

Total Population6,184
Male Share of the Population44.2%
Female Share of the Population55.8%
Senior Citizens21.8%
Employed Population 16+2,185
Age of the Population42

Families

% of people married44.5%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher11.3%
Median Earnings25+$31,107
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$17,350
Median Earnings With High School Degree$27,554

Wealth

Median Family Income$44,375
% Above Poverty Level75.3%
% Below Poverty Level24.7%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time20 minutes
% Working from Home4%
% Walking and Biking to Work2.4%
% Using Public Transportation1.9%

Housing

People Living Alone40.2%
Median Gross Rent$646
Median House Value$73,500

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)22.1%
German18.8%
Irish13%
English8%
Dutch2.6%
Italian2.1%
French Except Basque1.4%
Polish1.4%
Hungarian0.8%
Scottish0.7%
Norwegian0.3%
Czech0.3%
Danishn0.3%
Canadian0.2%
Lithuanian0.1%
+ Show More

Metropolis Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyMassac County
Standard Zip Codes62960
Phone Area Codes618
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude37.15
Approximate Longitude-88.71

Metropolis Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationBROOKPORT DAM 52
Distance4.7 miles
Jan Temp25 to 42 F
Apr Temp47 to 69 F
Jul Temp68 to 90 F
Oct Temp47 to 71 F
Annual Precip47.9 inches
StationPADUCAH BARKLEY RGNL AP
Distance7.3 miles
Jan Temp24 to 42 F
Apr Temp46 to 68 F
Jul Temp68 to 89 F
Oct Temp45 to 71 F
Annual Precip49.2 inches
StationBARDWELL 2 E
Distance23.7 miles
Jan Temp25 to 43 F
Apr Temp47 to 70 F
Jul Temp68 to 90 F
Oct Temp46 to 72 F
Annual Precip51.7 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Golconda781$52,500
Joppa313$26,146
Karnak462$45,417
Olmsted489$46,250

Metropolis Public Libraries

Metropolis Public Library
317 METROPOLIS STREET
Metropolis, Illinois
(618) 524-4312

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Metropolis Hospitals

Massac Memorial Hospital
Memorial Heights
(618) 524-2176

Metropolis Public Schools

Franklin Elem School
1006 Mount Mission Rd
ZIP: 62960
(618) 524-2243
Primary
Total Enrollment 199
Jefferson Elem School
4915 Jefferson School Rd
ZIP: 62960
(618) 524-4390
Primary
Total Enrollment 135
Maple Grove Elem School
1698 Grand Chain Rd
ZIP: 62960
(618) 543-7434
Primary
Total Enrollment 166
Massac County High School
2841 Old Marion Rd
ZIP: 62960
(618) 524-3440
High
Total Enrollment 624
Massac Jr High School
3028 Old Marion Rd
ZIP: 62960
(618) 524-2645
Middle
Total Enrollment 333
Metropolis Elem School
1015 Filmore St
ZIP: 62960
(618) 524-4821
Primary
Total Enrollment 540
Sources :
Our Partner Listings
Additional Resources
Info for Metropolis Government Officials


Are you an official in the Metropolis government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.