Metropolis, Illinois
Metropolis is a city of 5,864 people in Massac County, Illinois, founded in 1757.
Why visit Metropolis
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 9 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge, Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, Elijah P. Curtis House and Fort Massac.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Metropolis
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Metropolis
Metropolis is a city and the county seat in Massac County, Illinois, United States. It is located by the Ohio River. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,969, down from 6,537 in 2010. Metropolis is part of the Paducah metropolitan area in Southern Illinois.
From the Wikipedia article Metropolis, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge
Bridge · 1.1 mi
Two-span tied arch bridge over Ohio river
Irvin S. Cobb Bridge
Bridge · 4.0 mi
Bridge in Illinois and Kentucky, United States
Metropolis Bridge
Bridge · 3.0 mi
Bridge in Illinois and McCracken County, Kentucky
Museums and landmarks3
.jpg){kind=link}
Elijah P. Curtis House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Fort Massac
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Massac County, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes9
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 1.5 mi
1403 East Fifth Street, Metropolis
Mo-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 08:00-24:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.9 mi
903 East 5th Street, Metropolis
Mo 09:00-21:00; Tu 10:00-21:00; We-Su 09:00-21:00
History
Located on the Ohio River, the Metropolis area has been settled by many different peoples throughout history. For thousands of years, varying cultures of Native Americans populated the area. The most complex society was the Mississippian culture, which reached its peak around AD 1100 and built a large city at Cahokia, near the Mississippi River and present-day Collinsville, Illinois, to the north opposite St. Louis, Missouri. Its people built large earthworks and related structures, many of which have been preserved and protected at the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mississippian culture regional centers arose throughout the Ohio and lower Mississippian valleys, where the rivers were part of widespread trading routes used for exchange with other cultures.
In 1757, Massac County was settled by a French expedition, which built Fort de L'Ascension (later called Fort Massac) for use during the French and Indian War against the British (the war is also known as the Seven Years' War, which took place largely in Europe). The garrison at the fort was able to resist a Cherokee attack during the war. Afterward the defeated French abandoned the fort, and many moved west of the Mississippi River to escape British rule. When the victorious British colonists arrived to take control of territory ceded by the French, the Chickasaw had already destroyed the fort.
From the History section of Metropolis, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship9
Shopping1
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare1
Map of Metropolis
49 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 3.7 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 28°F | 3.8 in | 1.8 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 36°F | 4.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 46°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 56°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 66°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 59°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 47°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 29°F | 4.0 in | 0.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Brookport Dam 52 (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Massac County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-11-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2009-03-02: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Barkley Regional Airport (PAH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Paducah 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Cairo 29 mi west, about 47 min by car
- Goreville 32 mi northwest, about 52 min by car
- Anna 37 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Carrier Mills 37 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Jonesboro 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Harrisburg 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Murray 42 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Marion 43 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Cape Girardeau 49 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Metropolis IL 2022a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Metropolis, Illinois, Fort Massac State Park - Large Letter Postcard (5885063171), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Elijah P. Curtis House, blue sky, Nyttend, Public domain
- Metropolis Bridge Panorama, Jeff Yielding, CC BY-SA 3.0
- PA250011 Irvin S. Cobb Bridge, Chris Light ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort Massac IL 2, Smallbones, Public domain
- Fort Massac IL, Smallbones, Public domain
- Historical reenactors at Fort Massac State Park, Illinois (October 2025), Ben1152000, CC BY-SA 4.0
- I24 bridge, Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- I24 bridge(2), Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- I-24 southbound nearing Paducah, over archaeological site, Nyttend, Public domain
- Super Me - Flickr - GregTheBusker, Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.