Jefferson County sits in the southern-central region of Illinois; the county seat is Mount Vernon, a regional commercial and transportation hub. The county features a mix of small-city amenities around Mount Vernon and broad rural stretches with farmland and woodland. Housing ranges from older single-family homes in town to newer subdivisions and rural acreage homes outside. Typical existing home prices in town might span $150,000–$250,000; in rural areas or on acreage possibly up to $300,000+. New builds including land might cost $250K–$400K depending on scale and lot size. The county has the advantage of a larger-town centre for shopping and services, while still offering country living; it lies roughly 100 miles east of St. Louis, giving some access to bigger-city amenities.