The City of Joliet is located in Will and Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. At the 2020 census, the city was the third-largest in Illinois, with a population of 150,362.

The City of Joliet is governed by a nine member City Council which includes a Mayor, five council members elected by Districts and three at large council members. The Mayor serves a four year term and council members serve four-year staggered terms. The City offers a number of high-quality public services to the residents and businesses of Joliet. Among the many City departments are Community Development, Public Utilities, Public Works, and public safety through the Joliet Fire Department and Joliet Police Department. In addition, several boards and commissions composed of City leaders and involved residents are available.

The City has 889 employees, of which 823 are full-time and 66 are part-time, as of January 4, 2023.