Due to its proximity to Scott Air Force Base, the city has a significant population of military and federal civilian personnel.

It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville and home to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.

[4] Because Blair donated an acre of his land for the town square and an additional 25 acres (10 ha) adjoining the square for the new county seat, the legislature transferred the county seat from the village of Cahokia.

Major immigration in the mid-19th century to this area occurred following revolutions in Germany, and most of the European-American population is of German ancestry.

[5] After the Civil War, Belleville became a manufacturing center producing nails, printing presses, gray iron castings, agricultural equipment, and stoves.

In 1868, Gustav Goelitz founded the candy company that is known today as "Jelly Belly.

"[5] An immense deposit (400,000 acres (1,600 km2)) of bituminous coal was found in St. Clair County.

The coal brought the steam railroad to town, which allowed for the transport of many tons of coal to be shipped daily from Belleville to St. Louis on the west side of the Mississippi River, for use in its industries, homes and businesses.

[9] The National Civic League recognized Belleville in 2011 as one of the ten recipients of the All-America City Award.

[10] Major employers within the city limits include Protestant Memorial Medical Center (dba Memorial Hospital), Empire Comfort Systems, Peerless Premier Appliance, Allsup, Belleville Boot Company, Illinois American Water (corporate office, quality control and research laboratory), Permobil US, Roesch Inc., Beno J. Gundlach Co., Chelar Tool & Die, International Paper, Triple Sticks Food Inc., Kaskaskia Engineering, and Mathis Marifian & Richter Ltd.

In 2021, residents of the Illinois city elected Patty Gregory as Belleville's first female Mayor.

[21] With the increase in the black population and migrants from the South, musicians developed who played blues and jazz; later rock clubs were added to the scene.

Jay Farrar (now of Son Volt), Mike Heidorn, and Jeff Tweedy (now of Wilco) of the now-defunct alt country group Uncle Tupelo are from Belleville.

Another major musician was Neal Doughty, keyboardist for 1970s rock band REO Speedwagon.

The News-Democrat is part of the McClatchy chain and covers the Metro East region and Southwestern Illinois.

The city is also served by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the area's major metropolitan daily.

Belleville receives the signals of most radio and TV stations based in St. Louis.

Belleville has a bicycle trail that runs through the city from Southside Park to Southwestern Illinois College and Scott Air Force Base; it is mainly used for recreational purposes.