Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 27,754. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of about 114,000. Williamsport is the larger principal city of the Williamsport-Lock Haven Combined Statistical Area, which includes Lycoming and Clinton counties.
The city is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of North Central Pennsylvania. It is 177 miles (285Â km) from Philadelphia, 199 miles (320Â km) from Pittsburgh and 85 miles (137Â km) from Harrisburg. It is known for its sports, arts scene and food. Williamsport was settled by Americans in the late 18th century, and began to prosper due to its lumber industry. In 1930, the city's population reached a high of 45,729 but since the Great Depression it has declined by approximately 40 percent to 27,754 in 2020.