United States of America, showing states, divided into counties.

A county of the United States is a local level of government smaller than a state but almost always larger than a city or town, in a U.S. state or territory. The actual term "county" describes them in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana uses the term "parish" and Alaska uses the word "borough." Including those, there are 3,086 counties in the United States, an average of 62 counties per state. The state with the fewest counties is Delaware (three), and the state with the most is Texas (254). In many states, counties are subdivided into townships or towns and may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities. Download high resolution version (1513x983, 73 KB) Map of the USA showing borders of states and counties. ... Download high resolution version (1513x983, 73 KB) Map of the USA showing borders of states and counties. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Night view of Taipei City. ... Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a residential community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... Motto: (1789 to 1956) (Latin for Out of many, one) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Parish Hall of St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq. ... A borough is a local government administrative subdivision used in the Canadian province of Quebec, in some states of the United States, and formerly in New Zealand. ... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. ... A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ...

The U.S. Census Bureau lists 3,141 counties or county-equivalent administrative units. The power of the county government varies widely from state to state as does the relationship between counties and incorporated municipal governments.^[1] The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Local government of the United States. ...

Terminology

Louisiana uses the term parish; these are functionally equivalent to counties and are not religious in nature. Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Parish Hall of St. ...

The term county equivalents includes in addition three types of units which are different from the type of county found in most states:

1. Alaska census areas: Most of the land area of Alaska is not contained within any of Alaska's 16 boroughs. This vast area, larger than France and Germany combined, is referred to by the Alaska state government as the Unorganized Borough and, outside municipal limits, has no local government. The United States Census Bureau, in cooperation with the Alaska state government, has divided the Unorganized Borough into 11 census areas for statistical purposes.
2. Independent cities: These are cities that legally belong to no county in a state. As of 2004, there are 42 such cities in the United States:
   • Baltimore, Maryland
   • Carson City, Nevada
   • St. Louis, Missouri
   • All 39 cities in Virginia, where any municipality incorporated as a city (in contrast to town) is by law severed from any county that might otherwise have contained it.
3. The District of Columbia, a federal district under the absolute jurisdiction of the US Congress, which has for the last several decades allowed the District a limited home rule.

Including these jurisdictions, the United States has 3,141 counties and county equivalents. A census tract, census area, or census district is a particular community defined for the purpose of taking a census. ... A borough is a local government administrative subdivision used in the Canadian province of Quebec, in some states of the United States, and formerly in New Zealand. ... Map of Alaska boroughs and census areas The Unorganized Borough is that part of Alaska not contained in any of its 16 organized boroughs. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another local government entity. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City (by John Quincy Adams on a visit in 1827), Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Government Country... Motto: Proud of its Past. ... Nickname Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 66. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... ... Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... Congress in Joint Session. ... ...

City-county exceptions

As noted, the territory of most counties includes that of municipalities, within and smaller than the respective counties. However, there are three kinds of exceptions to this arrangement:

1. By a series of annexations or other mergers, a city government may come to have exactly the same territory as the county that contains it, even though they remain separate governments. This is nearly the case in Jacksonville, Florida, which has incorporated all of Duval County except for four smaller suburban cities.
2. Several cities and counties around the country have consolidated city-county governments and are considered both a city and a county under state law. Denver, Colorado and San Francisco, California have been coextensive with their respective counties since the counties were created. On the other hand, Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Nashville, Tennessee unified with their respective counties after the two entities existed separately. There is also the "City and County of Honolulu", but this is unlike the others in that Hawaii has no incorporated cities and thus the "city" part of "city and county" is in this case a misnomer. Honolulu County contains the entire island of Oahu, which includes many dozens of communities and rural areas in addition to the urban area designated as the Honolulu CDP. Prior to its abolition, the government of Suffolk County, Massachusetts was largely administered by the Boston city council. In Nantucket County, Massachusetts, the Town of Nantucket board of selectmen act as county commissioners. [1]
3. The area now forming the five boroughs of New York City consisted, into the late 19th century, of three typical counties and parts of two others, each containing at least one city or town. These are still counties in name and in state law; nevertheless, since 1898 they have been entirely contained within the boundaries of the city, and following the creation of Bronx County in 1914, each borough now corresponds exactly to one county.
4. In several states (including Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin), a city may annex land within an adjacent county. That land is then subject to city government, but the respective counties continue to provide county-specific services and residents vote for county officials in the respective counties. Major cities that lie in multiple counties include: Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Amarillo, Texas. The city of Appleton, Wisconsin lies within three counties (Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago), and is the county seat of Outagamie County. The city of Aurora, Illinois, a populous outlying suburb of Chicago, lies within four counties (Kane; DuPage; Will; and Kendall).
5. There are many cities that span county boundaries in Michigan. For a few years during the early 1970s, split cities briefly had authority to petition to change the county boundaries to accord with the city boundaries. The only city to take advantage of this brief opportunity was New Baltimore (previously split between Macomb County and St. Clair County; now completely in Macomb). This transfer of territory from St. Clair to Macomb was the first and only county boundary change in Michigan since the early 20th century.

This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The phrase mergers and acquisitions or M&A refers to the aspect of corporate finance strategy and management dealing with the merging and acquiring of different companies as well as assets. ... The Jacksonville skyline and the Acosta Bridge. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,794 sq. ... Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. ... Housing subdivision near Union, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. ... In American local government, a consolidated city-county, metropolitan municipality or regional municipality is a city and county that have been merged into one jurisdiction. ... Nickname: The Mile-High City Official website: http://www. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area    - City 600. ... Location Location in the state of Indiana Government County Marion Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 953. ... Louisville redirects here; for other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates , Government Country  State   County United States  Pennsylvania   Philadelphia Founded Incorporated October 27, 1682 October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 369. ... Nickname: Music City Official website: http://www. ... Honolulu redirects here. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... Location in the state of Hawaii Formed Seat Honolulu Area  - Total  - Water 5,509 km² (2,127 mi²) 3,955 km² (1,527 mi²) 71. ... A census-designated place (CDP) is an area identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical reporting. ... Suffolk County is a county located in the state of Massachusetts. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Solar System), Athens of America Location Location in Massachusetts Government Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (Dem) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 232. ... A city council is the most common style of legislative government in a city or town. ... Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, formed of glacial moraine. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Settled: 1641 â€“ Incorporated: 1671 ZIP Code: 02554 â€“ Area Code: 508 / 774 Official website: http://www. ... The Board of Selectmen is commonly the executive arm of town government in New England. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki Official languages None Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,423 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi  269 837 km² 280 miles  451 km 380 miles  612 km 0. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 102,384 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area  Ranked 32nd  - Total 48,434 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 195 km 710 km 2. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Horizon City, Hotlanta, The Big Peach, A-Town, The ATL Location Location in Fulton and DeKalb counties in the state of Georgia Government Country State Counties United States Georgia Fulton County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 132. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Live Music Capital of the World, ATX Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government County Travis County Mayor Will Wynn Geographical characteristics Area     City 669. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Magic City, Pittsburgh of the South, BHam Location Location in Jefferson County in the state of Alabama Government Country State County United States Alabama Jefferson County Mayor Bernard Kincaid (D) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 151. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Space City Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,558 km²  (601. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Fountains or Heart of America Location Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... Nickname Capital of the New Century, OKC Location Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma. ... Nickname: The Yellow Rose of Texas, Helium Capital of the World, Rotor City USA Official website: http://www. ... Appleton is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, on the Fox River, 100 miles (161 km) northwest of Milwaukee. ... A county seat is an administrative center for a county. ... Nickname City of Lights Location Location in Chicagoland Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will Mayor Tom Weisner (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 102. ... Location in the state of Illinois Formed January 16, 1836 Seat Geneva Area  - Total  - Water 1,357 km² (524 mi²) 9 km² (4 mi²) 0. ... DuPage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Will County is a county located in the northern part of the state of Illinois. ... Kendall County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ... New Baltimore is a city located in Macomb County, Michigan. ... Macomb County is a county located in the state of Michigan. ... St. ...

Statistics

Main article: County statistics of the United States The term county is used in 48 of the 50 states of the United States for the level of local government below the state itself. ...

At the 2000 U.S. Census, the median land area of the 3,066 U.S. counties was 1,611 km² (622 sq. miles), which is only two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England, and only a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département. This article is about the year 2000. ... In probability theory and statistics, a median is a number dividing the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution from the lower half. ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ...

This figure, however, hides large differences between the eastern and western United States. The land area of counties in the western United States is much larger than the land area of counties in the eastern United States. For example, in the eastern United States the median land area of counties in Ohio is 1,138 km² (439.5 sq. miles) and in Georgia it is 888 km² (343 sq. miles), whereas in the western United States the median land area of counties in California is 3,977 km² (1535.5 sq. miles) and in Utah it is 6,286 km² (2,427 sq. miles) Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq. ...

By area, the largest county in the United States is North Slope Borough, Alaska at 94,763 square miles (245,435 km²) and the smallest county in the United States is Kalawao County, Hawaii at 13 square miles (34 km²). (The largest county in the 48 contiguous states is San Bernardino County, California, at 20,105 mi²/52,073 km², and the smallest is Arlington County, Virginia at 26 mi²/67.6 km².) North Slope Borough is a borough located largely in the North Slope region of the state of Alaska. ... Kalawao County is a county located in the state of Hawaii. ... Official website: http://www. ... Arlington County is an urban county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the U.S., directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. Originally part of the District of Columbia, by an act of Congress July 9, 1846, this area south of the Potomac was retroceded to Virginia effective...

However, when county equivalents are included, both lose their status. The largest county equivalent by area is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska at 147,843 square miles (382,912 km²) and the smallest is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia at 2.0 square miles (5 km²). Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska. ... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another local government entity. ... Falls Church is an independent city located in Virginia. ...

At the 2000 U.S. Census, the median population of the 3,066 U.S. counties was 24,544 inhabitants, which is 33 times less inhabitants than the median population of a ceremonial county of England, and 21 times less inhabitants than the median population of a French département. This article is about the year 2000. ... In probability theory and statistics, a median is a number dividing the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution from the lower half. ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties. ...

At the 2000 U.S. Census, only 16.1% of U.S. counties had more than 100,000 inhabitants, while 83.9% of U.S. counties had less than 100,000 inhabitants. This reflects the essentially rural nature of U.S. counties, whose grid was designed in the 19th century, in a country still largely rural and only marginally affected by urbanization. Today, the vast majority of people in the United States are concentrated in a relatively small number of counties.

The most populous county (or county equivalent) is Los Angeles County, California with 10,226,506 people as of 2005, and the least populous county is Loving County, Texas with 67 people as of 2000. Los Angeles County is a county in California, and the most populous county in the United States, with 10,179,716 residents (as of July 2004)[1]. The county seat is the city of Los Angeles. ... Loving County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. ...

The most densely populated county (or county equivalent) is New York County, New York with 66,940 people per square mile (ppsm) as of 2000, and the least densely populated county is Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska with 0.08 ppsm as of 2000. The least densely populated county equivalent is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska with 0.04 ppsm as of 2000. For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... Lake and Peninsula Borough is a borough located in the state of Alaska. ... Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska. ...

Scope of power

The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does the relationship between counties and incorporated cities.

• In New York:
  • In contrast to other counties of New York state, the powers of the five boroughs of New York City are very limited, and in nearly all respects subordinate to the city's.
• In New England:
  • Counties function at most as judicial court districts (in Connecticut and Rhode Island, they have lost even those functions) and most government power below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities. However, in several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level.
  • County government was abolished in Connecticut in 1960, although the names remain for geographical purposes.
  • Massachusetts has abolished eight of its fourteen counties as well, leaving only those in the Southeastern part of the state with real governments.
• In Hawaii:
  • The county is the municipal level of government, similar to some single tier municipalities in Ontario, Canada (EX: Norfolk County, Prince Edward County, Brant County); there are no incorporated cities other than the consolidated City & County of Honolulu. All counties, except for Honolulu, has no formal level of government below that of the county.
• In California:
  • The county is the default unit of local government (all parts of the state's land are allocated to one of the state's 58 counties). Each county has a Board of Supervisors and is subject to mandatory duties under state law to provide its residents with services like law enforcement, healthcare, road maintenance, and so on. Balancing a county's mandatory and discretionary duties is a very difficult task; any sufficiently injured county taxpayer has standing to sue the county to enforce certain duties where financial distress is no excuse, such as healthcare.
  • If residents of a sufficiently large piece of unincorporated county land do not like their county's resource allocation decisions, they can incorporate a city. The city government then takes some of the tax revenue that would have gone to the county, and can impose additional taxes on its residents. It can then choose to provide almost all the services usually provided by the county (and more), or provide only a few and pay the county do the rest. A city in this last arrangement is called a contract city; this type of contract is generally known among lawyers as the "Lakewood Plan," because it was pioneered by the city of Lakewood in 1954.^[2]
  • The idea of "opting out" of county control in California has been taken to its logical extremes. Almost all of the city of Vernon is one large industrial zone, while almost all of the town of Los Altos Hills is zoned as residential.
  • Due to geographical variations in property tax and sales tax revenue (the primary revenue source for cities and counties) and differing attitudes towards priorities, there are interesting variations in the levels of various services from one city to the next. For example, the city of Santa Monica is far more generous when it comes to helping the homeless than other cities in Los Angeles County or the county government.
  • Also, county ordinances do not apply to cities unless they are ratified by each individual city. Thus, for instance, in Los Angeles County, a few cities have not ratified the ordinance requiring the posting of restaurant food safety ratings — even though it was passed many years ago — and in those cities, ratings need not be posted.
• In Maryland:
  • Outside of Baltimore, which is an independent city, the county is the default unit of local government. Under Maryland law, counties exercise powers reserved in most other states at the municipal or state levels; hence, there is little incentive for a community to incorporate, especially in the urbanized home-rule counties. Many of the state's most populous and economically important communities, such as Bethesda and Silver Spring, are unincorporated and receive their municipal services from the county. In fact, there are no incorporated municipalities at all in either Baltimore County or Howard County.
  • The county (or Baltimore City) is also the provider of public schools. School districts as a separate level of government do not exist in Maryland.

This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214 sq. ... Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a residential community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,359 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... In the Canadian province of Ontario, there are three different types of census divisions: single-tier municipalities, upper-tier municipalities (which can be regional municipalities or counties) and districts. ... Nickname: Sheltered Bay Official website: http://www. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... In some counties, the legislature is the board of supervisors. ... In United States law, a region of land is unincorporated if it is not a part of any municipality. ... Night view of Taipei City. ... A contract city is a city in which a city has a contract with a county or parish to provide police services. ... Lakewood is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Vernon is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Los Altos Hills is a town located in Santa Clara County, California. ... // Property tax is an ad valorem tax that an owner of real estate or other property pays on the value of the thing taxed. ... A sales tax is a tax on consumption. ... Santa Monica beach and pier Santa Monica Pier entrance Santa Monica is a coastal city in western Los Angeles County, California, USA. It borders Santa Monica Bay (part of the Pacific Ocean) on the west, Pacific Palisades and Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles and Mar Vista on the... Map of California showing Los Angeles County. ... Restaurant ratings identify restaurants according to quality, using various notations such as stars or other symbols, or numbers. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City (by John Quincy Adams on a visit in 1827), Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Government Country... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another local government entity. ... Nickname: Motto: Official website: Location Location of Bethesda within Montgomery County, Maryland. ... Silver Spring is an urbanized, but unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, in the United States. ... In United States law, a region of land is unincorporated if it is not a part of any municipality. ... Baltimore County is a suburban county located in the northern portion of U.S. state of Maryland. ... Howard County is a county located in the central part of the state of Maryland, between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The county was named for John Eager Howard, an officer in the American Revolutionary War and Governor of Maryland. ... School districts are a form of special-purpose district in the United States (amongst some other places) which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools. ...

Scope of power

In New England, counties function primarily as judicial districts, as most local government is exercised by towns. In Connecticut and Rhode Island, they have even lost all governmental function and are solely geographic designations. As of 2005, Massachusetts has abolished 7 of its former 14 county governments, though vestigal judicial and law enforcement districts still follow the old county boundaries. This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... A court is an official, public forum which a sovereign establishes by lawful authority to adjudicate disputes, and to dispense civil, labour, administrative and criminal justice under the law. ... Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a residential community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ...

In most western states, the county controls all unincorporated land within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the township. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can incorporate as a city or village. In turn, depending on the state, the city or village government can then choose to provide all its own services, or provide only some and allow the county to provide the rest. Usually, the key difference between "city" and "village" is that a city must provide all of its own services and equivalent county authorities have no jurisdiction without the city's permision; while villages (which remain subject to township governments in those states that have them), being usually rural or semi-rural jurisdictions, are typically required to provide only those services that they can, with the rest being provided by the county or township. In United States law, a region of land is unincorporated if it is not a part of any municipality. ... Night view of Taipei City. ... A village is a human residential settlement commonly found in rural areas. ...

Outside New England, counties typically maintain law enforcement agencies, public utilities, library systems, collect vital statistics and prepare, and/or process the state, certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). In some states, the county sheriff is the principal law enforcement officer in the county, usually limited to areas outside the jurisdiction of cities and towns. In parts of the U.S., counties are "policed" by sheriffs, and cities are policed by police. In other areas, county law enforcement is called "County Police" with county sheriffs providing court services. For the band, see The Police. ... A public utility is a company that maintains the infrastructure for a public service. ... A modern-style library in Chambéry In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... Vital statistics are the information maintained by a government, recording the birth and death of individuals within that governments jurisdiction. ... Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or U.S. common law, or the person who holds such office. ...

Lists of counties by state

Number of counties per state

Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northern states. The list below also includes county-equivalents. The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... Midwest States (United States of America, ND to OH) The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... This article deals with the western United States. ... The U.S. Northeast is a region of the United States of America defined by the US Census Bureau. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ...

Index: Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Anderson County formed in 1846 from part of Houston County. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 26th 145,743 km² 320 km 500 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 195 km 710 km 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 102,384 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area  Ranked 32nd  - Total 48,434 sq. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq. ... Following is a list of counties in Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,423 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi  269 837 km² 280 miles  451 km 380 miles  612 km 0. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Bismarck Fargo Area  Ranked 19th  - Total 70,762 sq mi  (183,272 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 340 miles (545 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Boise Largest city Boise Area  Ranked 14th  - Total 83,642 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Salem Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,872 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Carson City Las Vegas Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 7th 110,567 sq mi  286,367 km² 322 miles  519 km 490 miles  788 km 0. ... Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 39th 33,414 sq mi  86,542 km² 190 miles  305 km 320 miles  515 km 13. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 9,620 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,359 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,941 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq. ...

County name etymologies

Main article: Lists of U.S. county name etymologies These are lists of U.S. county name etymologies. ...

Many states have counties named after U.S. presidents such as Washington, Madison, Polk, Jefferson, etc. Counties are also commonly named after famous individuals, local Native American tribes once in the area, cities located within the county, and land or water features (Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, meaning "Fat Hill" in Spanish, and Lake County, Illinois, on Lake Michigan). For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... Washington County is the name of 31 counties and one parish in the United States of America, all named for George Washington. ... Madison County is the name of twenty counties in the United States, named after President James Madison: Madison County, Alabama Madison County, Arkansas Madison County, Florida Madison County, Georgia Madison County, Iowa Madison County, Idaho Madison County, Illinois Madison County, Indiana Madison County, Iowa Madison County, Kentucky Madison County, Mississippi... Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except one named after president of the United States James Knox Polk: Polk County, Arkansas Polk County, Florida Polk County, Georgia Polk County, Iowa Polk County, Minnesota Polk County, Missouri Polk County, Nebraska Polk County, North Carolina... Jefferson County is the name of 26 counties in the United States. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Cerro Gordo County is a county located in the state of Iowa. ... Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Sunset on Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ...

Special cases

The power of the county government varies widely from state to state, as does the relationship between counties and incorporated municipal governments. A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Local government of the United States. ...

The Alaska info below is incorrect - there is also the City & Borough of Haines - but I do not have time to correct it at this very moment.

• In Alaska, the borough is what would be a county in other states (apart from Louisiana). Four consolidated city-county governments exist—Juneau City and Borough, Sitka City and Borough, Yakutat City and Borough as well as the state's largest city, Anchorage. Though its legal name is the Municipality of Anchorage, it is considered a consolidated city-borough under state law. Unique to Alaska, not all of the land area of the state is divided into boroughs. The remainder, comprising over half of Alaska's land area, is called the Unorganized Borough and, outside municipalities, services are provided by the state. The United States Census Bureau has divided the Unorganized Borough into census areas for statistical purposes.
• The state of California has one consolidated city-county, San Francisco. The city's board of supervisors govern both aspects, and there is both a city police department and a county sheriff, the latter mostly responsible for operating the county jail (which is located in adjacent San Mateo County).
• Colorado has two consolidated city-counties—Denver and Broomfield.
• In Georgia, three consolidated city-counties exist—Athens (Clarke County), Augusta (Richmond County) and Columbus (Muscogee County). Atlanta (Fulton County) is still thinking that the city may merge with Fulton County to become either independent or consolidated.
• In Kansas, Wyandotte County and the city of Kansas City, Kansas operate as a unified government.
• The two largest cities in Kentucky, Louisville and Lexington, are "urban-county governments," Kentucky's legal term for a consolidated city-county arrangement. Lexington and Fayette County are completely consolidated. When the Louisville Metro government was formed, all incorporated cities in Jefferson County, apart from Louisville, retained their status as cities; however, the Louisville Metro Council is the main government for the entire county, and is elected by residents in all of Jefferson County.
• In Louisiana, parish is the name used instead of county. As such, the parish seat would be the equivalent of the county seat. The city of New Orleans is coterminous with, and identical to, Orleans Parish. In Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish is governered by a Metropolitan Council, which consists of 12 council members from all areas in the parish, including the cities of Baker, Central and Zachary, unicorporated areas of Baton Rouge, as well as the city limits of Baton Rouge. The executive branch is led by a Mayor-President who is elected from the entire parish. Baker, Central and Zachary also have their separate municipal governments. Lafayette also operates as a unified government, with a parish president and council representing all of Lafayette Parish, including the cities of Carencro, Lafayette and Youngsville.
• In Maryland, the City of Baltimore generally possesses the same powers and responsibilities as the counties within the state. It is an entity lying geographically within, but separate from, the County of Baltimore, which has its county seat in Towson.
• In Missouri, St. Louis City is separate from St. Louis County and is referred to as a "city not within a county."
• Montana has two consolidated city-counties—Anaconda with Deer Lodge County and Butte with Silver Bow County. The portion of Yellowstone National Park that lies within Montana was not part of any county until 1997, when it was nominally added to Gallatin County.
• Nevada's state capital of Carson City has been an independent city since 1969.
• In some New England states, such as Connecticut, parts of Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, counties are only geographic designations and do not have any governmental powers. All government is either done at the state level or at the municipal (town or city) level.
• New York City encompasses five counties, and is the county seat of all five of them: New York County (Manhattan), Kings County (Brooklyn), Bronx County (The Bronx), Richmond County (Staten Island), and Queens County (Queens). Because each borough has a separate main post office (and Queens has four), the county seats of the five boroughs are often stated in terms of those main post offices: New York (Manhattan), Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, and Jamaica (Queens), NY. However, the communities served by those main post offices are all within the city limits of New York.
• In Pennsylvania the City of Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County, and governmental functions have been consolidated since 1854.
• In Tennessee, the city of Nashville and Davidson County operate under a unified government. Similar arrangements exist between the City of Lynchburg and Moore County, as well as the City of Hartsville and Trousdale County.
• In Virginia, many county seats are politically not a part of the counties they serve; under Virginia law, all municipalities incorporated as cities are independent cities and are not part of any county. Some of the cities in the Hampton Roads area (Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, and Suffolk) were formed from an entire county. These cities are no longer county seats, since the counties ceased to exist once the cities were completely formed, but are functionally equivalent to counties.

Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq. ... A borough is a local government administrative subdivision used in the Canadian province of Quebec, in some states of the United States, and formerly in New Zealand. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... In American local government, a consolidated city-county, metropolitan municipality or regional municipality is a city and county that have been merged into one jurisdiction. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded 1881 Incorporated 1900 Juneau City and Borough Mayor Bruce Botelho Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 8,430. ... Motto: Nickname: First City of Alaska Map Political Statistics Founded 1799 Incorporated December 2, 1971 Sitka Borough Mayor Marko Dapcevich Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 12,461. ... Yakutat City and Borough is a borough and a city located in Alaska. ... Flag Nickname: The City of Lights and Flowers Location Location in the state of Alaska Government Borough Municipality of Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,961. ... Map of Alaska boroughs and census areas The Unorganized Borough is that part of Alaska not contained in any of its 16 organized boroughs. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or U.S. common law, or the person who holds such office. ... Official website: http://www. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi  269 837 km² 280 miles  451 km 380 miles  612 km 0. ... Nickname: The Mile-High City Official website: http://www. ... The City and County of Broomfield lies in the northern tier of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area in Colorado. ... Athens or Athens-Clarke County is a city in Clarke County, Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, just off of Georgia 316. ... Clarke County is a county in the Georgia. ... Nickname: The Garden City (of the South), Masters City, Golf City Motto: We Feel Good Location Location of the consolidated areas of Augusta and Richmond County in the state of Georgia. ... Richmond County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... Columbus is a city located in Muscogee County, Georgia. ... Muscogee County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Horizon City, Hotlanta, The Big Peach, A-Town, The ATL Location Location in Fulton and DeKalb counties in the state of Georgia Government Country State Counties United States Georgia Fulton County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 132. ... Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq. ... Wyandotte County (standard abbreviation: WY) is a county located in the state of Kansas. ... Kansas City is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County; it is part of the Unified Government which also includes the cities of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville. ... In United States local government, a consolidated city-county is a city and county that have a merged government, and is considered both a city and a county under the laws of the State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq. ... Louisville redirects here; for other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Fayette County, Kentucky be merged into this article or section. ... Official language(s) English and French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans at last census; probably Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Red Stick Motto: Authentic Louisiana at every turn Location Government Country   State     Parish United States   Louisiana     East Baton Rouge Parish Founded Incorporated 1699 16 January 1817 Mayor Melvin Kip Holden Geographical characteristics Area    - City 204. ... East Baton Rouge Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. ... Baker is a city located in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Zachary is a city located in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. ... Lafayette is a city located on the Vermilion River in Lafayette Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... Lafayette Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. ... Carencro is a city located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. ... Youngsville is a town located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City (by John Quincy Adams on a visit in 1827), Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Government Country... Baltimore County is a suburban county located in the northern portion of U.S. state of Maryland. ... Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place located in Baltimore County, Maryland. ... Official language(s) None Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St. ... Nickname Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 66. ... Map of Missouri highlighting St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq. ... Anaconda, county seat of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, is located in mountainous southwestern Montana. ... Deer Lodge County is a county located in the state of Montana. ... Butte, Montana Butte is a city that is located in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... Silver Bow County is a county located in the state of Montana. ... For the next-generation airliner series from Boeing, see Boeing Yellowstone Project. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gallatin County is a county located in the state of Montana. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Carson City Las Vegas Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 7th 110,567 sq mi  286,367 km² 322 miles  519 km 490 miles  788 km 0. ... Motto: Proud of its Past. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,549 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... The Borough of Manhattan, highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... A map of New York City, highlighting Brooklyn. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States. ... For other uses, see Staten Island (disambiguation) Staten Island, shown in an enhanced satellite image Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located on an island of the same name on the west side of the Narrows at the entrance of New York Harbor. ... Staten Island lies to the southwest of the rest of New York City. ... Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ... Queens Borough in New York City, in yellow Queens is the largest in area and second most populous of the five boroughs of New York City. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates , Government Country  State   County United States  Pennsylvania   Philadelphia Founded Incorporated October 27, 1682 October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 369. ... Philadelphia County is a county located in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 195 km 710 km 2. ... Nickname: Music City Official website: http://www. ... Davidson County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... Lynchburg is a consolidated city-county government whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County, Tennessee. ... Moore County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... Hartsville is a town located in Trousdale County, Tennessee. ... Trousdale County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another local government entity. ... Hampton Roads, from state map of pre-civil war Virginia circa 1858 Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the United States. ... Official website: http://www. ... Chesapeake is an independent city located in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia in the United States. ... Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia from space, July 1996 (Newport News is seen in the lower left quadrant) Newport News is an independent city located in Virginia. ... On September 17, 1861, Mrs. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded 1742 Incorporated Independent city Mayor Bobby L. Ralph Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 1,111. ...

Special cases

Independent Cities in the U.S.

In Virginia, all municipalities incorporated as cities are organized as separate political units that are not part of any county (i.e., independent cities). In addition, in Virginia there is the concept of an "urban county" within which no city is allowed to incorporate. An example of this is Arlington County, which is bordered by Washington, D.C., Fairfax County, and the independent cities of Falls Church and Alexandria. In Maryland, the city of Baltimore is independent of any county, and Baltimore County is a separate entity outside the city. In Missouri, the city of St. Louis is independent of any county, and St. Louis County is a separate entity outside the city. There are also a small number of independent cities (not part of any county) in other states. However, independent cities are the exception rather than the rule, as are metropolitan municipalities. (In addition, until November 7, 1997, the portion of Yellowstone National Park that was within Montana was not part of any county, but as of that date, that portion has been nominally added to Gallatin County.) All National Parks and Monuments, though owned by the Federal Government, are now parts of one or more county. An example of this is Coconino County, Arizona, the second-largest county in the U.S. by area, which extends from well-south of the county seat of Flagstaff all the way to the Utah border in the north. It contains the heart of the Grand Canyon National Park. Certain things in National Parks fall under county jurisdiction. For example, unexplained or accidental deaths anywhere in a county fall under the county coroner and/or medical examiner. Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq. ... An independent city is a city that does not form part of another local government entity. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City (by John Quincy Adams on a visit in 1827), Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Government Country... Baltimore County is a suburban county located in the northern portion of U.S. state of Maryland. ... Official language(s) None Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St. ... Nickname Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location Location in the state of Missouri Government Country State County United States Missouri Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 66. ... St. ... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the next-generation airliner series from Boeing, see Boeing Yellowstone Project. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq. ... Gallatin County is a county located in the state of Montana. ... Coconino County is located in the north central part of the state of Arizona. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of Americas oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ...

City-County Consolidations

Consolidated city and county governments (sometimes called "metropolitan" or "regional municipalities") simultaneously operate as administrative divisions of and subordinate to state power and as municipal corporations that exercise whatever degree of sovereignty the state government or constitution confers upon them.

Cities merged with the county containing them

A number of cities were once only a portion of the county with which they have subsequently consolidated with, and other cities or unincorporated areas that were once outside the city but inside the county are now part of a city-county amalgamation. Examples include: Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City is a unique metropolitan municipality, being coextensive with five counties, each with its own administrative organs but all of them subject to one, integrated citywide government. Location Location in the state of Indiana Government County Marion Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 953. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Where Florida Begins Location Location in the state of Florida Government Country State County United States   Florida     Duval Mayor John Peyton (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 2,264. ... It has been suggested that Fayette County, Kentucky be merged into this article or section. ... Louisville redirects here; for other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). ... Davidson County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ... Philadelphia County is a county located in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ...

City-county consolidations not resulting from amalgamation

Unlike the examples given above, some city-counties did not merge a city with a surrounding county, but instead the city-county status has existed since the creation of the county. Broomfield, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; and San Francisco, California are cases in which the city-county status was not preceded by the existence of both a separate city and county. The City and County of Broomfield lies in the northern tier of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area in Colorado. ... This article refers to the state capital of Colorado. ... Nickname: Sheltered Bay Official website: http://www. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area    - City 600. ...

Cities overlapping two or more counties

Some cities lie within two or more counties with state approval. Examples are Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; and Kansas City, Missouri. In a few states, a city existing in more than one county is expressly forbidden by the State Consitiution. [reference needed] See also List of U.S. cities in multiple counties Flag Seal Nickname: Space City Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,558 km²  (601. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Horizon City, Hotlanta, The Big Peach, A-Town, The ATL Location Location in Fulton and DeKalb counties in the state of Georgia Government Country State Counties United States Georgia Fulton County, Georgia DeKalb County, Georgia Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 132. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Arch City The Discovery City Location Location in the state of Ohio Government Country State Counties United States Ohio Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 550. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Fountains or Heart of America Location Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... This is a list of cities in the United States that lie in multiple counties. ...

Proposals for new counties

• Adirondack County, New York : Proposed county made up of part of Essex County and of Franklin county. [2]
• Peconic County, New York : Proposed county made up of the eastern part of Suffolk County, New York.
• Proposal for a new county in rural areas of King County, Washington. Proposed names are Cascade or Cedar County. It would be Washington State's 40th county.[3], [4]. [5]. A bill is being debated in the state lesgislature [6] .
• Proposal for the split of Los Angeles County, California by Pete Knight, former state senator of California.
• Catoctin County, Virginia: Proposed county consisting of the western part of present Loudoun County, Virginia; proposed by residents dissatisfied with the present county's land-use policies. Leesburg Today article
• Milton County, Georgia: This former county was annexed during the 1930s to Fulton County. A commission is working on a project to recreate the county.
• Mission County, California: Proposed county consisting of the northern half of Santa Barbara County, California, by residents.
• Aurora County, Colorado: proposed county would consist of the City of Aurora, portions of which are currently in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

Adirondack County is a proposed new county in New York. ... Essex County is a county located in the state of New York. ... Franklin County is a county located in the state of New York. ... Peconic County is a proposed new county in New York. ... Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... King County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... A bill can be one of: Look up bill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Los Angeles County is a county in California, and the most populous county in the United States, with 10,179,716 residents (as of July 2004)[1]. The county seat is the city of Los Angeles. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... Catoctin County: Proposed new county in northwestern Virginia. ... Loudoun County, Virginia is part of the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area. ... Milton County in the U.S. state of Georgia was created on December 18, 1857 from parts of northeastern Cobb, southeastern Cherokee, and southwestern Forsyth counties. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Mission County is a proposed county in the northern part of Santa Barbara County, California initiated in 2002 by disaffected residents seeking to break away from that county because many feel their interests arent heard. ... Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 104,185 sq mi  269 837 km² 280 miles  451 km 380 miles  612 km 0. ... Nickname: The Gateway to the Rockies Official website: http://www. ... Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Arapahoe County, Colorado Arapahoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Douglas County is a suburban county located in the southern portion of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Colorado. ...

See also

• County (for other countries)
• County statistics of the United States
• List of U.S. counties by population
• FIPS county code
• List of U.S. counties that share names with U.S. states
• List of extinct U.S. counties
• Political divisions of the United States
• List of counties in alphabetical order
• List of U.S. cities in multiple counties

A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... The term county is used in 48 of the 50 states of the United States for the level of local government below the state itself. ... This page lists all U.S. counties and other second order political divisions of over 100,000 people. ... FIPS county codes are a Federal Information Processing Standard for five-digit codes used to uniquely identify counties and county equivalents in the United States, certain U.S. possessions, and certain freely associated states. ... This is a list of U.S. counties that share names with U.S. states. ... This is a list of U.S. counties that were established by a state, provincial, colonial, or territorial government, which no longer exist, for one reason or another. ... The political units and divisions of the United States include: the fifty states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipalities, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... List of U.S. counties: A Abbeville County, South Carolina Acadia Parish, Louisiana Accomack County, Virginia Ada County, Idaho Adair County, Iowa Adair County, Kentucky Adair County, Missouri Adair County, Oklahoma Adams County, Colorado Adams County, Idaho Adams County, Illinois Adams County, Indiana Adams County, Iowa Adams County, Mississippi Adams... This is a list of cities in the United States that lie in multiple counties. ...

External links

• National Association of Counties
• County Facts: State/County/City/ZIP Code
• County Government: Management and Services
• Counties in the United States
• Ranking Tables for Counties
• County and County Equivalent Areas Cartographic Boundary Files Descriptions and Metadata
• NIST FIPS 6-4: Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, its Possessions, and Associated Areas
• 2002 Census of Governments
• United States County Employment and Wage Reports

References

1. ^ Osborne M. Reynolds, Jr., Handbook of Local Government Law, 2nd ed. (St. Paul, MN: West Group, 2001), 26.
2. ^ Reynolds, 48-49.