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List of United States counties and county equivalents

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of United States counties and county equivalents
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There are 3,244 counties and county equivalents in the United States.[1][2][a] The 50 states of the United States are divided into 3,007 political subdivisions of states called counties.[3] Two hundred thirty-seven other local governments and geographic places are also first-order administrative divisions of their respective state/district/territory, but are not called counties. The United States Census Bureau refers to the latter as county equivalents. The 237 county equivalents include the District of Columbia and 100 equivalents in U.S. territories (such as those in Puerto Rico). The large majority of counties and equivalents were organized by 1970. Since that time, most creations, boundary changes and dissolutions have occurred in Alaska, Virginia, and Connecticut.[2]

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An enlargeable map of the 3,143 counties and county equivalents located in the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. as of 2020. The 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are not on this map.

Among the 50 states, 44 are partitioned entirely into counties, with no county equivalents. Louisiana is instead divided into 64 equivalent parishes, while Alaska is divided into 19 equivalent boroughs and 11 sparsely populated census areas, the latter also known collectively as the unorganized borough. Virginia is composed of a mixture of 95 counties and 38 independent cities. Maryland, Missouri and Nevada are each composed entirely of counties, except that each also has exactly one independent city: Baltimore, St. Louis, and Carson City, respectively. The District of Columbia is a single federal district that is not part of any state or county. All of the above 136 exceptional cases are reckoned as county equivalents. The number of counties (or equivalents) per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware, to the 254 counties of Texas. In New England, where the town model predominates, several counties have no corresponding local governments, existing only as historical, legal, and census boundaries, such as the counties of Rhode Island,[4] as well as eight of Massachusetts' 14 counties.[5] On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized Connecticut's nine councils of government as county equivalents instead of the state's eight counties. Connecticut's eight historical counties continue to exist in name only, and are no longer considered for statistical purposes.[6] In total, the 50 states consist of 3,144 counties and equivalents.

Similarly, the Census Bureau treats 100 subdivisions of the territories of the United States as county equivalents. These are the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico, the three major islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the three districts and two atolls of American Samoa,[b] Guam as a single island and county equivalent, the four municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the nine island territories of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands.[7][8] As in the states, each territorial county equivalent has its own INCITS/FIPS codes.[9]

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Table

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The following table lists the 3,244 counties and county equivalents of the United States with the following information for each entity:

  1. The county or equivalent
  2. The state or equivalent (federal district or territory)
  3. The population as of April 1, 2020 as enumerated by the US Census Bureau[10]
  4. The county's area in square miles
  5. The county's date of foundation
More information County or equivalent, ST ...
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See also

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Notes

  1. At the time of the most recent (2020) census, 3,143 counties and equivalents were recorded in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with another 100 county equivalents recorded in the territories (when the nine Minor Outlying Islands are included). Since that time, Connecticut's eight historical counties have been replaced with nine councils of government or “planning regions” which are considered by the United States Census Bureau as being county equivalents, resulting in a net gain of one county equivalent.
  2. Locally, American Samoa is also subdivided into 15 places which are called counties, but they are not regarded as county equivalents by the Census Bureau. Instead, the Bureau treats five places — the three districts and two atolls — as county equivalents.
  3. They include 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories.
  4. One of the 19 organized boroughs of Alaska.
  5. One of the 11 census areas of the Unorganized Borough of Alaska.
  6. The Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska has a fully consolidated city and borough government.
  7. The City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska has a fully consolidated city and borough government.
  8. Established in 2013, Petersburg Borough is the newest county equivalent in the United States.[2] The newest county is Broomfield County, Colorado, in 2001.
  9. The City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska has a fully consolidated city and borough government.
  10. The City and Borough of Yakutat, Alaska has a fully consolidated city and borough government.
  11. The City and County of San Francisco, California has a fully consolidated city and county government.
  12. The City and County of Broomfield, Colorado has a fully consolidated city and county government. Established in 2001, Broomfield is the newest county in the United States. However, it was founded in 1861. [2] The newest county equivalent is Petersburg Borough, Alaska, formed in 2013.
  13. The City and County of Denver, Colorado has a fully consolidated city and county government.
  14. On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized Connecticut's nine councils of government as county equivalents instead of the state's eight counties. Connecticut's eight historical counties continue to exist in name only, and are no longer considered for statistical purposes.
  15. The United States Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget treat the District of Columbia as a single county equivalent.
  16. The City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii has a county government with municipal functions.
  17. The City of New Orleans and Orleans Parish, Louisiana have a fully consolidated city and parish government.
  18. The City of Baltimore, Maryland is an independent city exclusive of any county.
  19. Has no functional county government.
  20. The Town and County of Nantucket, Massachusetts has a fully consolidated town and county government.
  21. The City of St. Louis, Missouri is an independent city exclusive of any county.
  22. The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City, Nevada is an independent city exclusive of any county.
  23. Los Alamos County, New Mexico has a county government with municipal functions.
  24. The Northern Marianas are divided into municipalities.
  25. The City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania have a fully consolidated city and county government.
  26. U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
  27. Part of the Minor Outlying Islands. Any recorded population is not permanent, and consists of military or scientific personnel.
  28. Disputed
  29. On July 1, 2013, the former independent city of Bedford, Virginia gave up its city charter and became a town within Bedford County.[14] Population estimates are combined totals for the political entities that existed before the merger.
  30. One of the 38 independent cities of Virginia.
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