If you think there’s too much government in the United States, you may be on to something. There are over 90,000 government units in the US, with over $3.4 trillion spent annually on direct expenditures for state and local governments. From state, county, local towns and villages all the way to special districts and independent school districts, that makes for a huge amount of bureaucracy.
A breakdown of the total number of local governments in the United States by state and government type can be found in the infographic below:
This data was compiled from the 2017 Census of Governments: Organization, published in 2019. In addition to the federal government and the 50 state governments, the Census Bureau recognizes five basic types of local governments. Three are general-purpose governments: County, municipal, and township governments. Legislative provisions for school district and special district governments are more diverse. Single-function and multiple-function districts, authorities, commissions, boards, and other entities have varying degrees of autonomy that varies by state.
Government Breakdown by State
State | Total | Type of Government |
---|---|---|
United States | 90,075 | Total Local Government Units |
United States | 51,296 | Special Purpose |
United States | 38,779 | General Purpose |
United States | 3,031 | County |
United States | 35,748 | Subcounty |
United States | 19,495 | Subcounty – Municipal |
United States | 16,253 | Subcounty – Township |
United States | 38,542 | Special Purpose – Special District |
United States | 12,754 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Alabama | 1,195 | Total Local Government Units |
Alabama | 667 | Special Purpose |
Alabama | 528 | General Purpose |
Alabama | 67 | County |
Alabama | 461 | Subcounty |
Alabama | 461 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Alabama | X | Subcounty – Township |
Alabama | 530 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Alabama | 137 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Alaska | 179 | Total Local Government Units |
Alaska | 15 | Special Purpose |
Alaska | 164 | General Purpose |
Alaska | 15 | County |
Alaska | 149 | Subcounty |
Alaska | 149 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Alaska | X | Subcounty – Township |
Alaska | 15 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Alaska | X | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Arizona | 658 | Total Local Government Units |
Arizona | 552 | Special Purpose |
Arizona | 106 | General Purpose |
Arizona | 15 | County |
Arizona | 91 | Subcounty |
Arizona | 91 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Arizona | X | Subcounty – Township |
Arizona | 310 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Arizona | 242 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Arkansas | 1,541 | Total Local Government Units |
Arkansas | 965 | Special Purpose |
Arkansas | 576 | General Purpose |
Arkansas | 75 | County |
Arkansas | 501 | Subcounty |
Arkansas | 501 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Arkansas | X | Subcounty – Township |
Arkansas | 730 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Arkansas | 235 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
California | 4,444 | Total Local Government Units |
California | 3,905 | Special Purpose |
California | 539 | General Purpose |
California | 57 | County |
California | 482 | Subcounty |
California | 482 | Subcounty – Municipal |
California | X | Subcounty – Township |
California | 2,894 | Special Purpose – Special District |
California | 1,011 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Colorado | 3,141 | Total Local Government Units |
Colorado | 2,808 | Special Purpose |
Colorado | 333 | General Purpose |
Colorado | 62 | County |
Colorado | 271 | Subcounty |
Colorado | 271 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Colorado | X | Subcounty – Township |
Colorado | 2,628 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Colorado | 180 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Connecticut | 625 | Total Local Government Units |
Connecticut | 446 | Special Purpose |
Connecticut | 179 | General Purpose |
Connecticut | X | County |
Connecticut | 179 | Subcounty |
Connecticut | 30 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Connecticut | 149 | Subcounty – Township |
Connecticut | 429 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Connecticut | 17 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Delaware | 334 | Total Local Government Units |
Delaware | 274 | Special Purpose |
Delaware | 60 | General Purpose |
Delaware | 3 | County |
Delaware | 57 | Subcounty |
Delaware | 57 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Delaware | X | Subcounty – Township |
Delaware | 255 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Delaware | 19 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
District of Columbia | 2 | Total Local Government Units |
District of Columbia | 1 | Special Purpose |
District of Columbia | 1 | General Purpose |
District of Columbia | X | County |
District of Columbia | 1 | Subcounty |
District of Columbia | 1 | Subcounty – Municipal |
District of Columbia | X | Subcounty – Township |
District of Columbia | 1 | Special Purpose – Special District |
District of Columbia | X | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Florida | 1,712 | Total Local Government Units |
Florida | 1,234 | Special Purpose |
Florida | 478 | General Purpose |
Florida | 66 | County |
Florida | 412 | Subcounty |
Florida | 412 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Florida | X | Subcounty – Township |
Florida | 1,139 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Florida | 95 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Georgia | 1,380 | Total Local Government Units |
Georgia | 691 | Special Purpose |
Georgia | 689 | General Purpose |
Georgia | 152 | County |
Georgia | 537 | Subcounty |
Georgia | 537 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Georgia | X | Subcounty – Township |
Georgia | 511 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Georgia | 180 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Hawaii | 21 | Total Local Government Units |
Hawaii | 17 | Special Purpose |
Hawaii | 4 | General Purpose |
Hawaii | 3 | County |
Hawaii | 1 | Subcounty |
Hawaii | 1 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Hawaii | X | Subcounty – Township |
Hawaii | 17 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Hawaii | X | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Idaho | 1,170 | Total Local Government Units |
Idaho | 926 | Special Purpose |
Idaho | 244 | General Purpose |
Idaho | 44 | County |
Idaho | 200 | Subcounty |
Idaho | 200 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Idaho | X | Subcounty – Township |
Idaho | 808 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Idaho | 118 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Illinois | 6,918 | Total Local Government Units |
Illinois | 4,090 | Special Purpose |
Illinois | 2,828 | General Purpose |
Illinois | 102 | County |
Illinois | 2,726 | Subcounty |
Illinois | 1,297 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Illinois | 1,429 | Subcounty – Township |
Illinois | 3,204 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Illinois | 886 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Indiana | 2,638 | Total Local Government Units |
Indiana | 976 | Special Purpose |
Indiana | 1,662 | General Purpose |
Indiana | 91 | County |
Indiana | 1,571 | Subcounty |
Indiana | 567 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Indiana | 1,004 | Subcounty – Township |
Indiana | 687 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Indiana | 289 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Iowa | 1,941 | Total Local Government Units |
Iowa | 899 | Special Purpose |
Iowa | 1,042 | General Purpose |
Iowa | 99 | County |
Iowa | 943 | Subcounty |
Iowa | 943 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Iowa | X | Subcounty – Township |
Iowa | 551 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Iowa | 348 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Kansas | 3,792 | Total Local Government Units |
Kansas | 1,799 | Special Purpose |
Kansas | 1,993 | General Purpose |
Kansas | 103 | County |
Kansas | 1,890 | Subcounty |
Kansas | 625 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Kansas | 1,265 | Subcounty – Township |
Kansas | 1,493 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Kansas | 306 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Kentucky | 1,322 | Total Local Government Units |
Kentucky | 787 | Special Purpose |
Kentucky | 535 | General Purpose |
Kentucky | 118 | County |
Kentucky | 417 | Subcounty |
Kentucky | 417 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Kentucky | X | Subcounty – Township |
Kentucky | 614 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Kentucky | 173 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Louisiana | 516 | Total Local Government Units |
Louisiana | 152 | Special Purpose |
Louisiana | 364 | General Purpose |
Louisiana | 60 | County |
Louisiana | 304 | Subcounty |
Louisiana | 304 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Louisiana | X | Subcounty – Township |
Louisiana | 83 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Louisiana | 69 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Maine | 834 | Total Local Government Units |
Maine | 330 | Special Purpose |
Maine | 504 | General Purpose |
Maine | 16 | County |
Maine | 488 | Subcounty |
Maine | 23 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Maine | 465 | Subcounty – Township |
Maine | 232 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Maine | 98 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Maryland | 344 | Total Local Government Units |
Maryland | 164 | Special Purpose |
Maryland | 180 | General Purpose |
Maryland | 23 | County |
Maryland | 157 | Subcounty |
Maryland | 157 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Maryland | X | Subcounty – Township |
Maryland | 164 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Maryland | X | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Massachusetts | 858 | Total Local Government Units |
Massachusetts | 502 | Special Purpose |
Massachusetts | 356 | General Purpose |
Massachusetts | 5 | County |
Massachusetts | 351 | Subcounty |
Massachusetts | 53 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Massachusetts | 298 | Subcounty – Township |
Massachusetts | 417 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Massachusetts | 85 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Michigan | 2,863 | Total Local Government Units |
Michigan | 1,007 | Special Purpose |
Michigan | 1,856 | General Purpose |
Michigan | 83 | County |
Michigan | 1,773 | Subcounty |
Michigan | 533 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Michigan | 1,240 | Subcounty – Township |
Michigan | 436 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Michigan | 571 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Minnesota | 3,643 | Total Local Government Units |
Minnesota | 923 | Special Purpose |
Minnesota | 2,720 | General Purpose |
Minnesota | 87 | County |
Minnesota | 2,633 | Subcounty |
Minnesota | 853 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Minnesota | 1,780 | Subcounty – Township |
Minnesota | 590 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Minnesota | 333 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Mississippi | 969 | Total Local Government Units |
Mississippi | 589 | Special Purpose |
Mississippi | 380 | General Purpose |
Mississippi | 82 | County |
Mississippi | 298 | Subcounty |
Mississippi | 298 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Mississippi | X | Subcounty – Township |
Mississippi | 432 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Mississippi | 157 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Missouri | 3,768 | Total Local Government Units |
Missouri | 2,427 | Special Purpose |
Missouri | 1,341 | General Purpose |
Missouri | 114 | County |
Missouri | 1,227 | Subcounty |
Missouri | 944 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Missouri | 283 | Subcounty – Township |
Missouri | 1,897 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Missouri | 530 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Montana | 1,226 | Total Local Government Units |
Montana | 1,043 | Special Purpose |
Montana | 183 | General Purpose |
Montana | 54 | County |
Montana | 129 | Subcounty |
Montana | 129 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Montana | X | Subcounty – Township |
Montana | 730 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Montana | 313 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Nebraska | 2,538 | Total Local Government Units |
Nebraska | 1,550 | Special Purpose |
Nebraska | 988 | General Purpose |
Nebraska | 93 | County |
Nebraska | 895 | Subcounty |
Nebraska | 529 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Nebraska | 366 | Subcounty – Township |
Nebraska | 1,281 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Nebraska | 269 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Nevada | 189 | Total Local Government Units |
Nevada | 154 | Special Purpose |
Nevada | 35 | General Purpose |
Nevada | 16 | County |
Nevada | 19 | Subcounty |
Nevada | 19 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Nevada | X | Subcounty – Township |
Nevada | 137 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Nevada | 17 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
New Hampshire | 541 | Total Local Government Units |
New Hampshire | 297 | Special Purpose |
New Hampshire | 244 | General Purpose |
New Hampshire | 10 | County |
New Hampshire | 234 | Subcounty |
New Hampshire | 13 | Subcounty – Municipal |
New Hampshire | 221 | Subcounty – Township |
New Hampshire | 129 | Special Purpose – Special District |
New Hampshire | 168 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
New Jersey | 1,338 | Total Local Government Units |
New Jersey | 752 | Special Purpose |
New Jersey | 586 | General Purpose |
New Jersey | 21 | County |
New Jersey | 565 | Subcounty |
New Jersey | 324 | Subcounty – Municipal |
New Jersey | 241 | Subcounty – Township |
New Jersey | 233 | Special Purpose – Special District |
New Jersey | 519 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
New Mexico | 1,013 | Total Local Government Units |
New Mexico | 875 | Special Purpose |
New Mexico | 138 | General Purpose |
New Mexico | 33 | County |
New Mexico | 105 | Subcounty |
New Mexico | 105 | Subcounty – Municipal |
New Mexico | X | Subcounty – Township |
New Mexico | 779 | Special Purpose – Special District |
New Mexico | 96 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
New York | 3,450 | Total Local Government Units |
New York | 1,863 | Special Purpose |
New York | 1,587 | General Purpose |
New York | 57 | County |
New York | 1,530 | Subcounty |
New York | 601 | Subcounty – Municipal |
New York | 929 | Subcounty – Township |
New York | 1,185 | Special Purpose – Special District |
New York | 678 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
North Carolina | 970 | Total Local Government Units |
North Carolina | 318 | Special Purpose |
North Carolina | 652 | General Purpose |
North Carolina | 100 | County |
North Carolina | 552 | Subcounty |
North Carolina | 552 | Subcounty – Municipal |
North Carolina | X | Subcounty – Township |
North Carolina | 318 | Special Purpose – Special District |
North Carolina | X | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
North Dakota | 2,664 | Total Local Government Units |
North Dakota | 946 | Special Purpose |
North Dakota | 1,718 | General Purpose |
North Dakota | 53 | County |
North Dakota | 1,665 | Subcounty |
North Dakota | 357 | Subcounty – Municipal |
North Dakota | 1,308 | Subcounty – Township |
North Dakota | 767 | Special Purpose – Special District |
North Dakota | 179 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Ohio | 3,897 | Total Local Government Units |
Ohio | 1,570 | Special Purpose |
Ohio | 2,327 | General Purpose |
Ohio | 88 | County |
Ohio | 2,239 | Subcounty |
Ohio | 931 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Ohio | 1,308 | Subcounty – Township |
Ohio | 904 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Ohio | 666 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Oklahoma | 1,830 | Total Local Government Units |
Oklahoma | 1,163 | Special Purpose |
Oklahoma | 667 | General Purpose |
Oklahoma | 77 | County |
Oklahoma | 590 | Subcounty |
Oklahoma | 590 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Oklahoma | X | Subcounty – Township |
Oklahoma | 621 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Oklahoma | 542 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Oregon | 1,510 | Total Local Government Units |
Oregon | 1,234 | Special Purpose |
Oregon | 276 | General Purpose |
Oregon | 36 | County |
Oregon | 240 | Subcounty |
Oregon | 240 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Oregon | X | Subcounty – Township |
Oregon | 1,004 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Oregon | 230 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Pennsylvania | 4,830 | Total Local Government Units |
Pennsylvania | 2,205 | Special Purpose |
Pennsylvania | 2,625 | General Purpose |
Pennsylvania | 66 | County |
Pennsylvania | 2,559 | Subcounty |
Pennsylvania | 1,013 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Pennsylvania | 1,546 | Subcounty – Township |
Pennsylvania | 1,691 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Pennsylvania | 514 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Rhode Island | 129 | Total Local Government Units |
Rhode Island | 90 | Special Purpose |
Rhode Island | 39 | General Purpose |
Rhode Island | X | County |
Rhode Island | 39 | Subcounty |
Rhode Island | 8 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Rhode Island | 31 | Subcounty – Township |
Rhode Island | 86 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Rhode Island | 4 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
South Carolina | 671 | Total Local Government Units |
South Carolina | 355 | Special Purpose |
South Carolina | 316 | General Purpose |
South Carolina | 46 | County |
South Carolina | 270 | Subcounty |
South Carolina | 270 | Subcounty – Municipal |
South Carolina | X | Subcounty – Township |
South Carolina | 274 | Special Purpose – Special District |
South Carolina | 81 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
South Dakota | 1,916 | Total Local Government Units |
South Dakota | 637 | Special Purpose |
South Dakota | 1,279 | General Purpose |
South Dakota | 66 | County |
South Dakota | 1,213 | Subcounty |
South Dakota | 311 | Subcounty – Municipal |
South Dakota | 902 | Subcounty – Township |
South Dakota | 487 | Special Purpose – Special District |
South Dakota | 150 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Tennessee | 906 | Total Local Government Units |
Tennessee | 469 | Special Purpose |
Tennessee | 437 | General Purpose |
Tennessee | 92 | County |
Tennessee | 345 | Subcounty |
Tennessee | 345 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Tennessee | X | Subcounty – Township |
Tennessee | 455 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Tennessee | 14 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Texas | 5,343 | Total Local Government Units |
Texas | 3,871 | Special Purpose |
Texas | 1,472 | General Purpose |
Texas | 254 | County |
Texas | 1,218 | Subcounty |
Texas | 1,218 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Texas | X | Subcounty – Township |
Texas | 2,798 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Texas | 1,073 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Utah | 619 | Total Local Government Units |
Utah | 340 | Special Purpose |
Utah | 279 | General Purpose |
Utah | 29 | County |
Utah | 250 | Subcounty |
Utah | 250 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Utah | X | Subcounty – Township |
Utah | 299 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Utah | 41 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Vermont | 729 | Total Local Government Units |
Vermont | 436 | Special Purpose |
Vermont | 293 | General Purpose |
Vermont | 14 | County |
Vermont | 279 | Subcounty |
Vermont | 42 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Vermont | 237 | Subcounty – Township |
Vermont | 159 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Vermont | 277 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Virginia | 517 | Total Local Government Units |
Virginia | 194 | Special Purpose |
Virginia | 323 | General Purpose |
Virginia | 95 | County |
Virginia | 228 | Subcounty |
Virginia | 228 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Virginia | X | Subcounty – Township |
Virginia | 193 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Virginia | 1 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Washington | 1,900 | Total Local Government Units |
Washington | 1,580 | Special Purpose |
Washington | 320 | General Purpose |
Washington | 39 | County |
Washington | 281 | Subcounty |
Washington | 281 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Washington | X | Subcounty – Township |
Washington | 1,285 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Washington | 295 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
West Virginia | 651 | Total Local Government Units |
West Virginia | 364 | Special Purpose |
West Virginia | 287 | General Purpose |
West Virginia | 55 | County |
West Virginia | 232 | Subcounty |
West Virginia | 232 | Subcounty – Municipal |
West Virginia | X | Subcounty – Township |
West Virginia | 309 | Special Purpose – Special District |
West Virginia | 55 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Wisconsin | 3,096 | Total Local Government Units |
Wisconsin | 1,172 | Special Purpose |
Wisconsin | 1,924 | General Purpose |
Wisconsin | 72 | County |
Wisconsin | 1,852 | Subcounty |
Wisconsin | 601 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Wisconsin | 1,251 | Subcounty – Township |
Wisconsin | 734 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Wisconsin | 438 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
Wyoming | 794 | Total Local Government Units |
Wyoming | 672 | Special Purpose |
Wyoming | 122 | General Purpose |
Wyoming | 23 | County |
Wyoming | 99 | Subcounty |
Wyoming | 99 | Subcounty – Municipal |
Wyoming | X | Subcounty – Township |
Wyoming | 617 | Special Purpose – Special District |
Wyoming | 55 | Special Purpose – Independent School District |
According to the data sources, there are a total of 90,075 local governments in the United States. Of these, 51,296 are Special Purpose Governments and 38,779 are General Purpose Governments. Note that while not a state, Washington DC is included in the numbers. Illinois has the largest number of entities, while Hawaii has the least.
County Governments
There are 3,031 County Governments and 35,748 Subcounty Governments. 19,495 of these are Municipal Governments, and 16,253 are Township Governments. Subcounty areas consist of incorporated places such as cities, boroughs, villages, along with towns and townships.
Special Purpose Governments
Of the 51,296 Special Purpose Governments, 38,542 are Special Districts and 12,754 are Independent School Districts. An independent school district (ISD) is a type of school district that operates independent from any municipality, county, or state.
Elected and Appointed Officials
The US has a strong tradition of local government with a large number of elected officials, such as state legislators, mayors, city council members and even special district officials. Within these governing entities, there are over 500,000 elected officials. And very state, county and municipality has their own set of laws, so understanding the structure of government in your area is important if you decide to start a run for office.
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