Overview of County Government Structure

State

County Designation

Number of Counties

Home Rule

Number of Charters

Governing Body

Alabama

county

67

no

County Commission

Alaska

borough

23

yes

2

Borough Assembly and Mayor

Arizona

county

15

no Board of Supervisors

Arkansas

county

75

limited Justices of the Peace

California

county

58

yes

12

Board of Supervisors

Colorado

county

63

yes

3

Board of County Commissioners

Connecticut

unorganized areas

8

(nonfunctional)


 

Delaware

county

3

no Levy Court Commission or County Council

Florida

county

67

yes

12

Board of County Commissioners

Georgia

county

159

limited Board of County Commissioners

Hawaii

county

4

yes

4

Council and Mayor

Idaho

county

44

no Board of County Commissioners

Illinois

county

102

limited County Board

Indiana

county

92

limited County Commissioners and Councils

Iowa

county

99

yes

0

Board of Supervisors

Kansas

county

105

limited Board of Commissioners

Kentucky

county

120

limited Judge Executive and Justices of the Peaceor Commissioners

Louisiana

parish

64

yes

14

Police Jury Commission

Maine

county

16

yes

0

Board of Commissioners

Maryland

county

23

yes
code

8
3

Board of Commissioners or Elected-Executive Council

Massachusetts

county

14

yes

3

Commissioners

Michigan

county

83

yes

1

Board of Commissioners

Minnesota

county

87

limited Board of Commissioners

Mississippi

county

82

limited Board of County Supervisors

Missouri

county

115

yes

2

County Court

Montana

county

56

yes

3

Board of County Commissioners

Nebraska

county

93

no Board of Commissioners or of Supervisors

Nevada

county

17

no Board of Commissioners

New Hampshire

county

10

yes

0

Board of Commissioners or County Delegation

New Jersey

county

21

yes

6

Board of Freeholders

New Mexico

county

33

no County Commissioners

New York

county

62

yes

19

Board of Supervisors or County Legislatures or Board of Representatives

North Carolina

county

100

limited Board of County Commissioners

North Dakota

county

53

yes

1

Board of County Commissioners

Ohio

county

88

yes

1

Board of County Commissioners

Oklahoma

county

77

no Board of County Commissioners

Oregon

county

36

yes

8

Board of Commissioners or County Courts

Pennsylvania

county

67

yes

6

Board of County Commissioners

Rhode Island

unorganized areas

5

(nonfunctional)

South Carolina

county

46

limited County Council

South Dakota

county

66

yes

2

Board of County Commissioners

Tennessee

county

95

yes

2

Board of County Commissioners or Council

Texas

county

254

no County Judge and County Commissioners

Utah

county

29

limited Board of County Commissioners or Council

Vermont

county

14

no Assistant Judges

Virginia

county

95

yes

2

Board of Supervisors

Washington

county

39

yes

5

Board of County Commissioners or Council

West Virginia

county

55

no Board of County Commissioners or of Supervisors

Wisconsin

county

72

limited Board of Supervisors

Wyoming

county

23

no Board of Commissioners
Source: Intergovernmental Perspective, Winter 1991, p. 8.