County statistics of the United States

Last updated

In 45 of the 50 states of the United States, the county is used for the level of local government immediately below the state itself. Louisiana uses parishes, and Alaska uses boroughs. In Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, some or all counties within states have no governments of their own; the counties continue to exist as legal entities, however, and are used by states for some administrative functions and by the United States Census bureau for statistical analysis. There are 3,242 counties and county equivalent administrative units in total, including the District of Columbia and 100 county-equivalents in the U.S. territories.

Contents

There are 41 independent cities in the United States. In Virginia, any municipality that is incorporated as a city legally becomes independent of any county. Where indicated, the statistics below do not include Virginia's 38 independent cities.

In Alaska, most of the land area of the state has no county-level government. Those parts of the state are divided by the United States Census Bureau into census areas, which are not the same as boroughs. The state's largest statistical division by area is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, which is larger than any of the state's boroughs. Although Anchorage is called a municipality, it is considered a consolidated city and borough.

There are 100 county-equivalents in the territories of the United States: they are the 3 districts and 2 atolls of American Samoa, all of Guam (Guam as one single county-equivalent), the 4 municipalities in the Northern Mariana Islands, the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico, the 3 main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the 9 islands in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. [1] [2] [3] All of these territorial county-equivalents are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Count

This is the number of counties and county-equivalents for each state, the District of Columbia, the 5 inhabited territories of the United States, and the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands.

Texas has 254 counties, the most of any state Texas Locator Map.PNG
Texas has 254 counties, the most of any state
Delaware has three counties, the fewest of any state Delaware counties.png
Delaware has three counties, the fewest of any state

Lists of counties and county equivalents by number per political division:

CountState,
federal district
or territory
Notes
254 Flag of Texas.svg Texas The most counties of any U.S. state
159 Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
133 Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia 95 counties and 38 independent cities
120 Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky
115 Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri 114 counties and 1 independent city
105 Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas
102 Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois
100 Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina
99 Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa
95 Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee
93 Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska
92 Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana
88 Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio
87 Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota
83 Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan
82 Flag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi
78 Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has no counties. The 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau
77 Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma
75 Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas
72 Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin
67 Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama
67 Flag of Florida.svg Florida
67 Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania
66 Flag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota
64 Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado
64 Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana Louisiana has no counties. The 64 parishes of Louisiana are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau
62 Flag of New York.svg New York New York City is a sui generis jurisdiction, in which the city government consists of 5 boroughs each coterminous with a county of New York State
58 Flag of California.svg California
56 Flag of Montana.svg Montana
55 Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia
53 Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota
46 Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina
44 Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho
39 Flag of Washington.svg Washington
36 Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon
33 Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico
30 Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska Alaska has no counties. The following areas in Alaska are counted as county-equivalents: the 19 organized boroughs and, in its Unorganized Borough, 11 designated census areas
29 Flag of Utah.svg Utah
24 Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland 23 counties and 1 independent city
23 Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming
21 Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey
17 Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada 16 counties and 1 independent city
16 Flag of Maine.svg Maine
15 Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona
14 Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts 8 of the 14 counties in Massachusetts were disincorporated in the 1990s and early 2000s; local government in these areas consists of cities and towns. One of the remaining 6 counties is a consolidated town-county
14 Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont
10 Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire
9 Flag of the United States.svg U.S. Minor Outlying Islands The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands does not have counties. The 9 islands in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau
9 Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut The U.S. Census Bureau uses Connecticut's nine planning regions instead of its eight historic counties for statistical purposes.
5 Flag of American Samoa.svg American Samoa The 3 districts and 2 unorganized atolls of American Samoa are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau. American Samoa locally has 14 “counties”, but these “counties” are not counted as counties by the U.S. Census Bureau (they are treated as “minor civil divisions”) [2]
5 Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii
5 Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island Counties in Rhode Island have no governmental functions; local government is provided by eight cities and thirty-one towns
4 Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands has no counties. The 4 municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau
3 Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware The fewest counties of any U.S. state
3 Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Virgin Islands (U.S.) The U.S. Virgin Islands has no counties. The 3 main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands are counted as county-equivalents by the U.S. Census Bureau
1 Flag of the District of Columbia.svg District of Columbia The District of Columbia has no counties; the District of Columbia is considered both a state-equivalent and a county equivalent for statistical purposes [4]
1 Flag of Guam.svg Guam Guam has no counties; Guam is considered both a state-equivalent and a county-equivalent for statistical purposes by the U.S. Census Bureau (similar to the District of Columbia) [2]

Population

Nationwide population extremes

These rankings include county equivalents.

Largest population counties nationwide
(2021 Census estimate) [5]
RankCountyPopulation
1 Los Angeles County, California 9,829,544
2 Cook County, Illinois 5,173,146
3 Harris County, Texas 4,728,030
4 Maricopa County, Arizona 4,496,588
5 San Diego County, California 3,286,069
6 Orange County, California 3,167,809
7 Miami-Dade County, Florida 2,662,777
8 Kings County, New York 2,641,052
9 Dallas County, Texas 2,586,050
10 Riverside County, California 2,458,395
11 Queens County, New York 2,331,143
12 Clark County, Nevada 2,292,476
Smallest population counties in the 50 states and District of Columbia
(2021 Census estimate) [5]
RankCountyPopulation
1 Loving County, Texas 57
2 Kalawao County, Hawaii 82
3 King County, Texas 258
4 Kenedy County, Texas 340
5 McPherson County, Nebraska 379
6 Arthur County, Nebraska 439
7 Blaine County, Nebraska 461
8 Petroleum County, Montana 519
9 Grant County, Nebraska 579
10 Loup County, Nebraska 604
11 McMullen County, Texas 608
12 Borden County, Texas 617

The following is a list of the least populous counties and county-equivalents in all U.S. territory. Note that the only entity on this list with a permanent human population is Swains Island, American Samoa. The first 8 counties (county-equivalents) are uninhabited, while the 10th on the list (Palmyra Atoll) has a small non-permanent human population whose maximum capacity is 20 people. [6]

Smallest population counties in all U.S. territory
(2020 Census) [7]
RankCountyPopulation
1 Baker Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
2 Howland Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
3 Jarvis Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
4 Johnston Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
5 Kingman Reef, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
6 Navassa Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0
7 Northern Islands Municipality, Northern Mariana Islands 0
8 Rose Atoll, American Samoa 0
9 Swains Island, American Samoa 17
10 Palmyra Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 20 [note 3]


Population per state or territory

Most and least populous counties per state/territory (2021 Census estimate) [8]
State,
federal district
or territory
Least populousPopulationMost populousPopulation
Flag of Alabama.svg  Alabama Greene 7,629 Jefferson 667,820
Flag of Alaska.svg  Alaska Yakutat 704 Anchorage 288,121
Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa Rose Atoll 0 Western District 31,819
Flag of Arizona.svg  Arizona Greenlee 9,404 Maricopa 4,496,588
Flag of Arkansas.svg  Arkansas Calhoun 4,741 Pulaski 397,821
Flag of California.svg  California Alpine 1,235 Los Angeles 9,829,544
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado San Juan 733 El Paso 737,867
Flag of Connecticut.svg  Connecticut Windham 116,418 Fairfield 959,768
Flag of Delaware.svg  Delaware Kent 184,149 New Castle 571,708
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg  District of Columbia District of Columbia [note 4] 670,050 District of Columbia 670,050
Flag of Florida.svg  Florida Liberty 7,900 Miami-Dade 2,662,777
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Taliaferro 1,558 Fulton 1,065,334
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam Guam [note 5] 153,835 Guam 153,835
Flag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii Kalawao 82 Honolulu 1,000,890
Flag of Idaho.svg  Idaho Clark 792 Ada 511,931
Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Hardin 3,650 Cook 5,173,146
Flag of Indiana.svg  Indiana Ohio 5,978 Marion 971,102
Flag of Iowa.svg  Iowa Adams 3,641 Polk 496,844
Flag of Kansas.svg  Kansas Greeley 1,304 Johnson 613,219
Flag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky Robertson 2,257 Jefferson 777,874
Flag of Louisiana.svg  Louisiana Tensas 4,043 East Baton Rouge 453,301
Flag of Maine.svg  Maine Piscataquis 17,165 Cumberland 305,231
Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland Kent 19,270 Montgomery 1,054,827
Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Nantucket 14,491 Middlesex 1,614,742
Flag of Michigan.svg  Michigan Keweenaw 2,107 Wayne 1,774,816
Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Traverse 3,286 Hennepin 1,267,416
Flag of Mississippi.svg  Mississippi Issaquena 1,280 Hinds 222,679
Flag of Missouri.svg  Missouri Worth 1,983 St. Louis 997,187
Flag of Montana.svg  Montana Petroleum 519 Yellowstone 167,146
Flag of Nebraska.svg  Nebraska McPherson 379 Douglas 585,008
Flag of Nevada.svg  Nevada Esmeralda 743 Clark 2,292,476
Flag of New Hampshire.svg  New Hampshire Coos 31,268 Hillsborough 422,937
Flag of New Jersey.svg  New Jersey Salem 65,046 Bergen 953,819
Flag of New Mexico.svg  New Mexico Harding 639 Bernalillo 674,393
Flag of New York.svg  New York Hamilton 5,119 Kings 2,641,052
Flag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina Tyrrell 3,254 Wake 1,150,204
Flag of North Dakota.svg  North Dakota Slope 690 Cass 186,562
Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands Northern Islands Municipality 7 Saipan Municipality 43,385
Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio Vinton 12,696 Franklin 1,321,414
Flag of Oklahoma.svg  Oklahoma Cimarron 2,248 Oklahoma 798,575
Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Wheeler 1,451 Multnomah 803,377
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Cameron 4,459 Philadelphia 1,576,251
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Culebra Municipality 1,792 San Juan Municipality 342,259
Flag of Rhode Island.svg  Rhode Island Bristol 50,818 Providence 658,221
Flag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina Allendale 7,858 Greenville 533,834
Flag of South Dakota.svg  South Dakota Jones 879 Minnehaha 199,685
Flag of Tennessee.svg  Tennessee Pickett 5,079 Shelby 924,454
Flag of Texas.svg  Texas Loving 57 Harris 4,728,030
Flag of the United States.svg U.S. Minor Outlying Islands*6 entities [note 6] 0 Wake Island 100 [note 7]
Flag of Utah.svg  Utah Daggett 976 Salt Lake 1,186,421
Flag of Vermont.svg  Vermont Essex 5,925 Chittenden 168,865
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Virgin Islands (U.S.) Saint John Island 3,881 Saint Thomas Island 42,261
Flag of Virginia.svg  Virginia Highland 2,226 Fairfax 1,139,720
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Garfield 2,286 King 2,269,675
Flag of West Virginia.svg  West Virginia Wirt 5,063 Kanawha 177,952
Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin Menominee 4,289 Milwaukee 928,059
Flag of Wyoming.svg  Wyoming Niobrara 2,438 Laramie 100,863

Area

Nationwide land area extremes

The largest counties and county-equivalents are organized boroughs and the census areas of Alaska with the top two being Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (145,504.79 sq mi or 376,855.7 km2) and North Slope Borough (88,695.41 sq mi or 229,720.1 km2). The smallest counties and county equivalents (in the 50 states) are the independent cities of Virginia with the extreme being Falls Church at 2.05 sq mi (5.3 km2; 1,310 acres). [8] If the U.S. territories are included, the smallest county-equivalent is Kingman Reef, with a land area of 0.012 square miles (3.1 ha; 7.7 acres). [9]

The following two tables exclude county-equivalents:

Largest counties by land area nationwide (excluding county-equivalents) [8]
RankCountyLand area
(sq mi)
Land area
(km2)
1 San Bernardino County, California 20,056.9451,947.24
2 Coconino County, Arizona 18,618.8948,222.70
3 Nye County, Nevada 18,181.9247,090.96
4 Elko County, Nevada 17,169.8344,469.66
5 Mohave County, Arizona 13,311.0834,475.54
6 Apache County, Arizona 11,197.5229,001.44
7 Lincoln County, Nevada 10,633.2027,539.86
8 Sweetwater County, Wyoming 10,426.6527,004.90
9 Inyo County, California 10,180.8826,368.36
10 Harney County, Oregon 10,133.1726,244.79
Smallest counties by land area nationwide (excluding county-equivalents) [8]
RankCountyLand area
(sq mi)
Land area
(km2)
1 Kalawao County, Hawaii 11.9931.05
2 New York County, New York 22.8359.13
3 Bristol County, Rhode Island 24.1662.57
4 Arlington County, Virginia 25.9767.26
5 Broomfield County, Colorado 33.0385.55
6 Bronx County, New York 42.10109.04
7 Nantucket County, Massachusetts 44.97116.47
8 Hudson County, New Jersey 46.19119.63
9 San Francisco County, California 46.87121.39
10 Suffolk County, Massachusetts 58.15150.61

The following two tables include county-equivalents: [note 8]

Largest counties by land area nationwide (including county-equivalents)
RankCountyLand area
(sq mi)
Land area
(km2)
1 Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska 145,899.69377,868.5
2 North Slope Borough, Alaska 88.817.12230,035.3
3 Bethel Census Area, Alaska 40.633.31105,239.8
4 Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska 35,898.3492,976.3
5 Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska 34,319.188,886
6 Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska 24,814.8664,270.2
7 Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska 24,681.5463,924.9
8 Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska 23,781.9661,595.0
9 Nome Census Area, Alaska 23,000.9159,572
10 San Bernardino County, California 20,052.551,936
Smallest counties by land area nationwide (including county-equivalents)
RankCountyLand area
(sq mi)
Land area
(km2)
1 Kingman Reef, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0.010.03
2 Rose Atoll, American Samoa 0.10.3
3 Baker Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0.51.4
4 Howland Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0.61.6
5 Swains Island, American Samoa 12.6
6 Johnston Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 1.12.8
7 Jarvis Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 1.74.5
8 Navassa Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 2.085.4
9 Independent City of Falls Church, Virginia 2.15.44
10 Midway Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 2.46.2


Smallest, largest, and average area per state and territory

The following is a list of counties and county-equivalents showing the average size of each state/territory's counties, the smallest county (or equivalent) in each state/territory, and the largest county (or equivalent) in each state/territory. States/territories on the list are arranged by the average land area of their counties. Though not on the list, the North Slope Borough is the largest independently incorporated county equivalent. The Unorganized Borough is substantially larger, but is an extension of the State of Alaska government and not independently incorporated. [A]

Also note that the smallest land area with county-level governance in the U.S. is Falls Church, Virginia, but it is an independent city and not a county or part of one. Kingman Reef is the smallest county-equivalent in all U.S. territory (though it has no government). Kalawao County, Hawaii is the smallest true county by land area.

Smallest, largest and average land areas for counties and county-equivalents by state and territory [10]
State
federal district
or territory
Avg. county land area, sq. mi. (km2)Smallest countyArea, sq. mi. (km2)Largest countyarea, sq. mi. (km2)
The 50 states & D.C.1,124.09 (2,911.4) [note 9] Independent City of Falls Church, Virginia 2.0 (5.2) Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska [note 10] 145,505 (376,860)
The 50 states, D.C.
& U.S. territories
1,090.69 (2,824.9) [note 11] Kingman Reef, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 0.01 (0.026) Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska 145,505 (376,860)
Flag of Alaska.svg  Alaska 8,545.7 (22,133) Skagway Municipality 452.3 (1,171) Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area 145,505 (376,860)
Flag of Arizona.svg  Arizona 7,572.9 (19,614) Santa Cruz County 1,236.9 (3,204) Coconino County 18,618.8 (48,222)
Flag of Nevada.svg  Nevada 6,457.7 (16,725) City of Carson City 144.6 (375) Nye County 18,181.9 (47,091)
Flag of Wyoming.svg  Wyoming 4,221.4 (10,933) Hot Springs County 2,004.0 (5,190) Sweetwater County 10,426.6 (27,005)
Flag of New Mexico.svg  New Mexico 3,675.7 (9,520) Los Alamos County 109.1 (283) Catron County 6,923.6 (17,932)
Flag of Utah.svg  Utah 2,833.4 (7,338) Davis County 298.7 (774) San Juan County 7,819.9 (20,253)
Flag of California.svg  California 2,685.8 (6,956) San Francisco County 46.8 (121) San Bernardino County 20,056.9 (51,947)
Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon 2,666.3 (6,906) Multnomah County 431.3 (1,117) Harney County 10,133.1 (26,245)
Flag of Montana.svg  Montana 2,599.0 (6,731) Silver Bow County 718.4 (1,861) Beaverhead County 5,541.6 (14,353)
Flag of Maine.svg  Maine 1,927.7 (4,993) Sagadahoc County 253.6 (657) Aroostook County 6,671.3 (17,279)
Flag of Idaho.svg  Idaho 1,878.3 (4,865) Payette County 406.8 (1,054) Idaho County 8,477.3 (21,956)
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington 1,704.0 (4,413) San Juan County 173.9 (450) Okanogan County 5,267.9 (13,644)
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado 1,619.4 (4,194) Broomfield County 33.0 (85) Las Animas County 4,772.6 (12,361)
Flag of North Dakota.svg  North Dakota 1,301.9 (3,372) Eddy County 630.1 (1,632) McKenzie County 2,760.3 (7,149)
Flag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii 1,284.5 (3,327) Kalawao County 11.9 (31) Hawaii County 4,028.4 (10,434)
Flag of South Dakota.svg  South Dakota 1,148.7 (2,975) Clay County 412.1 (1,067) Meade County 3,470.9 (8,990)
Flag of Texas.svg  Texas 1,028.5 (2,664) Rockwall County 127.0 (329) Brewster County 6,183.7 (16,016)
Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota 915.2 (2,370) Ramsey County 152.2 (394) St. Louis County 6,247.4 (16,181)
Flag of New Hampshire.svg  New Hampshire 895.3 (2,319) Strafford County 368.9 (955) Coos County 1,794.6 (4,648)
Flag of Oklahoma.svg  Oklahoma 890.8 (2,307) Marshall County 371.0 (961) Osage County 2,246.3 (5,818)
Flag of Nebraska.svg  Nebraska 826.1 (2,140) Sarpy County 238.9 (619) Cherry County 5,960.4 (15,437)
Flag of Florida.svg  Florida 800.4 (2,073) Union County 243.5 (631) Collier County 1,998.3 (5,176)
Flag of Kansas.svg  Kansas 778.7 (2,017) Wyandotte County 151.6 (393) Butler County 1,429.8 (3,703)
Flag of Alabama.svg  Alabama 767.4 (1,988) Etowah County 534.9 (1,385) Baldwin County 1,589.7 (4,117)
Flag of New York.svg  New York 760.1 (1,969) New York County 22.8 (59) St. Lawrence County 2,680.3 (6,942)
Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin 752.2 (1,948) Pepin County 231.9 (601) Marathon County 1,544.9 (4,001)
Flag of Arkansas.svg  Arkansas 693.8 (1,797) Lafayette County 528.2 (1,368) Union County 1,039.2 (2,692)
Flag of Michigan.svg  Michigan 681.2 (1,764) Benzie County 319.7 (828) Marquette County 1,808.4 (4,684)
Flag of Louisiana.svg  Louisiana 675.1 (1,749) Orleans Parish 169.4 (439) Vernon Parish 1,327.9 (3,439)
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania 667.8 (1,730) Montour County 130.2 (337) Lycoming County 1,228.5 (3,182)
Flag of Vermont.svg  Vermont 658.3 (1,705) Grand Isle County 81.8 (212) Windsor County 969.3 (2,510)
Flag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina 653.5 (1,693) McCormick County 359.1 (930) Horry County 1,133.9 (2,937)
Flag of Delaware.svg  Delaware 649.5 (1,682) New Castle County 426.2 (1,104) Sussex County 936.0 (2,424)
Flag of Connecticut.svg  Connecticut 605.3 (1,568) Middlesex County 369.3 (956) Litchfield County 920.5 (2,384)
Flag of Missouri.svg  Missouri 597.8 (1,548) City of St. Louis 61.9 (160) Texas County 1,177.2 (3,049)
Flag of Mississippi.svg  Mississippi 572.2 (1,482) Alcorn County 400.0 (1,036) Yazoo County 922.9 (2,390)
Flag of Iowa.svg  Iowa 564.2 (1,461) Dickinson County 380.6 (986) Kossuth County 972.7 (2,519)
Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts 557.1 (1,443) Nantucket County 44.9 (116) Worcester County 1,510.7 (3,913)
Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois 544.3 (1,410) Putnam County 160.1 (415) McLean County 1,183.3 (3,065)
Flag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina 486.2 (1,259) Chowan County 172.4 (447) Robeson County 949.2 (2,458)
Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio 464.3 (1,203) Lake County 227.4 (589) Ashtabula County 701.9 (1,818)
Flag of West Virginia.svg  West Virginia 437.1 (1,132) Hancock County 82.6 (214) Randolph County 1,039.6 (2,693)
Flag of Tennessee.svg  Tennessee 434.1 (1,124) Trousdale County 114.1 (296) Shelby County 763.1 (1,976)
Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland 404.5 (1,048) City of Baltimore 80.9 (210) Frederick County 660.2 (1,710)
Flag of Indiana.svg  Indiana 389.4 (1,009) Ohio County 86.1 (223) Allen County 657.3 (1,702)
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia 361.7 (937) Clarke County 119.2 (309) Ware County 892.4 (2,311)
Flag of New Jersey.svg  New Jersey 350.2 (907) Hudson County 46.1 (119) Burlington County 798.5 (2,068)
Flag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky 329.1 (852) Robertson County 99.9 (259) Pike County 786.8 (2,038)
Flag of Virginia.svg  Virginia 294.7 (763) Independent City of Falls Church 2.0 (5.2) Pittsylvania County 968.9 (2,509)
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam 210 (540) Guam 210 (540) Guam 210 (540)
Flag of Rhode Island.svg  Rhode Island 206.8 (536) Bristol County 24.1 (62) Providence County 409.5 (1,061)
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg  District of Columbia 61.05 (158.1) District of Columbia 61.05 (158.1) District of Columbia 61.05 (158.1)
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 45.06 (116.7) Cataño Municipality 4.84 (12.5) Arecibo Municipality 125.95 (326.2)
Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands 44.75 (115.9) Rota Municipality 32.97 (85.4) Northern Islands Municipality 59.75 (154.8)
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg  U.S. Virgin Islands 44.57 (115.4) Saint John 20 (52) Saint Croix 84 (220)
Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa 15.4 (40) Rose Atoll 0.083 (0.21) Western District 28.87 (74.8)
Flag of the United States.svg U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 1.46 (3.8) Kingman Reef 0.01 (0.026) Palmyra Atoll 4.59 (11.9)

Population density

New York County, New York (Manhattan), the most densely populated county in the United States. At the top and top-left (beyond the East River) is Kings County (Brooklyn), the second-most densely populated county in the United States. Above Gotham.jpg
New York County, New York (Manhattan), the most densely populated county in the United States. At the top and top-left (beyond the East River) is Kings County (Brooklyn), the second-most densely populated county in the United States.

Most densely populated

Data presented below is based on U.S. Census department data from 2010. [10] Calculations are made by dividing the population by the land area. All county equivalents are included. This list includes the 50 most densely-populated counties and county-equivalents in the 50 states and District of Columbia, plus the 9 highest-density municipalities (county-equivalents) of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is the only U.S. territory with population densities (of county-equivalents) high enough to be on this list. Note that many of these high-density counties are coterminous with large cities (for example San Francisco and Philadelphia) or are independent cities in Virginia (as well as Baltimore and St. Louis) which are considered county-equivalents.

RankCounty namePop/sq miPop/km2
1 New York County, New York 69,46826,822
2 Kings County, New York 35,36913,656
3 Bronx County, New York 32,90312,704
4 Queens County, New York 20,5547,936
5 City and County of San Francisco, California 17,1796,633
6 Hudson County, New Jersey 13,7325,302
7 Suffolk County, Massachusetts 12,4174,794
8 Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania 11,3794,394
9 Washington, District of Columbia 9,8573,806
10 Alexandria, Virginia 9,3143,596
11 Arlington County, Virginia 8,8533,520
12 San Juan Municipality, Puerto Rico 8,2623,190
13 Richmond County, New York 8,0303,101
14 City of Baltimore, Maryland 7,6722,962
15 Essex County, New Jersey 6,2122,398
16 Falls Church, Virginia 6,1702,382
17 Cataño Municipality, Puerto Rico 5,8092,243
18 Manassas Park, Virginia 5,6332,175
19 Cook County, Illinois 5,4952,122
20 Union County, New Jersey 5,2162,014
21 City of Saint Louis, Missouri 5,1571,991
22 Nassau County, New York 4,7051,817
23 Bayamón Municipality, Puerto Rico 4,6951,813
24 Norfolk, Virginia 4,4861,732
25 Charlottesville, Virginia 4,2421,638
26 Milwaukee County, Wisconsin 3,9261,516
27 Denver County, Colorado 3,9231,515
28 Carolina Municipality, Puerto Rico 3,9001,506
29 Bergen County, New Jersey 3,8841,500
30 Toa Baja Municipality, Puerto Rico 3,8561,489
31 Manassas, Virginia 3,8281,478
32 Orange County, California 3,8081,470
33 Fairfax City, Virginia 3,6171,396
34 Trujillo Alto Municipality, Puerto Rico 3,6041,392
35 Guaynabo Municipality, Puerto Rico 3,5511,371
36 Richmond, Virginia 3,4151,318
37 Pinellas County, Florida 3,3481,292
38 Ramsey County, Minnesota 3,3421,290
39 Delaware County, Pennsylvania 3,0391,173
40 Wayne County, Michigan 2,9741,148
41 Portsmouth, Virginia 2,8391,096
42 Winchester, Virginia 2,8381,096
43 Lexington, Virginia 2,8201,089
44 Harrisonburg, Virginia 2,8081,084
45 Cuyahoga County, Ohio 2,8001,081
46 DuPage County, Illinois 2,8001,081
47 Fairfax County, Virginia 2,7671,068
48 Toa Alta Municipality, Puerto Rico 2,7421,058
49 Dallas County, Texas 2,7181,049
50 Passaic County, New Jersey 2,7151,048
51 Hampton, Virginia 2,6741,032
52 Newport News, Virginia 2,6341,017
53 Middlesex County, New Jersey 2,6221,012
54 DeKalb County, Georgia 2,586998
55 Caguas Municipality, Puerto Rico 2,439942
56 Los Angeles County, California 2,420934
57 Harris County, Texas 2,402928
58 Fredericksburg, Virginia 2,326898
59 Camden County, New Jersey 2,322896

Least densely populated

Baker Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands -- one of the 8 county-equivalents with zero people Baker settlement remains.jpg
Baker Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands — one of the 8 county-equivalents with zero people

This list was generated by dividing the population by the land area. All county equivalents are included. The list is dominated by just a few states: Alaska, Montana, and Texas together comprise about two-thirds of the entries. The Unorganized Borough is not included here as a unit, but its census areas (non-governmental entities) are. If the census areas were removed from the list, the Unorganized Borough would rank fourteenth with a density of 0.38 per square mile (0.15/km2).

The 8 uninhabited county-equivalents in the U.S. territories are listed at the top of the table — these are technically the least-densely populated counties/county-equivalents in the United States, but since they have no people, they are listed unranked.

Counties with lowest population densities [10]
RankCounty namePop/sq miPop/km2
Baker Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Howland Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Jarvis Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Johnston Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Kingman Reef, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Navassa Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 00
Northern Islands Municipality, Northern Mariana Islands 00
Rose Atoll, American Samoa 00
1 Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska 0.030.01
2 Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska 0.060.02
3 Yakutat Borough, Alaska 0.080.03
4 North Slope Borough, Alaska 0.100.04
5 Loving County, Texas 0.120.04
6 Denali Borough, Alaska 0.140.05
7 Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska 0.210.08
8 Esmeralda County, Nevada 0.210.08
9 Garfield County, Montana 0.250.10
10 Dillingham Census Area, Alaska 0.260.10
11 Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska 0.280.10
12 Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska 0.280.11
13 Kenedy County, Texas 0.280.11
14 Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska 0.280.11
15 Petroleum County, Montana 0.290.11
16 King County, Texas 0.310.12
17 Harding County, New Mexico 0.320.12
18 Carter County, Montana 0.340.13
19 Nome Census Area, Alaska 0.410.16
20 Terrell County, Texas 0.410.16
21 Bethel Census Area, Alaska 0.410.16
22 Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska 0.430.16
23 Aleutians East Borough, Alaska 0.450.17
24 Harding County, South Dakota 0.470.18
25 Eureka County, Nevada 0.470.18
26 Lincoln County, Nevada 0.500.19
27 Powder River County, Montana 0.520.20
28 Catron County, New Mexico 0.530.20
29 Clark County, Idaho 0.550.21
30 Slope County, North Dakota 0.590.23
31 McMullen County, Texas 0.620.24
32 McPherson County, Nebraska 0.620.24
33 Culberson County, Texas 0.620.24
34 Sioux County, Nebraska 0.630.24
35 Arthur County, Nebraska 0.640.24
36 McCone County, Montana 0.650.25
37 Blaine County, Nebraska 0.670.26
38 Prairie County, Montana 0.670.26
39 Billings County, North Dakota 0.680.26
40 Borden County, Texas 0.710.27
41 Harney County, Oregon 0.730.28
42 Treasure County, Montana 0.730.28
43 Golden Valley County, Montana 0.750.29
44 Hinsdale County, Colorado 0.750.29
45 Hudspeth County, Texas 0.760.29
46 Meagher County, Montana 0.790.30
47 Kiowa County, Colorado 0.790.30
48 Grant County, Nebraska 0.790.30
49 Mineral County, Colorado 0.810.31
50 Phillips County, Montana 0.820.31

Population density per state and territory

Data presented below is based on U.S. Census Bureau data from 2010. [10] Calculations are made by dividing the population by the land area. All county equivalents are included.

Excluding the census areas of Alaska, Lake and Peninsula Borough is the least densely populated county equivalent with 0.069/sq mi (0.027/km2).

The District of Columbia and Guam each only have one county-equivalent, so their most/least densely-populated county is the same.

State
federal district
or territory
Least densely populated countyPopulation densityMost densely populated countyPopulation density
Flag of Alabama.svg  Alabama Wilcox County 13.13/sq mi (5.07/km2) Jefferson County 592.53/sq mi (228.78/km2)
Flag of Alaska.svg  Alaska Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area 0.03/sq mi (0.012/km2) Anchorage Municipality 171.19/sq mi (66.10/km2)
Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa Rose Atoll [note 12] 0.00/sq mi (0/km2) Western District 1,139.00/sq mi (439.77/km2)
Flag of Arizona.svg  Arizona La Paz County 4.55/sq mi (1.76/km2) Maricopa County 414.89/sq mi (160.19/km2)
Flag of Arkansas.svg  Arkansas Calhoun County 8.53/sq mi (3.29/km2) Pulaski County 503.77/sq mi (194.51/km2)
Flag of California.svg  California Alpine County 1.59/sq mi (0.61/km2) San Francisco County 17,179.15/sq mi (6,632.91/km2)
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado Hinsdale County 0.75/sq mi (0.29/km2) Denver County 3,922.59/sq mi (1,514.52/km2)
Flag of Connecticut.svg  Connecticut Litchfield County 206.31/sq mi (79.66/km2) Fairfield County 1,467.18/sq mi (566.48/km2)
Flag of Delaware.svg  Delaware Sussex County 210.60/sq mi (81.31/km2) New Castle County 1,263.18/sq mi (487.72/km2)
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg  District of Columbia District of Columbia 9,857.20/sq mi (3,805.89/km2) District of Columbia 9,857.20/sq mi (3,805.89/km2)
Flag of Florida.svg  Florida Liberty County 10.01/sq mi (3.86/km2) Pinellas County 3,347.50/sq mi (1,292.48/km2)
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Clinch County 8.49/sq mi (3.28/km2) DeKalb County 2,585.72/sq mi (998.35/km2)
Flag of Guam.svg  Guam Guam 759.60/sq mi (293.28/km2) Guam 759.60/sq mi (293.28/km2)
Flag of Hawaii.svg  Hawaii Kalawao County 7.50/sq mi (2.90/km2) Honolulu County 1,586.71/sq mi (612.63/km2)
Flag of Idaho.svg  Idaho Clark County 0.55/sq mi (0.21/km2) Ada County 372.76/sq mi (143.92/km2)
Flag of Illinois.svg  Illinois Pope County 12.12/sq mi (4.68/km2) Cook County 5,495.11/sq mi (2,121.67/km2)
Flag of Indiana.svg  Indiana Benton County 21.78/sq mi (8.41/km2) Marion County 2,279.57/sq mi (880.15/km2)
Flag of Iowa.svg  Iowa Adams County 9.51/sq mi (3.67/km2) Polk County 750.51/sq mi (289.77/km2)
Flag of Kansas.svg  Kansas Greeley County 1.60/sq mi (0.62/km2) Johnson County 1,149.57/sq mi (443.85/km2)
Flag of Kentucky.svg  Kentucky Hickman County 20.23/sq mi (7.81/km2) Jefferson County 1,948.11/sq mi (752.17/km2)
Flag of Louisiana.svg  Louisiana Cameron Parish 5.32/sq mi (2.05/km2) Orleans Parish 2,029.41/sq mi (783.56/km2)
Flag of Maine.svg  Maine Piscataquis County 4.42/sq mi (1.71/km2) Cumberland County 337.23/sq mi (130.21/km2)
Flag of Maryland.svg  Maryland Garrett County 46.51/sq mi (17.96/km2) City of Baltimore 7,671.51/sq mi (2,961.99/km2)
Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts Franklin County 102.05/sq mi (39.40/km2) Suffolk County 12,416.78/sq mi (4,794.15/km2)
Flag of Michigan.svg  Michigan Keweenaw County 3.99/sq mi (1.54/km2) Wayne County 2,974.42/sq mi (1,148.43/km2)
Flag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota Lake of the Woods County 3.11/sq mi (1.20/km2) Ramsey County 3,341.64/sq mi (1,290.21/km2)
Flag of Mississippi.svg  Mississippi Issaquena County 3.40/sq mi (1.31/km2) DeSoto County 338.66/sq mi (130.76/km2)
Flag of Missouri.svg  Missouri Worth County 8.14/sq mi (3.14/km2) City of St. Louis 5,157.48/sq mi (1,991.31/km2)
Flag of Montana.svg  Montana Garfield County 0.25/sq mi (0.097/km2) Yellowstone County 56.19/sq mi (21.70/km2)
Flag of Nebraska.svg  Nebraska McPherson County 0.63/sq mi (0.24/km2) Douglas County 1,574.37/sq mi (607.87/km2)
Flag of Nevada.svg  Nevada Esmeralda County 0.21/sq mi (0.081/km2) Carson City 382.09/sq mi (147.53/km2)
Flag of New Hampshire.svg  New Hampshire Coos County 18.41/sq mi (7.11/km2) Hillsborough County 457.37/sq mi (176.59/km2)
Flag of New Jersey.svg  New Jersey Salem County 199.10/sq mi (76.87/km2) Hudson County 13,731.61/sq mi (5,301.80/km2)
Flag of New Mexico.svg  New Mexico Harding County 0.32/sq mi (0.12/km2) Bernalillo County 570.76/sq mi (220.37/km2)
Flag of New York.svg  New York Hamilton County 2.81/sq mi (1.08/km2) New York County 69,468.42/sq mi (26,821.91/km2)
Flag of North Carolina.svg  North Carolina Hyde County 9.48/sq mi (3.66/km2) Mecklenburg County 1,755.54/sq mi (677.82/km2)
Flag of North Dakota.svg  North Dakota Billings County 0.68/sq mi (0.26/km2) Cass County 84.86/sq mi (32.76/km2)
Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands Northern Islands Municipality [note 13] 0.00/sq mi (0/km2) Saipan Municipality 1,050.80/sq mi (405.72/km2)
Flag of Ohio.svg  Ohio Monroe County 32.12/sq mi (12.40/km2) Cuyahoga County 2,799.95/sq mi (1,081.07/km2)
Flag of Oklahoma.svg  Oklahoma Cimarron County 1.34/sq mi (0.52/km2) Tulsa County 1,058.14/sq mi (408.55/km2)
Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon Harney County 0.73/sq mi (0.28/km2) Multnomah County 1,704.93/sq mi (658.28/km2)
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania Cameron County 12.83/sq mi (4.95/km2) Philadelphia County 11,379.49/sq mi (4,393.65/km2)
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Culebra Municipality 156.40/sq mi (60.39/km2) San Juan Municipality 8,262.30/sq mi (3,190.09/km2)
Flag of Rhode Island.svg  Rhode Island Washington County 385.67/sq mi (148.91/km2) Bristol County 2,064.00/sq mi (796.91/km2)
Flag of South Carolina.svg  South Carolina Allendale County 25.53/sq mi (9.86/km2) Greenville County 574.72/sq mi (221.90/km2)
Flag of South Dakota.svg  South Dakota Harding County 0.47/sq mi (0.18/km2) Minnehaha County 209.95/sq mi (81.06/km2)
Flag of Tennessee.svg  Tennessee Perry County 19.08/sq mi (7.37/km2) Davidson County 1,243.33/sq mi (480.05/km2)
Flag of Texas.svg  Texas Loving County 0.12/sq mi (0.046/km2) Dallas County 2,718.00/sq mi (1,049.43/km2)
Flag of the United States.svg U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 6 entities [note 14] 0.00/sq mi (0/km2) Wake Island 39.80/sq mi (15.37/km2)
Flag of Utah.svg  Utah Garfield County 0.99/sq mi (0.38/km2) Salt Lake County 1,387.14/sq mi (535.58/km2)
Flag of Vermont.svg  Vermont Essex County 9.50/sq mi (3.67/km2) Chittenden County 291.74/sq mi (112.64/km2)
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Virgin Islands (U.S.) Saint John Island 211.80/sq mi (81.78/km2) Saint Thomas Island 1,649.10/sq mi (636.72/km2)
Flag of Virginia.svg  Virginia Highland County 5.59/sq mi (2.16/km2) Alexandria City 9,314.30/sq mi (3,596.27/km2)
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington Garfield County 3.18/sq mi (1.23/km2) King County 912.87/sq mi (352.46/km2)
Flag of West Virginia.svg  West Virginia Pocahontas County 9.27/sq mi (3.58/km2) Ohio County 419.98/sq mi (162.16/km2)
Flag of Wisconsin.svg  Wisconsin Iron County 7.80/sq mi (3.01/km2) Milwaukee County 3,925.95/sq mi (1,515.82/km2)
Flag of Wyoming.svg  Wyoming Niobrara County 0.94/sq mi (0.36/km2) Laramie County 34.15/sq mi (13.19/km2)

See also

Notes

^  A: The Unorganized Borough, Alaska, formed by the Borough Act of 1961, is a legal entity, run by the Alaska state government as an extension of State government, [11] it and the independently incorporated Unified, Home Rule, First Class and Second Class boroughs roughly correspond to parishes in Louisiana and to counties in the other 48 states. [12]

  1. Number produced by diving 3,142 by 50 — Note it is 3,142 and not 3,143 (because the District of Columbia is not counted)
  2. Number produced by dividing 3,243 by 57 (the number 57 represents the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the 5 inhabited territories, and the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands as one entity
  3. Non-permanent human population
  4. The District of Columbia has only one county-equivalent: itself.
  5. Guam has only one county-equivalent: itself.
  6. The 6 county-equivalents in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands with zero people are Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef and Navassa Island. The other 3 island territories in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands have small non-permanent human populations.
  7. Wake Island’s population is non-permanent.
  8. Note: the lists below rank locations by land area — the ranking would be different if they were ranked by total area.
  9. If including water area, the average county size of counties and county-equivalents in the 50 states and D.C. is 1,208.38 square miles
  10. North Slope Borough, Alaska is the largest independently incorporated county-equivalent.
  11. If including water area, the average county size of counties and county-equivalents in all U.S. territory is 1,172.38 square miles
  12. The least-densely populated inhabited county-equivalent in American Samoa is Swains Island, which has 18.1 people per square mile.
  13. The least-densely populated inhabited county-equivalent in the Northern Mariana Islands is Tinian Municipality, which has 75.0 people per square mile.
  14. The 6 county-equivalents in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands with zero people are Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef and Navassa Island. The least-densely populated entity with a human population is Palmyra Atoll, which has 4.3 people per square mile.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingman Reef</span> Reef and unincorporated U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean

Kingman Reef is a largely submerged, uninhabited, triangle-shaped reef, geologically an atoll, 9.0 nmi (20 km) east-west and 4.5 nmi (8 km) north-south, in the North Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between the Hawaiian Islands and American Samoa. It has an area of 3 hectares and is one of the unincorporated territories of the United States in Oceania. The reef is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as the Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Minor Outlying Islands</span> Statistical designation of small islands of the United States

The United States Minor Outlying Islands is a statistical designation defined by the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 3166-1 code. The entry code is ISO 3166-2:UM. The minor outlying islands and groups of islands consist of eight United States insular areas in the Pacific Ocean and one in the Caribbean Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska</span> Borough in Alaska, United States

Lake and Peninsula Borough is a borough in the state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,476, down from 1,631 in 2010. The borough seat of King Salmon is located in neighboring Bristol Bay Borough, although is not the seat of that borough. The most populous community in the borough is the census-designated place of Port Alsworth. With an average of 0.017 inhabitants per square kilometre, the Lake and Peninsula Borough is the second least densely populated organized county-equivalent in the United States; only the unorganized Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area has a lower density.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nome Census Area, Alaska</span> Census area in Alaska, United States

Nome Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska, mostly overlapping with the Seward Peninsula. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,046, up from 9,492 in 2010. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest community by far is the city of Nome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Slope Borough, Alaska</span> Borough in Alaska, United States

The North Slope Borough is the northernmost borough in the US state of Alaska and thus, the northernmost county or equivalent of the United States as a whole. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,031. The borough seat and largest city is Utqiaġvik, which is also the northernmost settlement in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska</span> Census area in Alaska, United States

Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,753, up from 5,559 in 2010. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest communities are Metlakatla and Craig. It was formerly part of the Census Bureau's Prince of Wales–Outer Ketchikan Census Area, but the name was changed in 2008 after most of the Outer Ketchikan was lost to annexation by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska</span> Census area in Alaska, United States

Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area is a census area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,343, down from 5,588 in 2010. With an area of 147,842.51 sq mi (382,910.3 km2), it is the largest of any county or county-equivalent in the United States, or about the same size as the entire state of Montana. It is part of the unorganized borough of Alaska and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest communities are the cities of Galena, in the west, and Fort Yukon, in the northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County (United States)</span> Subdivision used by most states in the United States

In the United States, a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic region with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs, respectively. The specific governmental powers of counties vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships, municipalities, and unincorporated areas. Certain municipalities are in multiple counties; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs. Some municipalities have consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties, or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities. Conversely, those counties in Connecticut, Rhode Island, eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties, and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unincorporated area</span> Region of land not governed by own local government

An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have no unincorporated areas at all or these are very rare. They are typically remote, outlying, sparsely populated or uninhabited areas.

A minor civil division (MCD) is a term used by the United States Census Bureau for primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of a county or county-equivalent, typically a municipal government such as a city, town, or civil township. MCDs are used for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau, and do not necessarily represent the primary form of local government. They range from non-governing geographical survey areas to municipalities with weak or strong powers of self-government. Some states with large unincorporated areas give substantial powers to counties; others have smaller or larger incorporated entities with governmental powers that are smaller than the MCD level chosen by the Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Territories of the United States</span>

Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government of the United States. The various American territories differ from the U.S. states and Indian reservations as they are not sovereign entities. In contrast, each state has a sovereignty separate from that of the federal government and each federally recognized Native American tribe possesses limited tribal sovereignty as a "dependent sovereign nation". Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an "organized" government through an organic act passed by the Congress. American territories are under American sovereignty and, consequently, may be treated as part of the United States proper in some ways and not others. Unincorporated territories in particular are not considered to be integral parts of the United States, and the Constitution of the United States applies only partially in those territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unorganized Borough, Alaska</span> Portions of Alaska which are not contained in any of its 19 other organized boroughs

The Unorganized Borough is composed of the portions of the U.S. state of Alaska which are not contained in any of its 19 organized boroughs. While referred to as the "Unorganized Borough", it is not a borough itself, as it forgoes that level of government structure. It encompasses nearly half of Alaska's land area, 323,440 square miles (837,700 km2), an area larger than any other U.S. state, and larger than the land area of the smallest 16 states combined. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, it had a population of 77,157, which was 10.52% of the population of the state. The largest communities in the Unorganized Borough are the cities of Bethel, Unalaska, and Valdez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England town</span> Basic unit of local government in the six New England states of the United States

The town is the basic unit of local government and local division of state authority in the six New England states. Most other U.S. states lack a direct counterpart to the New England town. New England towns overlay the entire area of a state, similar to civil townships in other states where they exist, but they are fully functioning municipal corporations, possessing powers similar to cities and counties in other states. New Jersey's system of equally powerful townships, boroughs, towns, and cities is the system which is most similar to that of New England. New England towns are often governed by a town meeting legislative body. The great majority of municipal corporations in New England are based on the town model; there, statutory forms based on the concept of a compact populated place are uncommon, though elsewhere in the U.S. they are prevalent. County government in New England states is typically weak at best, and in some states nonexistent. Connecticut, for example, has no county governments, nor does Rhode Island. Both of those states retain counties only as geographic subdivisions with no governmental authority, while Massachusetts has abolished eight of fourteen county governments so far. Counties serve mostly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems and some other state services in the southern New England states, while providing varying services in the more sparsely populated three northern New England states.

References

  1. https://www.census.gov/geo/reference/codes/cou.html ‘’2010 FIPS Codes for Counties and County Equivalent Entities.’’ Census.gov. Retrieved June 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/reference/GARM/Ch4GARM.pdf ‘’States, Counties, and Statistically Equivalent Entities (Chapter 4).’’ Census.gov. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20151018122108/http://www.census.gov/geo/reference/ansi_statetables.html FIPS State Codes for the Outlying Areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States. [info about USMOI] (archived). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 2019.
  4. "Chapter 4: States, Counties, and Statistically Equivalent Entities". Geographic Areas Reference Manual (PDF). U.S. Department of Commerce. November 1994. p. 4-2.
  5. 1 2 "2021 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  6. CIA World Factbook — Palmyra Atoll. Retrieved June 2019.
  7. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Census QuickFacts". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  9. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kingman-Reef ‘’Kingman Reef.’’ Britannica.com. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "2010 Census Summary File 1: GEOGRAPHIC IDENTIFIERS". American Factfinder. US Census. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  11. "Alaska Statutes Title 29 Chapter 03. The Unorganized Borough". Local Government On-Line, Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. August 18, 1998. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  12. "Local Government in Alaska" (PDF). Local Boundary Commission, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. February 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2008-07-17.