How many counties are there in the U.S.?
There are 3,143 counties and county equivalents in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Texas has the most with 254, and Delaware, Hawaii and Rhode Island have the fewest with 3–5.
By type
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| county | 3008 |
| parish | 64 |
| independent city | 40 |
| borough | 17 |
| census area | 11 |
| municipality | 2 |
| district | 1 |
Louisiana’s parishes, Alaska’s boroughs and census areas, and independent cities (mostly in Virginia) are counted as county equivalents. The five boroughs of New York City are counties.
Why the number matters
Counties are the main unit for elections, courts, property records and many taxes, so “what county” comes up in forms, tax filings and legal documents. The number here is from the Census Bureau’s 2020 county list.
Territories such as Puerto Rico have additional county equivalents that are not included in this 50-state count.
Counties by state
| State | Counties | Population (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 67 | 5,108,468 |
| Alaska | 30 | 733,406 |
| Arizona | 15 | 7,431,344 |
| Arkansas | 75 | 3,067,732 |
| California | 58 | 38,965,193 |
| Colorado | 64 | 5,877,610 |
| Connecticut | 8 | 0 |
| Delaware | 3 | 1,031,890 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 678,972 |
| Florida | 67 | 22,610,726 |
| Georgia | 159 | 11,029,227 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 1,435,138 |
| Idaho | 44 | 1,964,726 |
| Illinois | 102 | 12,549,689 |
| Indiana | 92 | 6,862,199 |
| Iowa | 99 | 3,207,004 |
| Kansas | 105 | 2,940,546 |
| Kentucky | 120 | 4,526,154 |
| Louisiana | 64 | 4,573,749 |
| Maine | 16 | 1,395,722 |
| Maryland | 24 | 6,180,253 |
| Massachusetts | 14 | 7,001,399 |
| Michigan | 83 | 10,037,261 |
| Minnesota | 87 | 5,737,915 |
| Mississippi | 82 | 2,939,690 |
| Missouri | 115 | 6,196,156 |
| Montana | 56 | 1,132,812 |
| Nebraska | 93 | 1,978,379 |
| Nevada | 17 | 3,194,176 |
| New Hampshire | 10 | 1,402,054 |
| New Jersey | 21 | 9,290,841 |
| New Mexico | 33 | 2,114,371 |
| New York | 62 | 19,571,216 |
| North Carolina | 100 | 10,835,491 |
| North Dakota | 53 | 783,926 |
| Ohio | 88 | 11,785,935 |
| Oklahoma | 77 | 4,053,824 |
| Oregon | 36 | 4,233,358 |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | 12,961,683 |
| Rhode Island | 5 | 1,095,962 |
| South Carolina | 46 | 5,373,555 |
| South Dakota | 66 | 919,318 |
| Tennessee | 95 | 7,126,489 |
| Texas | 254 | 30,503,301 |
| Utah | 29 | 3,417,734 |
| Vermont | 14 | 647,464 |
| Virginia | 133 | 8,715,698 |
| Washington | 39 | 7,812,880 |
| West Virginia | 55 | 1,770,071 |
| Wisconsin | 72 | 5,910,955 |
| Wyoming | 23 | 584,057 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau geographic reference files; Census Bureau Population Estimates, Vintage 2023. Connecticut’s 2023 estimates use planning regions, so its population shows as zero here. Last reviewed 2026-10-27.