Introduction
The United States is a vast land mass, with multiple states and numerous counties. A geographical area as large as the U.S. would otherwise be incredibly difficult to govern without the political subdivision, federal, state, and county.
A county is a political subdivision that is one level below the state. Other words that are used in place of county are “parishes” (Louisiana) and “boroughs” (Alaska). There is no required size for a county: the smallest county in the United States being Arlington County, Virginia (25.87 square miles) and the largest is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in Alaska (145,505 square miles). There is also no population requirement for counties, with the least populous county being Loving County, Texas (170 people) and the largest being Los Angeles County, California (10.04million people).
Counties, dating back to imperial England, served as administrative arms for the state (or the crown in pre-Revolution America), helping govern at a more local level than the state.
Learn for yourself how many county divisions each state has by looking at the data in the charts.
| # | State | Total Number of Counties | Total Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 254 | 268,596 mi² |
| 2 | Georgia | 159 | 59,425 mi² |
| 3 | Virginia | 133 | 42,775 mi² |
| 4 | Kentucky | 120 | 40,408 mi² |
| 5 | Missouri | 115 | 69,707 mi² |
| 6 | Kansas | 105 | 82,278 mi² |
| 7 | Illinois | 102 | 57,914 mi² |
| 8 | North Carolina | 100 | 53,819 mi² |
| 9 | Iowa | 99 | 56,273 mi² |
| 10 | Tennessee | 95 | 42,144 mi² |
| 11 | Nebraska | 93 | 77,348 mi² |
| 12 | Indiana | 92 | 36,420 mi² |
| 13 | Ohio | 88 | 44,826 mi² |
| 14 | Minnesota | 87 | 86,936 mi² |
| 15 | Michigan | 83 | 96,714 mi² |
| 16 | Mississippi | 82 | 48,432 mi² |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 77 | 69,899 mi² |
| 18 | Arkansas | 75 | 53,179 mi² |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 72 | 65,496 mi² |
| 20 | Alabama | 67 | 52,420 mi² |
| 21 | Florida | 67 | 65,758 mi² |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | 67 | 46,054 mi² |
| 23 | South Dakota | 66 | 77,116 mi² |
| 24 | Colorado | 64 | 104,094 mi² |
| 25 | Louisiana | 64 | 52,378 mi² |
| 26 | New York | 62 | 54,555 mi² |
| 27 | California | 58 | 163,695 mi² |
| 28 | Montana | 56 | 147,040 mi² |
| 29 | West Virginia | 55 | 24,230 mi² |
| 30 | North Dakota | 53 | 70,698 mi² |
| 31 | South Carolina | 46 | 32,020 mi² |
| 32 | Idaho | 44 | 83,569 mi² |
| 33 | Washington | 39 | 71,298 mi² |
| 34 | Oregon | 36 | 98,379 mi² |
| 35 | New Mexico | 33 | 121,590 mi² |
| 36 | Alaska | 30 | 665,384 mi² |
| 37 | Utah | 29 | 84,897 mi² |
| 38 | Maryland | 24 | 12,406 mi² |
| 39 | Wyoming | 23 | 97,813 mi² |
| 40 | New Jersey | 21 | 8,723 mi² |
| 41 | Nevada | 17 | 110,572 mi² |
| 42 | Maine | 16 | 35,380 mi² |
| 43 | Arizona | 15 | 113,990 mi² |
| 44 | Massachusetts | 14 | 10,554 mi² |
| 45 | Vermont | 14 | 9,616 mi² |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 10 | 9,349 mi² |
| 47 | Connecticut | 8 | 5,543 mi² |
| 48 | Hawaii | 5 | 10,932 mi² |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 5 | 1,545 mi² |
| 50 | Delaware | 3 | 2,489 mi² |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 1 | 68 mi² |
Total Number of Counties by State
Alabama
Total Number of Counties
67
Ranked in the US
#20
52,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#30
Alaska
Total Number of Counties
30
Ranked in the US
#36
665,384 mi²
Ranked in the US
#1
Arizona
Total Number of Counties
15
Ranked in the US
#43
113,990 mi²
Ranked in the US
#6
Arkansas
Total Number of Counties
75
Ranked in the US
#18
53,179 mi²
Ranked in the US
#29
California
Total Number of Counties
58
Ranked in the US
#27
163,695 mi²
Ranked in the US
#3
Colorado
Total Number of Counties
64
Ranked in the US
#24
104,094 mi²
Ranked in the US
#8
Connecticut
Total Number of Counties
8
Ranked in the US
#47
5,543 mi²
Ranked in the US
#48
Delaware
Total Number of Counties
3
Ranked in the US
#50
2,489 mi²
Ranked in the US
#49
District of Columbia
Total Number of Counties
1
Ranked in the US
#51
68 mi²
Ranked in the US
#51
Florida
Total Number of Counties
67
Ranked in the US
#21
65,758 mi²
Ranked in the US
#22
Georgia
Total Number of Counties
159
Ranked in the US
#2
59,425 mi²
Ranked in the US
#24
Hawaii
Total Number of Counties
5
Ranked in the US
#48
10,932 mi²
Ranked in the US
#43
Idaho
Total Number of Counties
44
Ranked in the US
#32
83,569 mi²
Ranked in the US
#14
Illinois
Total Number of Counties
102
Ranked in the US
#7
57,914 mi²
Ranked in the US
#25
Indiana
Total Number of Counties
92
Ranked in the US
#12
36,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#38
Iowa
Total Number of Counties
99
Ranked in the US
#9
56,273 mi²
Ranked in the US
#26
Kansas
Total Number of Counties
105
Ranked in the US
#6
82,278 mi²
Ranked in the US
#15
Kentucky
Total Number of Counties
120
Ranked in the US
#4
40,408 mi²
Ranked in the US
#37
Louisiana
Total Number of Counties
64
Ranked in the US
#25
52,378 mi²
Ranked in the US
#31
Maine
Total Number of Counties
16
Ranked in the US
#42
35,380 mi²
Ranked in the US
#39
Maryland
Total Number of Counties
24
Ranked in the US
#38
12,406 mi²
Ranked in the US
#42
Massachusetts
Total Number of Counties
14
Ranked in the US
#44
10,554 mi²
Ranked in the US
#44
Michigan
Total Number of Counties
83
Ranked in the US
#15
96,714 mi²
Ranked in the US
#11
Minnesota
Total Number of Counties
87
Ranked in the US
#14
86,936 mi²
Ranked in the US
#12
Mississippi
Total Number of Counties
82
Ranked in the US
#16
48,432 mi²
Ranked in the US
#32
Missouri
Total Number of Counties
115
Ranked in the US
#5
69,707 mi²
Ranked in the US
#21
Montana
Total Number of Counties
56
Ranked in the US
#28
147,040 mi²
Ranked in the US
#4
Nebraska
Total Number of Counties
93
Ranked in the US
#11
77,348 mi²
Ranked in the US
#16
Nevada
Total Number of Counties
17
Ranked in the US
#41
110,572 mi²
Ranked in the US
#7
New Hampshire
Total Number of Counties
10
Ranked in the US
#46
9,349 mi²
Ranked in the US
#46
New Jersey
Total Number of Counties
21
Ranked in the US
#40
8,723 mi²
Ranked in the US
#47
New Mexico
Total Number of Counties
33
Ranked in the US
#35
121,590 mi²
Ranked in the US
#5
New York
Total Number of Counties
62
Ranked in the US
#26
54,555 mi²
Ranked in the US
#27
North Carolina
Total Number of Counties
100
Ranked in the US
#8
53,819 mi²
Ranked in the US
#28
North Dakota
Total Number of Counties
53
Ranked in the US
#30
70,698 mi²
Ranked in the US
#19
Ohio
Total Number of Counties
88
Ranked in the US
#13
44,826 mi²
Ranked in the US
#34
Oklahoma
Total Number of Counties
77
Ranked in the US
#17
69,899 mi²
Ranked in the US
#20
Oregon
Total Number of Counties
36
Ranked in the US
#34
98,379 mi²
Ranked in the US
#9
Pennsylvania
Total Number of Counties
67
Ranked in the US
#22
46,054 mi²
Ranked in the US
#33
Rhode Island
Total Number of Counties
5
Ranked in the US
#49
1,545 mi²
Ranked in the US
#50
South Carolina
Total Number of Counties
46
Ranked in the US
#31
32,020 mi²
Ranked in the US
#40
South Dakota
Total Number of Counties
66
Ranked in the US
#23
77,116 mi²
Ranked in the US
#17
Tennessee
Total Number of Counties
95
Ranked in the US
#10
42,144 mi²
Ranked in the US
#36
Texas
Total Number of Counties
254
Ranked in the US
#1
268,596 mi²
Ranked in the US
#2
Utah
Total Number of Counties
29
Ranked in the US
#37
84,897 mi²
Ranked in the US
#13
Vermont
Total Number of Counties
14
Ranked in the US
#45
9,616 mi²
Ranked in the US
#45
Virginia
Total Number of Counties
133
Ranked in the US
#3
42,775 mi²
Ranked in the US
#35
Washington
Total Number of Counties
39
Ranked in the US
#33
71,298 mi²
Ranked in the US
#18
West Virginia
Total Number of Counties
55
Ranked in the US
#29
24,230 mi²
Ranked in the US
#41
Wisconsin
Total Number of Counties
72
Ranked in the US
#19
65,496 mi²
Ranked in the US
#23
Wyoming
Total Number of Counties
23
Ranked in the US
#39
97,813 mi²
Ranked in the US
#10