Texas and Colorado drove most of this year's rise in US local governments
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The United States had 91,780 governments in 2026, 291 more than a year earlier, according to annual counts the Census Bureau released September 24. Texas and Colorado accounted for 254 of that net gain, nearly all of it in special districts.
The total includes the federal government, the 50 state governments, and 91,729 local governments active as of the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2026.
Special districts are local governments created for a specific job, such as fire protection, water supply, or flood control, and run separately from any city or county. There were 40,511 of them this year, up 312 from 2025. They now make up 44 percent of all local governments, more than any other type.
Every other type held flat or shrank. The count of municipalities stayed at 19,489 and counties at 3,031. Townships fell by 11, to 16,173, and independent school districts fell by 10, to 12,525.
| Type of local government | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special districts | 40,199 | 40,511 | +312 |
| Municipalities | 19,489 | 19,489 | 0 |
| Townships | 16,184 | 16,173 | −11 |
| Independent school districts | 12,535 | 12,525 | −10 |
| Counties | 3,031 | 3,031 | 0 |
| All local governments | 91,438 | 91,729 | +291 |
Texas added 149 local governments, the most of any state, for a total of 5,795. Its special districts rose by 150 while its school districts fell by one. Colorado added 105, all special districts, bringing it to 4,158. Colorado now has 3,643 special districts, more than any other state, and they make up 88 percent of its local governments.
In both states, most of the growth came in the bureau's broad category of multiple-function districts that do not fit a narrower label. Nationally, that category grew by 276, to 6,218.
North Carolina moved the other way. It lost 74 local governments, falling to 886, because its count of soil and water conservation districts dropped from 90 to 17. That one change accounts for most of the 83-district national decline in that category, which now totals 2,450.
Among single-purpose special districts, fire protection districts are the most common, at 5,974. Water supply districts (3,553), housing and community development districts (3,292), and drainage and flood control districts (3,008) follow.
Illinois still has the most local governments by a wide margin, with 6,933. Pennsylvania (4,835) and California (4,546) rank behind Texas and ahead of Colorado.
Measured against population, the Plains states stand out. Using the Census Bureau's 2025 population estimates, North Dakota has 318 local governments for every 100,000 residents, nearly 12 times the national rate of about 27. South Dakota (202), Wyoming (145), Nebraska (127), and Kansas (126) are next. At the other end, Hawaii has 21 local governments, or 1.5 per 100,000 residents. Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia each have fewer than 6 per 100,000.
The national total is far below its 1942 level of 155,116. It bottomed out at 78,269 in 1972 and has risen with every count since.
The Census Bureau publishes these counts every year and takes a fuller Census of Governments every five years, in years ending in 2 and 7. Population figures for every state, county, and city are on each place's page on CensusEasy, starting with the national profile.
Sources
Government counts are from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2026 Government Organization Tables (released September 24, 2026), including Government Units by State: Years 1942 to 2026, Local Governments by Type and State: 2026, and Special District Governments by Function and State: 2026, with 2025 comparisons from the bureau's 2025 tables. The release is described in the bureau's tip sheet. Governments per 100,000 residents were calculated by CensusEasy using Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates.
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How many governments are there in the United States?
The Census Bureau counted 91,780 in 2026. That includes the federal government, 50 state governments, and 91,729 local governments, among them 40,511 special districts, 19,489 municipalities, 16,173 townships, 12,525 independent school districts, and 3,031 counties.
What is a special district?
A special district is a local government created for a specific job, such as fire protection, water supply, or flood control, and run separately from any city or county. They are the most common type of local government, at 44 percent of the 2026 total.
Which state has the most local governments?
Illinois, with 6,933 in 2026, followed by Texas with 5,795 and Pennsylvania with 4,835. Relative to population, North Dakota has the most, with 318 local governments for every 100,000 residents, compared with about 27 nationally.
