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PPB
• NOVEMBER 2015
GROW
AS OF 2012, THE U.S. was home to more than 89,000 local govern-
ment units, a drop from the previous census conducted in 2007.
Local Governments: A Snapshot
3,031
counties
12,884
independent
school districts**
16,364
townships
19,522
municipalities
37,203
special districts*
Illinois boasts the largest number
of local governments—
6,968
Hawaii has the fewest local
governments
—21
*Special districts are organized local entities other than county, municipal,
township or school district governments that are authorized by state law to
provide only one or a limited number of designated functions. Fire districts,
water districts, library districts and transit authorities are examples.
**School districts are created to provide elementary, secondary and/or higher
education services and have sufficient administrative and fiscal autonomy
to qualify as independent governments. They exclude school systems that are
"dependent" on a county, municipal, township or state government.