What are counties?
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What exactly are counties? This question is the first step in learning about county governments and our collective impact on our communities and the lives of residents.
Counties are one of America’s oldest forms of government, dating back to 1634 when the first county governments (shires) were established along the eastern shores of Virginia. The organization and structure of today’s 3,069 county governments are chartered under state constitutions or laws and are tailored to fit the needs and characteristics of states and local areas.
County governments and our elected and appointed county leaders are instrumental partners in our nation’s intergovernmental system of federal, state, local and tribal officials. This system includes sub-state local compliance, delivery, management and implementation of federal laws, regulations, mandates and services.
This is the first of five modules in Counties 101. To explore what's next in Counties 101, click here.
The History of Counties
County governments trace our roots to the English shires of the 9th century. Rechristened “counties” after the Norman Invasion in 1066, they continued to serve a dual function — acting as administrative arms of the crown or national government as well as the citizens’ local government. Power in the shire/county was shared between the “shire-reeve,” or sheriff, and the justice of the peace.i
Counties evolved as units of local government and administration, but our importance from state to state and region to region varied depending on the economic, social and political conditions of the area.iii
Counties evolved as units of local government and administration, but our importance from state to state and region to region varied depending on the economic, social and political conditions of the area.iii
In 1790, census data reported 292 counties. As the nation continued its westward expansion, the same local government forms followed; as a result, the 19th century was the most active period of county formation in our nation’s history. The Northwest Ordinance allowed the newly settled territories to establish local governments and empowered the governors of those territories to create geographic divisions to serve as a unit of representation. As a result, between 1790 and 1900, over 2,000 counties were formed. Many of the less-settled portions of these states had a few very large counties in comparison to other states, which could then be subdivided as settlement expanded.iv And in some states, such as Texas, officials prioritized keeping local governments small so residents could be closer to the critical services that counties provide.v
After World War II, growth, suburban development and the government reform movement boosted the role of local governments. Those developments set the stage for post-World War II urbanization. In the 1970s and 1980s, a rise in the number of federal programs and unfunded federal mandates put pressure on counties to centralize our administrations and hire additional professional staff to guide operations.
The changes in structure, greater autonomy from the states, rising revenues and stronger political accountability ushered in a new era for county government. Counties began providing an ever-widening range of services. These trends continue today.