Counties raise over $775 billion each year to provide a wide array of services to over 300 million county residents throughout the U.S. Operating
within the diverse legal frameworks each state imposes to regulate county and municipal revenue generation, county governments generate over two-thirds of our revenue, whether from local taxes, charges for services or other sources, which we invest in key service areas from public health and human services to justice, public safety and infrastructure

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The County Landscape Project

County landscape

The County Landscape Project: Maps and Stats

Counties are vital to the foundation of our communities, helping shape the places where we live, work and thrive. From maintaining critical infrastructure and delivering essential public services to fostering economic growth and ensuring public safety, county governments play a pivotal role in the daily lives of millions of Americans.

Colonial Map

The County Landscape Project: A Primer on Our History, Definitions, Structures and Authorities

An in-depth look into the history of counties, our authority and structure, key county services and responsibilities and the intergovernmental partnership

Construction

The County Landscape Project: Service Provision and the Public Workforce

Counties are vital to the foundation of our communities, helping shape the places where we live, work and thrive. From maintaining critical infrastructure and delivering essential public services to fostering economic growth and ensuring public safety, county governments play a pivotal role in the daily lives of millions of Americans.

Woman at voting booth

The County Landscape Project: An Overview of County-Level Election Administration

From voter registration to the final count, county governments are the foundation upon which free and fair elections stand. NACo's research brief examines the scope of responsibilities, variations in local election systems and canvassing procedures, and funding for election costs. 

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U.S. Senate passes amended reconciliation bill text: What it means for counties

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County Leaders Visit Washington to Share Local Perspective on Budget Reconciliation

Elected officials from five states sound alarm about administrative and funding changes to SNAP and Medicaid.

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On June 12,  the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 (H.R. 4) in a narrow 214-212 vote. The legislation would cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved federal funding, marking the Trump Administration’s first formal attempt to codify funding cuts proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).