How many counties and county-equivalents are there in the United States in 2025?
Executive summary
Sources disagree on the exact 2025 count of U.S. counties and county‑equivalents: widely cited official tallies cluster around about 3,143 to 3,244 units — for example the U.S. Office of Management/OMB figure of 3,143 is cited by the National Association of Counties (NACo) [1], while Wikipedia articles and related aggregations report 3,244 or 3,144 depending on whether territorial equivalents are included [2] [3]. Commercial data vendors give slightly different totals as of mid‑2025 — SimpleMaps reports "over 3,234" entries in its June 11, 2025 dataset [4].
1. Why counts vary: different definitions, territories and equivalents
Counting “counties” is not a single technical exercise; it depends on whether you include independent cities, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico’s municipios, and the 100 Census‑recognized territory equivalents — sources explicitly show those categories change totals. Wikipedia’s consolidated list explains the 50 states have 3,007 political subdivisions called counties plus 237 county‑equivalents (including DC and 100 territorial equivalents), producing totals reported as 3,244 or variants near that number [3]. NACo, relying on OMB/Census classifications, reports 3,143 counties and county equivalents as its working figure [1].
2. Official practice: how the Census Bureau and OMB treat “equivalents”
The Census Bureau and OMB define county equivalents to include independent cities, single federal districts, and certain territorial subdivisions; those definitions drive official statistics used for data products and mapping [5] [1]. The Census’ County Adjacency File and other geography products list every county or county‑equivalent for the 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico and island areas, and the 2025 product year reiterates those inclusions [5].
3. Recent adjustments that complicate longitudinal counts
Changes in how areas are categorized shift headline totals without new counties being created. For example, the Census Bureau recognized Connecticut’s nine councils of government as county equivalents in 2022; such reclassifications alter statistical counts even though historical county names remain [3]. Wikipedia notes similar semantics: some New England counties exist only as geographic or census boundaries and may be treated differently over time [2].
4. Commercial datasets and scraped lists: up‑to‑date but non‑uniform
Private data providers and online lists regularly publish their own tabulations. SimpleMaps’ June 11, 2025 export claims “over 3,234 counties” in its download — a practical, aggregated product but one that may reflect vendor choices about which equivalents to include [4]. WorldPopulationReview and other aggregators report 3,243 or 3,243+ based on their own counts and interpretations [6]. These are useful but not identical to OMB or Census official tallies.
5. Which number should you use? Guidance for researchers and journalists
If you need an authoritative, reproducible count for federal statistics or mapping, rely on the U.S. Office of Management/Census definitions as summarized by NACo and Census products (the commonly cited official figure in recent reporting is 3,143 county and county equivalents) [1] [5]. If you need the most up‑to‑date commercial dataset for applied work (GIS, apps), vendors such as SimpleMaps publish refreshed lists — expect totals like “over 3,234” and verify their inclusion rules [4].
6. What the disagreement reveals about hidden assumptions
Discrepancies reflect implicit agendas: encyclopedias and aggregators may aim for comprehensive listings that include every territorial subdivision and historical county; official agencies prioritize consistent statistical definitions; vendors prioritize utility and currency for customers [3] [4] [1]. Always check whether a source includes territorial equivalents, independent cities, and recent reclassifications before citing a single total.
Limitations and next steps: available sources do not provide a single universally updated "official" 2025 count in this packet; to resolve for a specific use, consult the Census 2025 county listing or the OMB/GIS master file and then state‑level statutes for any recent boundary or status changes [5] [1].