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List of Counties in United States
A county is an administrative subdivision of a US state or territory. As of 2021, there are a total of 3143 counties and the county-equivalent the United States. The 50 states of the United States are divided into 3,007 counties, political and geographic subdivisions of a state.
The 236 county equivalents include 100 equivalents in the territories (such as those in Puerto Rico) outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
also read about Top Cities in United States
Number of Counties by US States
| # | States | Area (sq. mi) | Counties/ County equivalents |
| 1 | Alabama | 50,645 | 67 |
| 2 | Alaska | 5,70,641 | 30 |
| 3 | Arizona | 1,13,594 | 15 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 52,035 | 75 |
| 5 | California | 1,55,779 | 58 |
| 6 | Colorado | 1,03,642 | 64 |
| 7 | Connecticut | 4,842 | 8 |
| 8 | Delaware | 1,949 | 3 |
| 9 | Florida | 53,625 | 67 |
| 10 | Georgia | 57,513 | 159 |
| 11 | Hawaii | 6,423 | 5 |
| 12 | Idaho | 82,643 | 44 |
| 13 | Illinois | 55,519 | 102 |
| 14 | Indiana | 35,826 | 92 |
| 15 | Iowa | 55,857 | 99 |
| 16 | Kansas | 81,759 | 105 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 39,486 | 120 |
| 18 | Louisiana | 43,204 | 64 |
| 19 | Maine | 30,843 | 16 |
| 20 | Maryland | 9,707 | 24 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | 7,800 | 14 |
| 22 | Michigan | 56,539 | 83 |
| 23 | Minnesota | 79,627 | 87 |
| 24 | Mississippi | 46,923 | 82 |
| 25 | Missouri | 68,742 | 115 |
| 26 | Montana | 1,45,546 | 56 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 76,824 | 93 |
| 28 | Nevada | 1,09,781 | 17 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | 8,953 | 10 |
| 30 | New Jersey | 7,354 | 21 |
| 31 | New Mexico | 1,21,298 | 33 |
| 32 | New York (state) | 47,126 | 62 |
| 33 | North Carolina | 48,618 | 100 |
| 34 | North Dakota | 69,001 | 53 |
| 35 | Ohio | 40,861 | 88 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | 68,595 | 77 |
| 37 | Oregon | 95,988 | 36 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 44,743 | 67 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 1,034 | 5 |
| 40 | South Carolina | 30,061 | 46 |
| 41 | South Dakota | 75,811 | 66 |
| 42 | Tennessee | 41,235 | 95 |
| 43 | Texas | 2,61,232 | 254 |
| 44 | Utah | 82,170 | 29 |
| 45 | Vermont | 9,217 | 14 |
| 46 | Virginia | 39,490 | 133 |
| 47 | Washington (state) | 66,456 | 39 |
| 48 | West Virginia | 24,038 | 55 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | 54,158 | 72 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 97,093 | 23 |
| – | Washington DC | 61 | 1 |
Most Populous Counties in United States
Four of the top 10 most populated counties are in California, and 2 are in Texas. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California, home to 10 million residents, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. This number is greater than the population of 41 U.S. states.
The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois, boasting a population of 5 million. Remarkably, Cook County’s population surpasses that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. Following closely, Harris County in Texas holds the third-largest population among counties in the United States.
Let’s have a look at the Top 10 most populous counties
| Rank | County | State | Population |
| 1 | Los Angeles County | California | 9,829,544 |
| 2 | Cook County | Illinois | 5,173,146 |
| 3 | Harris County | Texas | 4,728,030 |
| 4 | Maricopa County | Arizona | 4,496,588 |
| 5 | San Diego County | California | 3,286,069 |
| 6 | Orange County | California | 3,167,809 |
| 7 | Miami-Dade County | Florida | 2,662,777 |
| 8 | Kings County | New York | 2,641,052 |
| 9 | Dallas County | Texas | 2,586,050 |
| 10 | Riverside County | California | 2,458,395 |
source: US Census 2021
* Alaska is divided into boroughs and census areas, If included with the remainder of the counties Alaska’s boroughs and census areas would occupy the largest 11.
Least Populated US County
The least populous county is Loving County, Texas, with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll, Northern Islands Municipality, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, and Navassa Island
The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either.
Largest counties in the United States by area
United States’ largest county by Land Area is San Bernardino County, California, with a land area of 20,052.5 square miles (51,947 km2). It’s followed by Coconino County in Arizona and Nye County in Nevada. Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia is 343 sq mi (890 km2), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km2).
Let’s have a look at the Top 10 most populous counties
| Rank | County | State | Land area (sq. miles) |
| 1 | San Bernardino County | California | 20,052.5 |
| 2 | Coconino County | Arizona | 18,617.42 |
| 3 | Nye County | Nevada | 18,146.66 |
| 4 | Elko County | Nevada | 17,179.03 |
| 5 | Mohave County | Arizona | 13,311.64 |
| 6 | Apache County | Arizona | 11,204.88 |
| 7 | Lincoln County | Nevada | 10,633.61 |
| 8 | Sweetwater County | Wyoming | 10,425.3 |
| 9 | Inyo County | California | 10,203.1 |
| 10 | Harney County | Oregon | 10,134.33 |
source: US Census
Smallest US County by area
The smallest county by area is Kalawao County, Hawaii, with a land area of 12 square miles (31.058 km2). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia, with a land area of 2 square miles (5.177 km2).
Top 10 densely populated US Counties
The most densely populated county is New York County, New York (coextensive with the New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 66940 persons per square mile.
Let’s have a look at the Top 10 densely populated counties
| Rank | County name | State | Pop/mile2 |
| 1 | New York County | New York | 66,940.07 |
| 2 | Kings County | New York | 34,916.64 |
| 3 | Bronx County | New York | 31,709.34 |
| 4 | Queens County | New York | 20,408.98 |
| 5 | 16,634.37 | ||
| 6 | Hudson County | New Jersey | 13,043.62 |
| 7 | Suffolk County | Massachusetts | 11,788.35 |
| 8 | Philadelphia County | Pennsylvania | 11,233.61 |
| 9 | City of Alexandria | Virginia | 8,451.99 |
| 10 | Baltimore | Maryland | 8058.4 |
source: US Census
Least Densely Populated County in the US
The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147/km2)
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