What State has the Most Counties?

Counties are smaller parts of a state or country. They help with things like organizing elections and managing areas. Each county usually has its government to take care of services like police, schools, and roads. In this article, we will learn about what state has the most counties, the largest and the smallest counties, and much more.

State with Most Counties

Currently, the state of Texas, has the largest number of counties in the United States. The state is divided into 254 counties. In 1836, upon gaining its freedom from Spanish rule, the Republic of Texas had 23 municipalities. These municipalities, later on, became the original counties of the state. Check out this map for locating all the counties of Texas on a map: Texas County Map.

Kenedy County, with its seat at Sarita, is the newest county and was established in 1921. Brewster County is the largest county in Texas, covering an area of 6193 square miles and Rockwall County is the smallest with an area of 149 square miles. In terms of population, Harris County is the largest having a population of 4,835,125 people, while Loving County is the smallest with just 94 people, as of 2024.

How Many Counties are There in the USA?

The United States comprises a total of 3,242 counties and county equivalents. This total includes the standard counties found nationwide, and unique entities such as parishes in Louisiana, boroughs in Alaska, and independent cities in Virginia. Check out this to know more: US County Map.

Largest County in the USA

San Bernardino County, situated in California, is the largest county in the United States, in terms of land area. It spans about 20,105 square miles (52,070 square kilometers), larger than the state of Vermont. 

By population, the largest county in the USA is Los Angeles County, California. Los Angeles County has a population of over 10 million people. That’s more people than in the entire state of New York.

Smallest County in the USA

Kalawao County in Hawaii is the smallest county in the United States, spanning just 53 square miles (137 square kilometers). Situated on the island of Molokai, Kalawao County is notable for its tiny population and limited local governance. As of 2022, the county had only 82 residents. The state of Hawaii manages the county’s administration, with no elected officials serving in Kalawao County.

States with Most Counties

Here is the list of 50 states of the US with the number of counties in descending order:

1. Texas – 254 counties
2. Georgia – 159 counties
3. Virginia – 133 counties and independent cities
4. Kentucky – 120 counties
5. Missouri – 114 counties
6. Kansas – 105 counties
7. Illinois – 102 counties
8. North Carolina – 100 counties
9. Iowa – 99 counties
10. Tennessee – 95 counties
11. Nebraska – 93 counties
12. Indiana – 92 counties
13. Ohio – 88 counties
14. Minnesota – 87 counties
15. Mississippi – 82 counties
16. Oklahoma – 77 counties
17. Arkansas – 75 counties
18. Wisconsin – 72 counties
19. Pennsylvania – 67 counties
20. Alabama – 67 counties
21. Florida – 67 counties
22. South Dakota – 66 counties
23. Louisiana – 64 parishes
24. Michigan – 83 counties
25. Colorado – 64 counties
26. New York – 62 counties
27. Montana – 56 counties
28. West Virginia – 55 counties
29. North Dakota – 53 counties
30. Washington – 39 counties
31. South Carolina – 46 counties
32. Oregon – 36 counties
33. New Mexico – 33 counties
34. Alaska – 29 boroughs/census areas
35. Maryland – 23 counties
36. Hawaii – 5 counties
37. Massachusetts – 14 counties
38. Vermont – 14 counties
39. Connecticut – 8 counties
40. New Hampshire – 10 counties
41. New Jersey – 21 counties
42. Maine – 16 counties
43. Rhode Island – 5 counties
44. Delaware – 3 counties
45. Idaho – 44 counties
46. Arizona – 15 counties
47. Nevada – 16 counties
48. Utah – 29 counties
49. Wyoming – 23 counties
50. California – 58 counties

Related Links

• Key Facts about USA
• How Wide is the United States?
• Largest State in USA