Local Wiki · State overview
Local Government in Illinois
How local government works in Illinois, the kinds of local government it has, and where to look for more. For your own county or city, browse Illinois’s Local Wiki pages below.
Most of Illinois's 102 counties use an elected county board (17 smaller counties use a straightforward 3- or 5-member "commission" form) that combines legislative and executive functions and elects its own chair from among its members. Cook County is a well-known single exception — Illinois's only home-rule county — with a larger board and a directly elected County Board President acting more like a chief executive. For a meeting or records request, contact the county board office or county clerk. Illinois elections are run by the separate Illinois State Board of Elections, not the Secretary of State.
Local government in Illinois
- County governments102
The main local government across most of the state.
Browse county pages - Cities, towns & villages1,294
Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.
Browse city & town pages - Townships1,425
Township governments beneath the county, often handling local roads and assistance.
- School districts890
Independent school districts with their own elected boards. Listed on county pages where known.
- Special districts3,208
Single-purpose governments — fire, water, library, parks, housing, transit, and more.
Counts: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments — Government Units listing. A consolidated city-county is counted once.
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