Local Government in Maine

Maine's 16 counties are run by a small elected Board of Commissioners, but county government mostly limits itself to the sheriff's department, jail, and emergency services and registries — not the broad range of services many people associate with "the county." For public meetings, zoning, and most records requests, residents should look first to their town or city clerk and select board or council, since Maine follows the strong New England town-government tradition. Over half of Maine's land area is "unorganized territory" with no local government at all; there, the state Land Use Planning Commission and county government jointly cover basic services and land-use decisions.

Most states structure local government as a small elected commission with broad service responsibilities; Maine's county boards instead handle only a narrow slice of services, because historically most governmental power was delegated to towns rather than counties.

Local government in Maine

• County governments16

  The main local government across most of the state.

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• Cities, towns & villages23

  Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.

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• Towns461

  Town governments, which cover most of the state outside its cities.

• School districts101

  Independent school districts, plus 162 school systems run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.

• Special districts226

  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.