Local Government in Maryland

Maryland's 23 counties split roughly three ways: 6 use a traditional small elected "county commissioners" board with no separate executive; 6 more are "code home rule" counties that still use an elected Board of County Commissioners but with expanded local law-making power; and 11 are "charter" counties with a separately elected county council, most of which also have a separately elected county executive. Because the charter counties include most of the state's largest, most populous jurisdictions, many Marylanders live under a council-executive system even though a slim majority of counties (by count, not population) still use a commissioners-only board. Check your own county's structure specifically — in commissioner or code counties, the county commissioners are your point of contact; in charter counties, it's typically the county council and, where one exists, the county executive's office.

Most states use one county government structure fairly consistently; Maryland is genuinely mixed, with no single dominant pattern — the right contact depends entirely on which of its 23 counties you live in.

Local government in Maryland

• County governments23

  The main local government across most of the state.

  Browse county pagesarrow_forward
• Cities, towns & villages157

  Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.

  Browse city & town pagesarrow_forward
• School districts0

  Independent school districts, plus 39 school systems run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.

• Special districts158

  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.