Local Government in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has 10 counties with an elected board of commissioners, but their role is narrow: mainly the sheriff's department, county attorney, corrections, and a county nursing home. Virtually all day-to-day local governance — zoning, permits, police and fire, most public meetings — happens at the town or city level, often through the traditional New England town-meeting or select-board system. A resident looking for a public meeting or records request should generally start with their town or city clerk, not the county.

Most states structure local government as a small elected county commission with combined legislative and executive power; New Hampshire instead vests most everyday local governance in towns and cities, a legacy of the New England town-meeting tradition.

Local government in New Hampshire

• County governments10

  The main local government across most of the state.

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• Cities, towns & villages13

  Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.

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• Towns221

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

• School districts166

  Independent school districts, plus 10 school systems run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.

• Special districts128

  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.