Local Government in New Jersey

New Jersey's practical reality is dominated by its roughly 565 municipalities and townships, which under the state's strong "home rule" tradition handle most everyday local services — that's usually who a resident should contact first. At the county level, most counties (16 of 21) use a traditional elected Board of County Commissioners that exercises executive functions through an appointed administrator; five more populous counties (Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Mercer) instead elect a separate County Executive with independent authority. Counties handle courts, jails, roads and bridges, social services, and election administration.

Most states put the bulk of local governance at the county level under a small elected commission board; New Jersey instead splits real authority between hundreds of independently powerful municipalities (its dominant "home rule" pattern) and a county layer that itself varies in structure from county to county.

Local government in New Jersey

• County governments21

  The main local government across most of the state.

  Browse county pagesarrow_forward
• Cities, towns & villages323

  Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.

  Browse city & town pagesarrow_forward
• Townships241

  Township governments beneath the county, often handling local roads and assistance.

• School districts521

  Independent school districts, plus 72 school systems run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.

• Special districts222

  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.