Local Wiki · State overview
Local Government in Pennsylvania
How local government works in Pennsylvania, the kinds of local government it has, and where to look for more. For your own county or city, browse Pennsylvania’s Local Wiki pages below.
The large majority of counties (59 of 67) are run by a 3-member elected Board of County Commissioners combining legislative and executive power. Eight counties have adopted home-rule charters that replace this system — some (e.g. Allegheny, Erie) now have a separately elected county executive plus a multi-member council. Residents in a typical, non-charter county would attend commissioners' meetings and route records requests to the county's Right-to-Know Law open-records officer. Philadelphia is a distinct quirk worth flagging separately: it's simultaneously a city and a county with fully merged government, so Philadelphia residents have no separate county government to contact at all — specific to that one city, not a statewide pattern.
Local government in Pennsylvania
- County governments66
The main local government across most of the state.
Browse county pages - Cities, towns & villages1,013
Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.
Browse city & town pages - Townships1,546
Township governments beneath the county, often handling local roads and assistance.
- School districts514
Independent school districts with their own elected boards. Listed on county pages where known.
- Special districts1,698
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.
Continue your own research