Local Wiki · State overview
Local Government in Tennessee
How local government works in Tennessee, the kinds of local government it has, and where to look for more. For your own county or city, browse Tennessee’s Local Wiki pages below.
Since a 1978 constitutional reform, every Tennessee county elects both a County Commission (the legislative body, up to 25 members) and, separately, a County Mayor who serves as the county's constitutional chief executive — two distinct elected offices, not one combined board. A resident would attend County Commission meetings for policy and budget votes but contact the County Mayor's office for day-to-day administrative matters. Tennessee also has three fully consolidated city-county governments (most notably Nashville-Davidson), but that's limited to those specific communities, not the general statewide structure.
Most states combine legislative and executive power into a single small elected county board; Tennessee instead elects a separate county executive (mayor) alongside its county commission, a structural split most states don't have at the county level.
Local government in Tennessee
- County governments92
The main local government across most of the state.
Browse county pages - Cities, towns & villages345
Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.
Browse city & town pages - School districts14
Independent school districts, plus 128 school systems run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.
- Special districts449
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.
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