Massachusetts Counties - Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods, Maps & Data

There are 14 counties in Massachusetts. Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties have active county governments, each governed by a board of county commissioners. Nantucket County and Nantucket town are governmentally consolidated and have a single set of officials. Suffolk County and Boston city are governmentally consolidated and have a single set of officials. Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, and Worcester counties are no longer legal governmental units.

There are 357 county subdivisions in Massachusetts known as minor civil divisions (MCDs). There are 298 towns with functioning, but not necessarily active, governments. The 53 incorporated places are independent of MCDs and serve as county subdivisions. In addition there are six MCDs each consisting entirely of water area within the territorial limits of Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, towns and cities are usually the main providers of local government services. The entire state is covered by town governments with the exception of the areas within cities. The governing body in each town and city is the board of selectmen.