Administrative divisions of Michigan facts for kids

The state of Michigan is largely divided in the same way as many other U.S. states, but is distinct in its usage of charter townships. Michigan ranks 13th among the fifty states in terms of the number of local governmental entities.

The state is divided into 83 counties, and further divided into 1,240 townships, 280 cities, and 253 villages. Additionally, the state consists of 553 school districts, 57 intermediate school districts, 14 planning and development regions, and over 300 special districts and authorities.

County

Michigan is divided into 83 counties, the primary administrative division of Michigan. This local government division has its greatest effect on unincorporated lands within the county, and can provide service which can include law enforcement, justice administration, health care, among other basic services. Where places within the county are incorporated, and thus granted home rule, the power of the county government is greatly diminished.

The government of the state's counties is generally structured as county board of commissioners, which function as the legislative body of the county with some executive powers with several elected executive officers as required by the state constitution from the sheriff, county clerk, county treasurer, register of deeds, and prosecuting attorney.

With few exceptions, most local government services in Michigan are provided at the city or township level. County governments are limited mostly to operating the local criminal justice system, maintaining vital records and partnering with the state in providing social services.

Road commissions

While considered a part of the county government in Michigan, the county road commission is a separate independent unit of government from the general county government. A county road commission may be dissolved and its powers, duties, and functions transferred to general county government either by a resolution of the county board of commissioners in counties which have appointed road commissioners or by an election in counties with elected road commissioners. A board of county road commissioners consists of three or five members either elected or appointed by the county board of commissioners. Road commissions are responsible for snow removal, maintaining road, bridge and roadside ditches.

City

The city is one of two types of incorporated municipality, the other being the village. Of the three types of local government, cities are the most autonomous type as they all have some level of home rule. Upon incorporation a city is withdrawn from the township(s) in which it was incorporated. Cities report to the state through the county or counties in which they are located but they are not subject to county oversight. Cities also have the most delegated responsibilities and duties of any municipality having more things they shall do than may do.

As of 2016^[update], there are 280 incorporated cities in Michigan of which 275 have a regular charter, one a special charter, and four a fourth class charter (Harrisville, Omer, Sandusky, and Yale).

Villages

Villages are the second kind of incorporated place in Michigan. Unlike cities, villages are not completely administratively autonomous of the township(s) in which they are located, reducing their home rule powers. Because of this, statistically, their population is also included in the population of the township in which they reside. Village governments are required to share some of the responsibilities and duties to their residents with the township. Hence, village residents pay both township and village taxes.

As of 2016, there are 253 villages in Michigan, of which 46 are designated home rule villages, and 207 as general law villages.

Township

In Michigan, townships are a statutory unit of local government, meaning that they have only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. They are the most basic form of local government in Michigan, and should be distinguished from survey townships. All Michigan residents who do not live in an incorporated city live in a township. As of May 2024, there were 1,240 civil townships, divided into general law townships with the basic powers of local government, and charter townships with somewhat superior authority and privileges.

Special units

Special districts and other public bodies may be set up as authorized by the legislation required by the State Constitution Article VIII sections 27 (Metropolitan governments and authorities) and 28 (cooperative agreements). The primary laws passed under sections 28 was the Urban Cooperation Act 7 of 1967 (Ex. Sess.) that allow cooperative agreements between existing municipalities to form joint governmental bodies to operate a share governmental function.