Independent city (United States) facts for kids
An independent city in the United States is a special kind of city. It's a city that doesn't belong to any county. Think of it like a city that manages its own affairs completely, without being part of a larger county government.
What is an Independent City?
Most cities and towns in the U.S. are part of a county. A county is a local government area, like a region, that helps manage things for the towns and cities within it. But an independent city is different. It acts like its own county. This means it handles all the services and rules that a county would normally handle.
Where Are Independent Cities Found?
There are 41 independent cities in the United States. Most of them, 38 to be exact, are in the state of Virginia. Virginia's state rules say that all cities there are independent. This means they are separate from the counties that surround them.
Besides Virginia, there are three other independent cities in the U.S.:
These cities also manage their own local government without being part of a larger county system.
Images for kids
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Sign marking the limits of Williamsburg, Virginia and James City County, Virginia. All cities in Virginia are independent from the counties that surround them.
