The ten Largest Counties within the U.S

In the US, the time period “county” represents an administrative subdivision of a state, with clearly drawn boundaries. Most counties have a county seat the place its administrative capabilities are centered. Of the 50 particular person states that make up the US, 48 of them use the time period ‘county.’ Two states, Alaska and Louisiana are usually not divided into counties. As an alternative, Alaska makes use of the phrases “borough” and “census areas” whereas Louisiana makes use of “parishes” to explain its administrative areas.

Most significantly, there are 3,144 counties within the U.S, and the areas of every county fluctuate broadly between the states. The biggest counties in the US by complete space (each land and water floor areas) are all located within the western a part of the nation. These are the one counties with complete land and water floor space of greater than 10,000 sq. miles. This implies every of them is bigger than your entire state of Vermont at 9,620 miles! 

Nevertheless, be aware that Alaska and Louisiana would not have counties, subsequently are usually not included on this listing. If included with the rest of the counties within the U.S, Alaska’s boroughs and census areas would simply high the listing as a result of they’re bigger than all of the counties in the US. 

Under is a listing of the ten largest counties in the US by space, ranked from lowest to highest as reported by the US Census Bureau.

10 Largest Counties within the U.S

10. Harney County, Oregon (10,226 sq. miles)

At 10,226 sq. miles of complete land and water floor space, Harney county is the tenth largest county in the US and the biggest in Oregon. It’s, in reality, bigger in space than six U.S. States mixed! Harney County was named in honor of William S. Barney, a well-liked navy officer in 1889. The inhabitants of Harney County was 7,495 in 2020, making it the sixth-least populous county in Oregon. The county seat is in Burns and it’s the tenth of the one 10 counties within the U.S. with greater than 10,000 sq. miles of space (excluding boroughs and census areas in Alaska).

9. Inyo County, California (10,192 sq. miles)

With a complete land and water floor space of 10,192 sq. miles, Inyo County is the ninth-largest county by space in the usand the second-largest in California, after San Bernardino County. In accordance with the 2020 census, the county has a inhabitants of 19,016, being predominantly Whites. The county seat is in Independence. Notable points of interest in Inyo county are Mushroom Rock, Mount Whitney, Dying Valley Nationwide Park.

8. Sweetwater County, Wyoming (10,491 sq. miles)

The eighth-largest county in the US, Sweetwater County has a complete land and water floor space of 10,491 sq. miles –bigger than six particular person states put collectively! As of the 2020 United States Census, the inhabitants was 42,272, making it the fourth-most populous county in Wyoming. Its county seat is Inexperienced River and it was named after the Sweetwater River, which is part of the Mississippi River system. Sweetwater County includes the Inexperienced River, Rock Springs, and the Wyoming Micropolitan Statistical Space. 

7. Lincoln County, Nevada (10,637 sq. miles)

Whereas solely the third-largest county by space within the state of Nevada, it’s the seventh-largest county by space in the US, with complete land and water floor space of 10,637 sq. miles. Situated in the usstate of Nevada, Lincoln County is dry and sparsely populated. As of the 2018 census, the inhabitants was solely about 5,201. It’s named after President Lincoln and the nation seat is Pioche Template. Lincoln County is notable for being residence to the Space 51 Air Drive base. There are 16 official wilderness areas in Lincoln County alone, in addition to Pahranagat Nationwide Wildlife Refuge and elements of Desert Nationwide Wildlife Refuge and Humboldt Nationwide Forest. 

6. Apache County, Arizona (11,218 sq. miles)

Formed in an extended rectangle working from north to south, Apache County is situated within the northeast nook of Arizona. Apache County has a complete land and water floor space of 11,218 sq. miles making it the sixth-largest county by space in the US and the third-largest in Arizona. It has a inhabitants of 71,818 folks and the county seat is St. Johns. The Navajo Nation and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation are federally acknowledged tribes that occupy a serious a part of the county. It additionally comprises a part of Petrified Forest Nationwide Park, whereas Canyon de Chelly Nationwide Monument is solely inside the county.

5. Mohave County, Arizona (13,461 sq. miles) 

That is the fifth-largest county in the US, with a complete land and water floor space of 13,461 sq. miles. Situated within the northwestern a part of Arizona, Mohave County comprises the Kaibab, Fort Mojave, and Hualapai Indian Reservations. Its county seat is Kingman. As of the 2020 census, the inhabitants of Mohave County was 213,267 and its largest metropolis is Lake Havasu Metropolis. This nation additionally comprises elements of Grand Canyon Nationwide Park and Lake Mead Nationwide Recreation Space and the entire Grand Canyon–Parashant Nationwide Monument. Additionally it is notable for being residence to the massive Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

4. Elko County, Nevada (17,203 sq. miles)

Established from Lander County in 1869, Elko County was named after the county seat of Elko. With a complete land and water floor space of 17,203 sq. miles, it’s the fourth-largest county by space in the US. As of the 2019 census, it had a inhabitants of 52,778 folks, made up of largely European Individuals, Latinos, Hispanics, and First Nation Individuals. The county is within the Pacific Time Zone, although few communities similar to Mountain Metropolis, Owyhee, Jackpot, and Jarbidge observe the Mountain Time Zone as a consequence of their financial relations with the neighboring state of Idaho.

3. Nye County, Nevada (18,159 Sq. miles)

At 18,159 sq. miles of land and water space, Nye County is Nevada’s largest county by space and the third-largest county in the US. This nation was named after James W. Nye, the primary Governor of the Nevada Territory. Nye County’s land space is bigger than that of Maryland, Hawaii, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and bigger than the mixed space of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Delaware. As of the 2019 census, the inhabitants was 46,523. The county seat in Tonopah is the place about 86% of the county’s inhabitants resides. The main vacationer points of interest in Nye County are the Nevada Check Web site, the Grand Canyon, the Nationwide Wildlife Refuge, the White River Valley, the Ash Meadows, and the Nice Basin Sky Islands.

2. Coconino County, Arizona (18,661 sq. miles)

Coconino County in Arizona has a complete space of 18,661 sq. miles of which 18,619 sq. miles are land and 43 sq. miles (0.2%) are coated by water. It’s the second-largest county by space in the US and the biggest in Arizona. It has extra land space than 9 U.S states! Its county seat is Flagstaff and the inhabitants of 143,476 folks in Coconino County constitutes principally federally designated Indian reservations, second in scale solely to Apache County. The reservations are the Navajo, Hualapai, Hopi, Havasupai, and Kaibab. Coconino County is well-known for the Flagstaff metropolitan statistical space and the Grand Canyon Nationwide Park. 

1. San Bernardino County, California (20,105 sq. miles)

San Bernardino County in California is the biggest county in the US by space with a complete floor space of 20,105 sq. miles! Additionally it is the biggest county in California and is bigger than 9 U.S states mixed —that is near the scale of the state of West Virginia and can be barely bigger than the nation of Switzerland in sq. miles! This huge county is a part of the Inland Empire area, spanning an space from south of the San Bernardino Mountains to the Nevada border and the Colorado River. As of 2020, over 2 million folks lived in San Bernardino County, making it the fifth-largest county when it comes to inhabitants. With 53.7% of them being Hispanics, it’s thought-about California’s most populous majority-Hispanic county and the second-largest nationwide. There are no less than 35 official wilderness areas in San Bernardino County, the biggest variety of any county in the US.