County Roles & Responsibilities

Roads

• There are 4.1 million public road miles within county boundaries across the nation where most trips both start and end. Counties own nearly 45 percent of these public road miles – 1.8 million road miles in total – more than any other level of government.
• County governments invest $30 billion annually towards the maintenance, operation, repair and construction of toll and non-toll highways.

Bridges

• Counties own and maintain 38 percent of the 607,000 bridges that compose the National Bridge Inventory, and 61 percent of our nation's 280,000 off-system bridges.
• According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 7.5 percent of the nation’s bridges are considered structurally deficient. With the bipartisan infrastructure law, counties are investing funds to improve bridge conditions.

Airports & Seaports

• Counties are involved in the operation of 34 percent of airports.
• Counties invest over $6 billion in air transportation for the provision, operation, construction and support of airport facilities 
• Counties invest over $550 million in the operation, maintenance and support of sea and inland port facilities

Transit Agencies

• Counties are involved in 40 percent of public transit systems across the nation
• Annually, counties invest more than $23 billion in the operation, maintenance and construction of public mass transit systems, including subways, surface rails, ferries and buses.

County officials play a crucial role in pursuing sustainable broadband access, affordability and reliability solutions.

Approximately 13 percent of Americans in rural areas and 17 percent of Americans in tribal lands still lack access to broadband that meets the federal definition for minimum standards.

Counties play a direct role in the health and well-being of residents, investing more than $163 billion in community health, hospitals and human services annually, investing:

• $62.8 billion to serve as a safety net for millions of residents and deliver vital services to our nation’s most vulnerable populations. 
• $100 billion in community health and hospitals annually, including more than $41 billion for the provision of community and public health services, and more than $59 billion in operating county-owned hospital facilities

Additionally, counties play a critical role in protecting public health through overseeing more than 1,900 local public health departments.

America’s 3,069 counties are integral to the nation’s behavioral health system. Counties plan and operate community-based services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use conditions through 750 behavioral health authorities and community providers.

• In 33 states, counties are actively engaged in delivering traditional mental health services to residents. In more than half of these states (18), counties have significant involvement in health and human services.
• In 40 states plus the District of Columbia, there is at least one mental health facility operated by a regional/district authority or county, local or municipal government. 
• Across 48 states plus the District of Columbia, there is at least one mental health facility that accepts county or local government funds as a source of payment for mental health treatment services.

In local communities, counties are prioritizing the needs of residents and constructing a foundation for sustained resiliency.

County leaders directly facilitate the implementation of public policy and services which have tangible ramifications in the lives of residents

Additionally, county leaders are leveraging the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) state and local fiscal recovery fund to bolster the local workforce.

Counties support the public education system through various mechanisms, including an annual investment of $103 billion.

Total county education investments, including elementary and secondary education, higher education, current operations, construction, other capital outlay and intergovernmental transfers.

Counties also support workforce development in our communities and are involved in 90 percent of workforce development boards, and employ 1 in 50 Americans.

Housing challenges are a longstanding issue. High housing costs are placing great financial stress on individuals and families.

Counties invest $12.8 billion annually in the construction, operation and support of housing and redevelopment projects. 

Additionally, counties are key players in community planning, land use, zoning and enacting policies and other regulations that affect housing.

Counties are the backbone of the justice and public safety system, operating 91 percent of local jails, which processed 7.3 million admissions in 2022.

County elected officials influence the criminal justice system by passing ordinances, establishing policies, selecting program administrators and staff and making crucial funding decisions that directly and indirectly impact the system.

Counties are the first line of response in an emergency, engaging in all aspects and phases of emergency
management: planning, preparation, mitigation, response and recovery. As the regularity and costs of disasters increase, counties are working hard to protect our residents, property, infrastructure.

Disasters have profound impacts on communities across the U.S., highlighting the need for county government leadership and intergovernmental partnerships to ensure local communities are ready to respond when a disaster strikes.

County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs) – which operate in 29 states plus the District of Columbia – help veterans access a range of service-connected federal benefits. These federal benefits include health care, disability, pension, compensation and transition assistance programs.

Though CVSOs’ primary focus is helping veterans navigate the federal benefits system, these offices are currently funded almost entirely by counties. CVSOs help veterans claim more than $52 billion in federal VA benefits each year.