See a county map on Google Maps with this free, interactive map tool. This county borders map tool also has options to show county name labels, overlay city limits and townships and more.
To do a county lookup by address, type the address into the “Search places” box above the map.
Quick Tips for using this County Lines map tool
- There are four ways to get started using this County Lines map tool
- In the “Search places” box above the map, type an address, city, etc. and choose the one you want from the auto-complete list
- Click the map to see the county name for where you clicked (Monthly Contributors also get Dynamic Maps)
- To search using GPS coordinates use the “Find lat long” box in the top right above the map*
- Click the ◉ button in the upper right corner of the map to use your current location. Click the ◉ button again to automatically update your location every 1, 5 or 10 minutes (Monthly Contributors also get an option to update every several seconds, shown as ◉A for Active).**
- Check the “Show labels” checkbox in the lower left corner of the map to see the county names on the map
- NEW! Use the SHOW OTHER LAYERS panel in the lower left corner of the map to show US city limits, US civil townships and US ZIP Codes on the map, overlaid on the county map
- Subscribe to receive notification of tool updates and usage tips
* You can search using various formats of latitude longitude, including degrees, minutes and seconds; degrees
and decimal minutes; or decimal degrees
** The “Locate” button will be more accurate on smartphones and other devices containing a GPS; desktop
browsers typically show an approximate location
*** Or equivalent province, district, etc.
Why would you need a map with county lines or county boundaries?
Popular uses include real estate, sales, business planning, field research, sales tax determination, education, routing, travel, entertainment, permitting, grassroots efforts and determining county jurisdiction.
Here are several example uses for county lines on Google Maps (see disclaimer):
- Real Estate and Property Research: Homebuyers, realtors, and researchers often need to understand property lines, tax implications, or school districts. Knowing the county boundaries can be an essential part of this research.
- Business Analysis and Planning: For businesses that operate on a regional level, understanding county boundaries can help with market analysis, distribution, and sales territory planning.
- Administrative Understanding: For those unfamiliar with a region, displaying county boundaries can help provide context about the administrative divisions within a state or country.
- Government and Civic Engagement: Local governance, including voting, law enforcement, emergency services, and more, is often organized by county. Understanding where one county ends and another begins can be crucial for civic participation.
- Cultural and Historical Context: Counties often have historical or cultural significance. Understanding these boundaries can provide context for regional identities, historical events, or local customs.
- Travel and Navigation: Travelers may wish to visit or avoid specific counties due to events, attractions, or other reasons. Having clear boundaries helps them plan their routes accordingly.
- Data Analysis and Visualization: For researchers working with data that is organized by county (like census data, health statistics, or economic indicators), maps that display county boundaries can be invaluable for data visualization and spatial analysis. Use the mapBuilder tool found below the map to add this type of data to the county map.
- Education and Geography: For students and educators, county-level maps can serve as important educational tools for understanding geography, political science, or local history.
- Legal and Regulatory Purposes: Some legal or regulatory issues might depend on county jurisdictions. Being able to quickly reference these boundaries can be beneficial for professionals in these fields.
- Local News and Reporting: Journalists and news agencies often report events based on counties. Having a visual representation can help readers and viewers better understand the location of reported events.
- Emergency Services and Disaster Relief: In times of crisis, knowing county boundaries helps streamline the delivery of critical services, ensuring timely assistance to affected areas. County distinctions can be pivotal in organizing relief efforts, deploying resources, and coordinating between different agencies.
- Grassroots Efforts: Activists and community organizers benefit from understanding county lines. Whether it’s for local campaigns, resource distribution, or community outreach, clear county boundaries enable grassroots movements to target and tailor their efforts effectively.
- Conducting Field Research: For researchers in fields like anthropology, ecology, or sociology, delineated county boundaries can be invaluable. They provide a framework for localized studies, ensuring accurate data collection and helping contextualize findings within a specific region.
Find Counties by radius or by drawing a line or shape
- To find Counties within a radius or near a line or shape you draw*:
- Click the “Selection Tools” button in the lower left corner of the map
- – RADIUS SELECT: To find Counties within a radius, specify the mileage in the “Select map features within
x miles of the shapes I draw” box, then use the Point “Add a marker” tool to draw the center point of the
radius
– TOUCHING A LINE OR SHAPE: To find Counties that touch a line or a shape you draw, use the Line tool or Shape tool to draw the shape, double-clicking when finished
– WITHIN DISTANCE OF A LINE OR SHAPE: To find Counties that are within a distance of a line or a shape you draw, first specify the mileage in the “Select map features within x miles of the shapes I draw” box, then use the Line tool or Shape tool to draw the shape, double-clicking when finished - The Counties and County Lines will be highlighted and listed in a “Results from map” box below the map,
where you can copy the selected Counties for use in a spreadsheet or other document
– Optionally, keep drawing shapes to select more Counties - When you are finished selecting Counties, click the “Done Selecting” button in the lower left corner of the map
* Counties will get selected if any part of the shape you draw falls within the county
Coverage includes: US county map, UK county map, Ireland county map, Australia local government areas (LGAs) map, New Zealand county map, Canada county and census divisions map, Mexico municipio map, and Switzerland bezirke map.
Coverage Notes
- US coverage includes Counties in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands
and American Samoa
“Show US city limits” draws all incorporated cities and towns in the United States and its territories and possessions
“Show US townships” draws all minor civil divisions (MCDs) (these are often townships) - Within the UK, England displays Counties and Unitary Authorities, Scotland displays Council Areas, Wales displays Principal Areas, and Northern Ireland displays Districts. Explanation of Unitary Authorities, Council Areas, Principal Areas and Districts.
- Australia displays Local Government Areas (LGAs)
- New Zealand displays Territorial Authorities
- Canada displays Census Divisions, which are Counties in some provinces but may include other geographies
- Mexico displays Municipalities, which are the next level administrative divisions below State
- Switzerland displays Districts
Other Notes
- The Search places box uses a standard Google Maps geocoding engine, therefore you can type street addresses, road names, points of interest, etc. to see what county that location is part of
- Many of the map layers from which this information is extracted are very large, so it may take several seconds for all of the map layers to finish drawing
- Because the map layers are large, boundaries will not be shown if you are zoomed out too far
- Note that typing an address will zoom in the map very close, whereas typing a city or county by itself will show you a map with a wider view
Sources
– US: Census Bureau– UK: Open Government License – Contains Office of National Statistics data, Ordnance Survey data ©Crown copyright and database right 2017. Open Data Lincese – Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
– Ireland: Open Data and Creative Commons License – Ordnance Survey Ireland
– Australia: Incorporates Administrative Boundaries ©PSMA Australia Limited licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence
– New Zealand: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 – Stats NZ
– Canada: Open License – Boundary Files, 2016 Census; Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 92-160-X
– Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI)
– Switzerland: Swiss Federal Office of Topography
DISCLAIMER
Accuracy and Limitations: The information provided by this map tool has been obtained from various public data sources shown in the Sources box above. These sources have varying degrees of reliability and completeness and are subject to change over time. Additionally, while the latitude and longitude values displayed by the map marker suggest a high degree of precision, you should be aware that the underlying Google Maps and source data may not reflect this level of accuracy nor precision.No Legal or Surveying Use: Due to these potential inaccuracies, this tool is not intended for, and must not be used for, legal, surveying, or any critical decision-making purposes. The information is provided on an as-is basis for general reference and entertainment purposes only. For specific inquiries regarding data accuracy or fitness for use, please consult the original data sources. For decisions requiring precise location data, consult the appropriate government or other authoritative sources, and seek professional legal advice.
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