Massachusettsstate of the United States of America
This page is to help determine how many counties the state of Massachusetts needs to first assemble and then settle Massachusetts
Brave search question - How many counties in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 14 counties. However, only five of these counties—Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, and Plymouth—retain active county-level local government. Nantucket County operates under a consolidated town-county government. The remaining nine counties—Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Worcester—are no longer functioning as independent governmental units, though they remain recognized as geographic entities for judicial, law enforcement, and statistical purposes.
how many counties did massachusetts have when they entered statehood
Quick Answer
When Massachusetts entered the Union as the sixth state on February 6, 1788, it had 14 counties.
These counties were established during the colonial period and remained in place after statehood. The original four counties—Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Norfolk—were created in 1643 within the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Over time, additional counties were formed, with Hampden County being the last, established in 1812.
Today, Massachusetts still has 14 counties, though Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Worcester counties have abolished their county governments and operate under town-based systems. In contrast, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Nantucket counties (with a combined government) retain active county-level local government.
What changed about county governments in Massachusetts over time?
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Over time, county governments in Massachusetts underwent significant restructuring, primarily due to financial mismanagement and inefficiency. Between 1997 and 2000, the state abolished county governments in eight counties: Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester.
The functions, assets, and debts of these abolished counties were transferred to the state government (Commonwealth).
Key services like registries of deeds, sheriffs’ offices, and jails were taken over by state agencies.
The office of county treasurer was the last to be abolished, in 2002.
Today, only six counties retain active county-level governments: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, and Plymouth. Nantucket operates under a consolidated town-county government.
Even in counties without active governments, county boundaries remain for judicial and statistical purposes. Some regions have formed regional compacts (e.g., Franklin, Hampshire, and Barnstable) to coordinate services.
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which counties had active governments in 1788
Finished
In 1788, when Massachusetts entered statehood, all 14 counties had active county governments. These counties were established during the colonial era and functioned as administrative units under the state’s governance structure. County governments at the time were responsible for judicial, law enforcement, and infrastructure duties, including maintaining jails, roads, and court systems.
Over time, most of these county governments were abolished, but in 1788, they were all operational.
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How did Massachusetts reorganize counties after statehood?
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After statehood, Massachusetts retained its existing county structure, with 14 counties functioning as administrative units. Over time, the state reorganized county governments primarily due to financial mismanagement, culminating in the abolition of county governments in eight counties between 1997 and 2000.
Middlesex County was the first abolished in 1997 after its hospital system faced insolvency.
This led to a state takeover of county assets and responsibilities.
Hampden, Worcester, Hampshire, Essex, Suffolk, and Berkshire Counties followed, with abolitions completed by 2000.
Functions like sheriffs’ offices and registries of deeds were transferred to the state government.
Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Nantucket retained active county governments, with Nantucket operating a consolidated town-county government.
Some abolished counties, like Franklin and Hampshire, formed regional compacts for shared services.
County boundaries remain for judicial and statistical purposes, even where governments no longer exist.
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In 1788, when Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution, the state had 13 counties, not 12. Three of them were in the District of Maine, which was still part of Massachusetts until 1820.
Counties of Massachusetts in 1788
In present-day Massachusetts
Barnstable
Berkshire
Bristol
Dukes
Essex
Hampshire
Middlesex
Nantucket
Plymouth
Suffolk
Worcester
In the District of Maine (then part of Massachusetts)12. Cumberland13. Lincoln14. York
However, in many historical summaries Dukes and Nantucket were sometimes counted together, which is why you may see 12 counties listed in some sources for that period.
✅ Quick summary
Total counties tied to Massachusetts government in 1788: 13 (sometimes counted as 12 depending on how Dukes & Nantucket were treated).
3 of them later became part of the state of Maine in 1820.
If you want, I can also show you a 1788 county map of Massachusetts and the District of Maine, which makes the layout much easier to visualize.
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Here is a visual example of the counties of Massachusetts around the late-1700s, when the state ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788.
Counties connected to Massachusetts in 1788
In present-day Massachusetts
Barnstable
Berkshire
Bristol
Dukes
Essex
Hampshire
Middlesex
Nantucket
Plymouth
Suffolk
Worcester
In the District of Maine (still part of Massachusetts until 1820)12. Cumberland13. Lincoln14. York
The District of Maine was governed by Massachusetts until it became the separate state of Maine in 1820 as part of the Missouri Compromise.
💡 Important historical note:Several modern counties did not yet exist in 1788, including Franklin, Hampden, and Norfolk, which were later created by dividing older counties like Hampshire and Suffolk.
✅ So depending on how the list is counted historically:
11 counties in what is now Massachusetts
3 counties in Maine
Total under Massachusetts government in 1788: 14 counties
If you'd like, I can also show you something very useful for research:
a table showing which modern counties came from which original 1788 counties (this helps when tracing early records or land grants).
the table would be nice
Here is a simple table showing the original Massachusetts counties around 1788 and the modern counties that later came from them. This helps when looking at early records, deeds, or church records, because many of them were recorded in the parent county before new counties were formed.
Original County (1788)
Modern Counties Created From It
Barnstable
Barnstable (unchanged)
Berkshire
Berkshire (unchanged)
Bristol
Bristol
Dukes
Dukes
Essex
Essex
Hampshire
Hampshire, Franklin County, Hampden County
Middlesex
Middlesex
Nantucket
Nantucket
Plymouth
Plymouth
Suffolk
Suffolk, Norfolk County
Worcester
Worcester
Cumberland (District of Maine)
Cumberland (Maine)
Lincoln (District of Maine)
Lincoln → later many Maine counties
York (District of Maine)
York (Maine)
Key later county creations
Norfolk County – created 1793 from Suffolk.
Franklin County – created 1811 from Hampshire.
Hampden County – created 1812 from Hampshire.
Maine counties
When Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820, the original counties there (York, Cumberland, Lincoln) were gradually divided into the many Maine counties that exist today.
✅ For historical research:If you are looking at records from before 1810, many places now in Franklin or Hampden counties were recorded in Hampshire County, and areas now in Norfolk were recorded in Suffolk County.
If you want, I can also show you a very interesting 1775–1790 county map of Massachusetts that clearly shows the 12–14 county issue historians argue about. It helps explain why some sources say 12 counties in 1788.
please
Here are historic maps showing Massachusetts and the District of Maine in the late 1700s, very close to the 1788 county layout.
District of Maine (part of Massachusetts in the 1700s)
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These maps show the District of Maine, which at the time was governed by Massachusetts. It contained the counties of:
York
Cumberland
Lincoln
Those three counties remained part of Massachusetts until Maine became a separate state in 1820.
What the full Massachusetts county system looked like around 1788
Main Massachusetts (11 counties)
Barnstable
Berkshire
Bristol
Dukes
Essex
Hampshire
Middlesex
Nantucket
Plymouth
Suffolk
Worcester
District of Maine (3 counties)
York
Cumberland
Lincoln
➡️ Total under Massachusetts government in 1788: 14 counties
However, some early political documents count 12 counties because Dukes and Nantucket were sometimes grouped together, and Maine counties were occasionally listed separately in political summaries.
💡 Interesting historical detail:The huge Hampshire County of 1788 was later divided to create Franklin County and Hampden County, which is why older records from those areas are often filed under Hampshire.
✅ If you'd like, I can also show you something historians use a lot:
a very clear list of the 1788 county “shire towns” (county seats).Those are extremely helpful when tracking court records, deeds, and probate from the 1700s.
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