Unincorporated

Unincorporated areas are regions of land that are not governed by a local municipal corporation; larger governments, such as county or parish governments, may administer these areas.

Overview

Unincorporated areas are often in rural parts of a country, where it is not considered necessary or economically viable to have a separate government for the small population living there. In some countries, such as the United States, unincorporated areas are directly governed by a higher level of government such as a county. In other countries, like Canada, unincorporated areas are unorganized territories or not part of any municipality.

Characteristics

Unincorporated areas may lack some services provided by a municipal government, such as police and fire services, building and zoning codes, and street maintenance. Residents may have to rely on county or state governments for these services. In some cases, residents of unincorporated areas may pay lower taxes because they do not have to fund a local government.

Examples

In the United States, examples of unincorporated areas include Las Vegas Strip in Nevada and Arlington County, Virginia, which is not part of any city despite being completely urbanized. In Canada, examples include the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, which are not part of any municipality.

See also

• Incorporated area
• Local government in the United States
• Municipality

Unincorporated Resources
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