In the United States, the meaning of "village" varies by geographic area and legal jurisdiction. In many areas, "village" is a term, sometimes informal, for a type of administrative division at the local government level. Since the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes local government for the most part a matter for the states rather than the federal government, the states are free to have political subdivisions called "villages," or not to do so, and to define the word in many different ways. Typically, a village is a type of municipality, although it can also be a special district or an unincorporated area. It may or may not be recognized for governmental purposes.
In informal usage, a U.S. village may be simply a relatively small clustered human settlement without formal legal existence.
In colonial New England, a village typically formed around the church meetinghouses that was located in the center of each town.[1] Many of these colonial settlements still exist as town centers. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, industrial villages also sprang up around water-powered mills, mines, and factories.[1] Because most New England villages were contained within the boundaries of legally established towns, many such villages were never separately incorporated as municipalities.
A relatively small unincorporated community, similar to a hamlet in New York state, or even a relatively small community within an incorporated city or town, may be termed a village. This informal usage may be found even in states that have villages as an incorporated municipality and is similar to the usage of the term "unincorporated town" in states having town governments.
States that formally recognize villages vary widely in the definition of the term.[2] Most commonly, a village is either a special district or a municipality. As municipalities, a village may
While municipalities in Alaska are not called villages, Alaska native villages are recognized under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Although not officially called villages, the natives and other Alaska residents refer to most small towns as villages.
Municipalities in Delaware are called cities, towns, or villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
Municipalities in Florida are called cities, towns, or villages. They are not differentiated for census purposes.
All municipalites in Idaho are called cities, although the terms "town" and "village" are sometimes used in statutes.
Municipalities in Illinois are called cities, towns, or villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes; however, villages are governed by a board of trustees and village president rather than a city council and mayor.
A village in Louisiana is a municipality having a population of 1,000 or fewer.
In Maine, village corporations or village improvement corporations are special districts established in towns for limited purposes.
All of the land area in Massachusetts is allocated to incorporated municipalities called either a city or town. Some municipalities (such as Newton, Massachusetts) have villages, and where they exist they are the equivalent of neighborhoods, which usually have no corporate existence and no official boundaries or government recognition. Sometimes villages and neighborhoods are recognized incidentally, through declarative signs, parking districts, or names used by the United States Post Office.
In Maryland, a locality designated "Village of ..." may be either an incorporated town or a special tax district. An example of the latter is the Village of Friendship Heights.
In Michigan, villages differ from cities in that, whereas villages remain part of the townships in which they are formed, thereby reducing their home-rule powers, cities are not part of townships. Because of this, village governments are required to share some of the responsibilities to their residents with the township.[3]
Villages that existed in Minnesota as of January 1, 1974, became statutory cities, as opposed to charter cities. Cities may or may not exist within township areas.[4]
A village in Mississippi is a municipality of 100 to 299 inhabitants. They may no longer be created.
The municipalities of Missouri are cities, towns, and villages. Unlike cities and towns, villages have no minimum population requirement.
In Nebraska, a village is a municipality of 100 through 800 inhabitants, whereas a city must have at least 800 inhabitants. All villages, but only some cities, are within township areas. A city of the second class (800-4,999 inhabitants) may elect to revert to village status.
In New Hampshire, a village district or precinct may be organized within a town. Such a village district or precinct is a special district with limited powers. The New Hampshire Association of Village Districts has a website at www.NHAVD.org
A village in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Villages, like other municipalities, are not part of a township.
The municipalities in New Mexico are cities, towns, and villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
In New York State, a village is an incorporated area that differs from a city in that a village is contained within one or more towns, whereas a city is separate from a town. Villages have less autonomy than cities.
A village is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. Those municipal services not provided by the village are provided by the town or towns containing the village. As of the 2000 census, there are 553 villages in New York.
There is no limit to the population of a village in New York; Hempstead, the largest village in the state, has 55,000 residents, making it more populous than some of the state's cities. However, villages in the state may not exceed five square miles (13 km²) in area. Present law requires a minimum of 500 residents to incorporate as a village.
The municipalities in North Carolina are cities, towns, and villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
In Ohio, a village is an incorporated municipality with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.[5] The minimum population for incorporation as a village is 1,600 inhabitants, but this was not always the case, resulting in many very small villages.[6] If a village grows to 5,000 residents, it is automatically designated as a city. Cities or villages may be within township areas; however, if a city or village becomes coterminous with a township, the township ceases to exist as a separate government.[7]
In Oklahoma, unincorporated communities are called villages and are not counted as governments.
In Oregon, one county — Clackamas County — permits the organization of unincorporated areas into villages and hamlets. The boards of such entities are advisory to the county.[8]
In Pennsylvania, villages are unincorporated areas within townships. Villages are often times census-designated places. The largest village in Pennsylvania is Upper Darby.
In Texas, villages may be Type B or Type C municipalities, but not Type A municipalities. The types differ in terms of population and in terms of the forms of government that they may adopt.
In Vermont, villages are named communities located within the boundaries of a legally established town. Villages may be incorporated or unincorporated.
In West Virginia, towns and villages are Class IV municipalities, i.e., having 2,000 or fewer inhabitants.
In Wisconsin, cities and villages are both outside the area of any town. Cities and villages differ in terms of the population and population density required for incorporation.
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In the United States, a village is a term, sometimes informal, for a type of administrative division at the local government level. Since the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes local government for the most part a matter for the states rather than the federal government, the states are free to have political subdivisions called "villages," or not to do so, and to define the word in many different ways. Typically, a village is a type of municipality, although it can also be a special district or an unincorporated area. It may or may not be recognized for governmental purposes.
Village is sometimes informally used to refer to a relatively small unincorporated community, similar to a hamlet in New York state, or even to a relatively small community in an incorporated city or town. This informal usage may be found even in states that have villages as an incorporated municipality and is similar to the usage of the term "unincorporated town" in states having town governments.
States that formally recognize villages vary widely in the definition of the term.[1] Most commonly, a village is either a special district or a municipality. As municipalities, a village may
While municipalities in Alaska are not called villages, Alaska native villages are recognized under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
Although not officially called villages, the natives and Alaska residents refer to most small towns as villages.
Municipalities in Delaware are called cities, towns, or villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
Municipalities in Florida are called cities, towns, or villages. They are not differentiated for census purposes.
All municipalites in Idaho are called cities, although the terms "town" and "village" are sometimes used in statutes.
Municipalities in Illinois are called cities, towns, or villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes; however, villages are governed by a board of trustees and village president rather than a city council and mayor. The minumum population requirement for incorporation as a city is 2,500; for villages, it depends on various factors including the population of the county.
A village in Louisiana is a municipality having a population of 1,000 or fewer.
In Maine, village corporations or village improvement corporations are special districts established in towns for limited purposes.
In Maryland, a locality designated "Village of ..." may be either an incorporated town or a special tax district. An example of the latter is the Village of Friendship Heights.
In Michigan, villages differ from cities in that whereas villages remain part of the townships in which they are formed, cities are not part of townships.
Villages that existed in Minnesota as of January 1, 1974, became statutory cities, as opposed to charter cities. Cities may or may not exist within township areas.[2]
A village in Mississippi is a municipality of 100 to 299 inhabitants. They may no longer be created.
The municipalities of Missouri are cities, towns, and villages. Unlike cities and towns, villages have no minimum population requirement.
In Nebraska, a village is a municipality of 100 through 800 inhabitants, whereas a city must have at least 800 inhabitants. All villages, but only some cities, are within township areas. A city of the second class (800-4,999 inhabitants) may elect to revert to village status.
In New Hampshire, a village district or precinct may be organized within a town. Such a village district or precinct is a special district with limited powers.
A village in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Villages, like other municipalities, are not part of a township.
The municipalities in New Mexico are cities, towns, and villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
In New York State, a village is an incorporated area that differs from a city in that while a village is within one or more towns, a city is not. Villages have less autonomy than cities.
A village is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. Those municipal services not provided by the village are provided by the town or towns containing the village. As of the 2000 census, there are 553 villages in New York.
There is no limit to the population of a village in New York; Hempstead, the largest village in the state, has 55,000 residents, making it more populous than some of the state's cities. However, villages in the state may not exceed five square miles (13 km²) in area.
The municipalities in North Carolina are cities, towns, and villages. There are no differences among them that would affect their classification for census purposes.
In Ohio, a village is an incorporated municipality with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.[3] Today, the minimum population for incorporation is 1,600 inhabitants.[4] Upon reaching this population, the municipality is automatically designated as a city. After it was designed a city, however, Indian Hill changed its name to "The Village of Indian Hill". Cities or villages may be within township areas; however, if a city or village becomes coterminous with a township, the township ceases to exist as a separate government.[5]
In Oklahoma, unincorporated communities are called villages and are not counted as governments.
In Oregon, one county — Clackamas County — permits the organization of unincorporated areas into villages and hamlets. The boards of such entities are advisory to the county.[6]
In Texas, villages may be Type B or Type C municipalities, but not Type A municipalities. The types differ in terms of population and in terms of the forms of government that they may adopt.
In Vermont, while cities are outside of town areas, villages are incorporated municipalities within such areas.
In West Virginia, towns and villages are Class IV municipalities, i.e., having 2,000 or fewer inhabitants.
In Wisconsin, cities and villages are both outside the area of any town. Cities and villages differ in terms of the population and population density required for incorporation.
| This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Village (United States). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License. |
   | Minnesota Statutes 412.016 - 412.016, Minnesota Statutes 2006 |
| | Ohio Revised Code Section 707.02(C) - Lawriter - ORC - 707.02 Petition for incorporation as village. |
| | Ohio Revised Code Section 703.01(A) - Lawriter - ORC - 703.01 Classification - federal census. |
| | Ohio Revised Code Section 703.22 - Lawriter - ORC - 703.22 Identical municipal and township boundaries. |
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