# What is the longest county name in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 5, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241 "2016-02-05T16:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/1 "2016-02-05T16:23:47Z")
For the purposes of this question, consider Alaska’s and Louisiana’s administrative districts to be the equivalent of a ‘county.’ Just looking at Alaska, I found ‘Fairbanks North Star,’ clocking in at 20 characters (including the spaces). I think that will be tough to beat. Any longer? Happy hunting. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/2 "2016-02-05T16:34:30Z")
[Index of U.S. counties (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_of_U.S._counties) Includes Municipality of Anchorage, AK (“a consolidated city-borough under Alaska law”) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/3 "2016-02-05T16:35:42Z")
Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/4 "2016-02-05T16:35:46Z")
Northumberland, in VA and PA. Alaska “County equivalents” are not really that, because they are fluid and often change their identity and borders. And do not have the governing powers that are afforded to county status. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/5 "2016-02-05T16:37:48Z")
Not a county but I’ve been to this lake in Massachusetts: \*\*Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg \*\* [https://www.google.com/search?q=Sign+Lake+Char­gogg­a­gogg­man­chaugg­a­gogg­chau­bun­a­gung­a­maugg&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=ivmn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-o7OMiOHKAhVEzmMKHXcpAd0Q\_AUIBygB](https://www.google.com/search?q=Sign+Lake+Char%C2%ADgogg%C2%ADa%C2%ADgogg%C2%ADman%C2%ADchaugg%C2%ADa%C2%ADgogg%C2%ADchau%C2%ADbun%C2%ADa%C2%ADgung%C2%ADa%C2%ADmaugg&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=ivmn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-o7OMiOHKAhVEzmMKHXcpAd0Q_AUIBygB) ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/6 "2016-02-05T16:42:23Z")
In Virginia, there is “City of Colonial Heights”, and “City of Charlottesville”, which have county-equivalent status in Virginia’s unique Independent Cities configuration;. If spelled out, there is “Saint John the Baptist” Parish in Louisiana. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/7 "2016-02-05T16:46:01Z")
I downloaded the list from Wikipedia and used Excel to sort by name length. The results may be a little dirty because they contain superfluous descriptions in many cases but it depends on your definition. County or equivalent State or district Length Carson City, Consolidated Municipality of [19] Nevada 45 Prince of Wales – Hyder Census Area[5] Alaska 38 San Francisco, City and County of[10] California 37 Southeast Fairbanks Census Area[5] Alaska 34 Broomfield, City and County of[11] Colorado 34 Nantucket, Town and County of[17] Massachusetts 33 Wrangell, City and Borough of[4] Alaska 32 Honolulu, City and County of[15] Hawaiʻi 32 Fairbanks North Star Borough[4] Alaska 31 Yakutat, City and Borough of[9] Alaska 31 Juneau, City and Borough of[7] Alaska 30 Denver, City and County of[12] Colorado 30 Aleutians West Census Area[5] Alaska 29 Anchorage, Municipality of[6] Alaska 29 Lake and Peninsula Borough[4] Alaska 29 Sitka, City and Borough of[8] Alaska 29 Valdez–Cordova Census Area[5] Alaska 29 Colonial Heights, City of[23] Virginia 29 Hoonah–Angoon Census Area[5] Alaska 28 ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/8 "2016-02-05T16:47:43Z")
The question is, in something like “City of Colonial Heights”, do you count the phrase “City of”? Would that be equivalent to counting the word “County” in a more conventional county name? Same issue applies to “Municipality of Anchorage”. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/9 "2016-02-05T16:51:31Z")
Yeah, for the purposes of the question, I was looking for the name not including the type of administrative district, which most of the ones listed above are showing. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/10 "2016-02-05T16:53:30Z")
San Francisco is 13 letters, including the space. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/11 "2016-02-05T16:54:30Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Yeah, for the purposes of the question, I was looking for the name not including the type of administrative district, which most of the ones listed above are showing. Ha! Nice try, Consolidated Municipality of Carson City! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/12 "2016-02-05T16:56:38Z")
Wisconsin ain’t got nothin’ to compare to the names above. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/13 "2016-02-05T17:01:10Z")
Maryland has Prince George’s County. Counting the space and the apostrophe, “Prince George’s” is 15. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/14 "2016-02-05T17:09:19Z")
I filtered out what many would view as bogus or garbage entries to find the longest true (actually used in common language) county or parish name that there is. The winner is: St. John the Baptist (Parish), Louisiana ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/15 "2016-02-05T17:15:07Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I filtered out what many would view as bogus or garbage entries to find the longest true (actually used in common language) county or parish name that there is. The winner is: > > St. John the Baptist (Parish), Louisiana 1. I wanted to impress y’all with my ability to count. ---
**Author:** ![joe.russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@joe.russell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joe.russell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/16 "2016-02-05T18:18:33Z")
Pottawattamie county, ia. 13, thats the largest in ia I believe, across the river from omaha. ---
**Author:** ![EdwardLost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@EdwardLost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwardLost)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/17 "2016-02-05T18:22:31Z")
I guess Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi is not quite in the running. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/18 "2016-02-05T19:10:29Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > 1. > > I wanted to impress y’all with my ability to count. Remember, in most atlases the place names are fully spelled out. Thus, Saint John the Baptist. 22 letters and spaces. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/19 "2016-02-05T19:42:38Z")
Thanks, all. I was working with a file that had a spot for county [or other administrative district type] name with a maximum of 22 characters, and was wondering if there were any that might have exceeded it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241/20 "2016-02-05T20:00:40Z")
> [@joe.russell](#): > > Pottawattamie county, ia. > 13, thats the largest in ia I believe, across the river from omaha. Pottawattamie County, Iowa and Chattahoochee County, Georgia both have thirteen letters. But as jtur88 noted, the winner for longest single word is Northumberland County (or Counties; there’s one in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia) at fourteen letters. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-county-name-in-the-us/745241.md?page=2)