Where or what is Unincorporated area in California?

Within each county of California are “incorporated” cities, which means they have their own local government (usually city council). But there are also areas within the county that are NOT part of any official city. These locations are known as unincorporated areas and are governed by the county board of supervisors, which is equivalent to a city council. The local laws for these areas are found in the county municipal code.

(FYI there is no such thing as an “unincorporated city,” but you could call it an “unincorporated town” or “unincorporated territory.”)

How do I know if I am in an unincorporated area?

NEW FEATURE: We are soup-er excited to debut our new Find My Local Government feature. You can use it to find out whether you are in an unincorporated area or if you are within an incorporated city, and it’s totally FREE! All you need to do is subscribe to our mailing list to get the link for Find My Local Government (you can unsubscribe at any time).

Or see unincorporated communities of the Los Angeles County area or the San Francisco Bay area.

Still not sure exactly which your local government is? NOW you can find your local government for any location in the country, and it’s totally FREE! All you need to do is subscribe to our mailing list to get the link for Find My Local Government