What is a city government?
A city government is the local government that runs a city or town. It typically handles services and rules for a small geographic area, like your neighborhood.
- Led by a mayor or city manager and a city council
- Enacts local laws called ordinances
- Manages services: streets, trash, parks, local police and fire, libraries, zoning
- Collects local taxes and fees (e.g., property or sales taxes, business licenses)
Is there such a thing as a city-state?
In the United States, we don’t have sovereign city-states. Cities operate under state law and rely on the state for broader authority. A true city-state is a city that governs itself as a separate country, which is very rare today.
What is a state government?
A state government runs the entire state and handles statewide issues and policies. It has more residents, geography, and law areas to cover.
- Led by a governor and a state legislature, plus a judiciary
- Enacts state laws and manages state programs
- Oversees public education standards, state highways, licensing professions
- Collects state taxes and distributes funds to localities
City vs. State: how they differ
- Scope: City covers a small area; state covers the whole state.
- Powers: City powers are local and limited by state law; state powers are broader and not limited to a city.
- Funding: Cities rely on local taxes and state funds; states collect taxes statewide and allocate funds.
- Lawmaking: City ordinances address local matters; state laws cover statewide issues.
How they work together
States set broad rules and provide funding; cities implement and enforce many of those rules locally. Sometimes state law preempts local ordinances, and sometimes states give cities home-rule authority to govern themselves.
Common terms to know
- Mayor, city council, city manager
- Ordinances, zoning, municipal code
- Governor, state legislature, state courts
- Preemption, home rule, revenue shares
Why this matters
Knowing who governs your area helps you participate in elections, advocate for changes, and understand who to contact for local services.