List of counties in Massachusetts

There are 14 counties in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has ended eight of its fourteen county governments.  This leaves five counties with county-level local government (Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth) and one, Nantucket County, with combined county/city government. Counties are still generally recognized as geographic entities if not political ones.

Eleven other historical counties have been in Massachusetts.  Most ended when their lands were absorbed into the colony of New Hampshire or the state of Maine.

 List of current counties 

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 Former counties 
CountyCreatedAbolishedFateCumberland County17601820Transferred to MaineDevonshire County16741675AbolishedHancock County17891820Transferred to MaineKennebec County17991820Transferred to MaineLincoln County17601820Transferred to MaineOld Norfolk County16431679Abolished - most of its territory was absorbed into New Hampshire; one of four original counties created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.Oxford County18051820Transferred to MainePenobscot County18161820Transferred to MaineSomerset County18091820Transferred to MaineWashington County17891820Transferred to MaineYork County16521820Transferred to Maine - there were two periods when York County was ended, 1664 to 1668 and 1680 to 1691

 References 

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Massachusetts