The Texas constitution grants considerable autonomy to local governments. As of 2002, Texas had 254 counties, a number that has remained constant since 1931. In 2002 there were 1,196 municipal governments, 1,089 public school districts (down from 8,600 in 1910), and 2,245 special districts.
Each county is governed by a commissioners' court, consisting of commissioners elected by precinct and a county judge or administrator elected at large. Other elected officials generally include a county clerk, attorney, treasurer, assessor-collector, and sheriff.
At the municipal level, cities with populations greater than 5,000 can adopt home rule.