Only islands have the potential for zero county borders. However, what if we extend the search from zero borders to one border? The United States contains no fully-landlocked counties with a single border.
Independent Cities Don’t Count
Several independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia do meet this definition though. Examples include Fairfax City surrounded completely by Fairfax County, Charlottesville by Albemarle County, and Staunton by Augusta County.
Those qualify as “county equivalents” for purposes of the decennial census. They also govern themselves independently of their surrounding counties. Nonetheless, technically they are not counties.
Peninsulas Do Count
On the other hand, many peninsular counties can be approached from only one neighboring county by land.
So here are some of the more notable peninsula counties with just a single land border that I have been fortunate enough to visit:
- Clallam Co., WA (Northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula) – borders Jefferson Co., WA
- Door Co., WI (extending into Lake Michigan) – borders Kewaunee Co., WI
- Northampton Co., VA (Delmarva’s tip) – borders Accomack Co., VA
- San Francisco Co., CA (separates the bay from ocean) – borders San Mateo Co., CA
- Suffolk Co., NY (not really a peninsula but rather the eastern end of Long Island) – borders Nassau Co., NY
Nonetheless, Door County, Wisconsin may be my favorite. From its single border with Kewaunee County to its immediate south, it juts some fifty miles across open water. If Wisconsin could be thought of as hand-shaped, Door County would be its “thumb,” with Green Bay to its western side and Lake Michigan to the east. Door county is well know for its ruggedly beautiful coastline, natural scenery and historic lighthouses. A short ferry trip connects the tip of the peninsula to an even more remote location, Washington Island
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