A minor civil division (MCD) is a term used by the United States Census Bureau for primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of a county or county-equivalent, typically a municipal government such as a city, town, or civil township.
MCDs are used for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau, and do not necessarily represent the primary form of local government.
They range from non-governing geographical survey areas to municipalities with weak or strong powers of self-government.
The United States also performs a census for the Republic of Palau, which has an agreement of free association.
The U.S. Census considers all of Palau a county equivalent, and uses its states (formerly known as municipalities) as MCDs.