US Counties
counties
Every US county and county equivalent.
Median score
33
across 3016 sites
Middle half
28–33
spread around the median
Full range
13–74
lowest to highest
Gated
2636 of 3016
block AI crawlers outright
Middle of 14 cohorts. All cohorts 50 · best cohort 58.
Where this list came from
The source, and how we filtered it
| Source | US counties and county equivalents, Census Vintage 2025, US Census Bureau, with CISA and Wikidata (2025-vintage) |
|---|---|
| License | No restriction on the combined list. The roster is a work of the US federal government and carries no copyright, the CISA .gov registry is public domain, and Wikidata is CC0 1.0 Universal; the cohort goes out under the Census's CC BY-SA 4.0 like the rest. |
| How we filtered it | The roster is every row of the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 subcounty estimates (sub-est2025.csv) with SUMLEV 050, which is 3,144 counties and county equivalents. Each county's address was looked up in the CISA .gov registry first, then in Wikidata (P856, official website, joined on the FIPS code in P882) where the registry had nothing, then resolved by hand for the remainder; every hand-resolved row was confirmed by loading the site. 57 rows carry no address, each with the reason: 27 county equivalents with no general-purpose county government, 6 South Dakota counties that maintain no website, and 24 that are unresolved and want a manual pass. |
| Built | 2026-10-11 |
The filtering is ours and is disclosed as ours. The source published a list; the decision about which rows of it belong in a cohort was a judgment call, and it is written down so somebody can disagree with it.
Distribution
Where the 3016 sites land
| Grade | Share of the cohort | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adequate | 110 | 3.6% | |
| Not ready | 2507 | 83.1% | |
| Weak | 399 | 13.2% |
By dimension
What the cohort earns, dimension by dimension
The mean share of each dimension’s available points that this cohort earned. Low here means the whole sector is weak on it, not that one site dragged an average down. The per-site spread is in the dataset.
| Dimension | Mean share earned | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| #1 · Reach
These parameters determine the fundamental ease of access that AI has to your site information. |
50% | |
| #2 · Read
AI generally turns off JavaScript. Does your site information survive without it? |
25% | |
| #3 · Understand
Does a machine know who and what you are? |
20% | |
| #4 · Act
Sitemaps, redirects, 404s, licensing terms, and not wasting the crawl budget. |
67% |
How much of each site we read
The cap is 32 URLs and it is a ceiling, not a promise. A portal whose every link points at a different host yields one page; a university yields the full sample. The median here is 1, the range 1–32, published so that "we sampled 32 URLs per site" cannot become a claim the data does not support.
93 sites in this cohort served a certificate we could not verify. They were read anyway and scored normally, because reporting no response for a site every browser loads would describe our TLS stack rather than the site, and each one carries the finding in its row.
Where this cohort fails
12 tests almost nobody in this cohort passes
Universal — nobody passes these
| Test | What it asks | Failing | Of | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXT-11 | Have you marked the part of a page that answers a spoken question? | 3016 | 0 | |
| EXT-12 | Do you tell search engines the moment a page changes? | 3016 | 0 | |
| EXT-14 | Does your site offer its actions to AI browsers as tools? | 2169 | 0 | |
| EXT-16 | Do you publish a card or a skills list for the agents you run? | 3016 | 0 | |
| EXT-17 | Do you list your agents in your domain's DNS records? | 2655 | 0 | |
| EXT-18 | Do you tell AI shoppers how they can pay? | 7 | 0 | |
| EXT-2 | Do you list your APIs and agent tools where agents look for them? | 72 | 0 | |
| EXT-7 | If you run real question-and-answer pages, are they marked as such? | 22 | 0 | |
| RED-10 | Do you offer a plain-text (Markdown) copy of your pages? | 357 | 2 | |
| RED-12 | If a machine asks for Markdown, does your site give it? | 3016 | 2 | |
| UND-2 | Does your site use the page labels that search engines still read for what you publish? | 3016 | 3 | |
| UND-9 | If a page is behind a paywall, does it say so? | 1 | 2 |
Near-universal — 95% and above
| Test | What it asks | Failing | Of | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UND-1 | Does your site say clearly who you are? | 3016 | 2 | |
| UND-10 | Does your page code link to your official profiles elsewhere? | 3016 | 2 | |
| PST-2 | Have you posted a Content Signals statement about what AI may do with your content? | 3016 | 0 | |
| EXT-1 | Do you publish an llms.txt file for coding assistants? | 3016 | 0 | |
| RED-5 | Do your PDFs and images have their own rules for search and quoting? | 357 | 1 | |
| MSR-7 | Are you set up in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and do you read their AI reports? | 3016 | 0 | |
| UND-6 | Are your published and updated dates honest and visible? | 3016 | 6 | |
| EXT-13 | Can an assistant ask your site a question directly? | 3016 | 0 | |
| PST-4 | Have you reserved your text and data mining rights in a form machines can read? | 3016 | 0 | |
| RCH-3 | Does each page say which web address is the real one? | 3016 | 2 | |
| EXT-4 | Can an AI assistant connect to your site as a tool? | 3016 | 0 | |
| EXT-5 | Is your page code one connected description of your organization? | 3016 | 0 | |
| UND-5 | Does the author label in your page code point to that person? | 287 | 1 | |
| RED-13 | Is the page built from real page parts, like header, main and navigation? | 3016 | 1 |
Common — 90 to 95%
Coral bars mark tests worth 2 points or more, the failures that actually move a score.
Every site
Every 3,144, named, with a report for each
Whether or not it has been scanned. Rows with no website on record, sites that were unreachable and sites that turned us away stay in the table with the reason on them, and none of them enters an average: dropping them would shrink the population to the part that was easy to measure. A few points between two neighbors is noise. The box filters every row in the cohort, not only the page you are on; click a header to sort the rows on this page by name or by score.
Showing 1,301–1,400 of 3,144 · page 14 of 32
| Site | Score | Gated | Pages read | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oscoda County, Michigan oscodacountymi.comweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 39 | Gated | 32 | |
| Otsego County, Michigan otsegocountymi.govregistered as County of Otsego in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Ottawa County, Michigan ottawacountymi.govregistered as County of Ottawa in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Presque Isle County, Michigan presqueislecounty.orgweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 52 | Gated | 31 | |
| Roscommon County, Michigan roscommon911.govregistered as Roscommon County Central Dispatch in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Saginaw County, Michigan saginawcountymi.govregistered as County of Saginaw in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| St. Clair County, Michigan stclaircounty.orgweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| St. Joseph County, Michigan stjosephcountymi.govregistered as St. Joseph County Michigan Government in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Sanilac County, Michigan sanilaccounty.govregistered as Sanilac County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Schoolcraft County, Michigan schoolcraftcounty.netweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 54 | Gated | 23 | |
| Shiawassee County, Michigan shiawassee.netweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 60 | No | 32 | |
| Tuscola County, Michigan tuscolacounty.orgweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 47 | No | 5 | |
| Van Buren County, Michigan vanburencounty-mi.govregistered as Van Buren County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Washtenaw County, Michigan washtenawcounty-mi.govregistered as Washtenaw County Government in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Wayne County, Michigan waynecounty.comweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Wexford County, Michigan wexfordcounty.orgweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 49 | No | 32 | |
| Aitkin County, Minnesota aitkincountymn.govregistered as Aitkin County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Anoka County, Minnesota anokacountymn.govregistered as Anoka County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Becker County, Minnesota beckercountymn.govregistered as Becker County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Beltrami County, Minnesota beltramicountymn.govregistered as Beltrami County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Benton County, Minnesota bentoncountymn.govregistered as Benton County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Big Stone County, Minnesota bigstonecounty.govregistered as Big Stone County Minnesota in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Blue Earth County, Minnesota blueearthcountymn.govregistered as Blue Earth County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Brown County, Minnesota browncountymn.govregistered as Brown County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Carlton County, Minnesota carltoncountymn.govregistered as Carlton County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Carver County, Minnesota carvercountymn.govregistered as Carver County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Cass County, Minnesota casscountymn.govregistered as Cass County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Chippewa County, Minnesota chippewacountymn.govregistered as Chippewa County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Chisago County, Minnesota chisagocountymn.govregistered as Chisago County DES in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Clay County, Minnesota claycountymn.govregistered as Clay County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Clearwater County, Minnesota clearwatercountymn.govregistered as Clearwater County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Cook County, Minnesota cookcountymn.govregistered as Cook County Minnesota in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Cottonwood County, Minnesota cottonwoodcountymn.govregistered as Cottonwood County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Crow Wing County, Minnesota crowwing.govregistered as Crow Wing County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Dakota County, Minnesota dakotacountymn.govregistered as Dakota County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Dodge County, Minnesota dodgecountymn.govregistered as Dodge County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Douglas County, Minnesota douglascountymn.govregistered as Douglas County IT Department in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Faribault County, Minnesota faribaultcountymn.govregistered as Faribault County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Fillmore County, Minnesota fillmorecountymn.govregistered as Fillmore County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Freeborn County, Minnesota freeborncountymn.govregistered as Freeborn County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Goodhue County, Minnesota goodhuecountymn.govregistered as Goodhue County, MN in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Grant County, Minnesota grantcountymn.govregistered as Grant County MN in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Hennepin County, Minnesota hennepincounty.govregistered as Hennepin County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Houston County, Minnesota hocomn.govregistered as Houston County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Hubbard County, Minnesota hubbardcounty.govregistered as Hubbard County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Isanti County, Minnesota isanticountymn.govregistered as Isanti County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Itasca County, Minnesota itascacountymn.govregistered as Itasca County MN in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Jackson County, Minnesota jacksoncountymn.govregistered as Jackson County MN in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Kanabec County, Minnesota kanabeccountymn.govregistered as Kanabec County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Kandiyohi County, Minnesota kandiyohicountymn.govregistered as Kandiyohi County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Kittson County, Minnesota kittsonmn.govregistered as Kittson County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Koochiching County, Minnesota koochiching.govregistered as Koochiching County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota lqpcomn.govregistered as Lac qui Parle County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Lake County, Minnesota lakecountymn.govregistered as Lake County Mn in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota lotwcounty.govregistered as LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Le Sueur County, Minnesota lesueurcounty.govregistered as Le Sueur County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Lincoln County, Minnesota lincolncountymn.govregistered as Lincoln County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Lyon County, Minnesota lyoncountymn.govregistered as Lyon County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| McLeod County, Minnesota mcleodcountymn.govregistered as McLeod County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Mahnomen County, Minnesota mahnomencounty.govregistered as Mahnomen County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Marshall County, Minnesota marshallcountymn.govregistered as Marshall County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Martin County, Minnesota martincountymn.govregistered as Martin County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Meeker County, Minnesota meekercountymn.govregistered as Meeker County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Mille Lacs County, Minnesota co.mille-lacs.mn.usweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Morrison County, Minnesota morrisoncountymn.govregistered as Morrison County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Mower County, Minnesota mowercountymn.govregistered as Mower County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Murray County, Minnesota murraycountymn.govregistered as Murray County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Nicollet County, Minnesota nicolletcountymn.govregistered as Nicollet County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Nobles County, Minnesota noblescountymn.govregistered as Nobles County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Norman County, Minnesota normanmn.govregistered as Norman County Minnesota in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Olmsted County, Minnesota olmstedcounty.govregistered as Olmsted County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Otter Tail County, Minnesota ottertailcounty.govregistered as Otter Tail County, MN in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Pennington County, Minnesota penningtonmn.govregistered as Pennington County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Pine County, Minnesota pinecountymn.govregistered as Pine County MN in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Pipestone County, Minnesota pipestonecounty.govregistered as County of Pipestone in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Polk County, Minnesota polkcountymn.govregistered as Polk County Minnesota in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Pope County, Minnesota popecountymn.govregistered as Pope County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Ramsey County, Minnesota ramseycountymn.govregistered as Ramsey County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Red Lake County, Minnesota redlakecounty.govregistered as Red Lake County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Redwood County, Minnesota redwoodcounty-mn.govregistered as Redwood County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Renville County, Minnesota co.renville.mn.usweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Rice County, Minnesota ricecountymn.govregistered as Rice County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Rock County, Minnesota rockmn.govregistered as Rock County in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Roseau County, Minnesota roseaucountymn.govregistered as County of Roseau in the .gov registry; this is the elections office's site, not the county's main site | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| St. Louis County, Minnesota stlouiscountymn.govregistered as St. Louis County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Scott County, Minnesota scottcountymn.govregistered as Scott County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Sherburne County, Minnesota sherburnemn.govregistered as County of Sherburne in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Sibley County, Minnesota sibleycounty.govregistered as Sibley County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Stearns County, Minnesota stearnscountymn.govregistered as County of Stearns in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Steele County, Minnesota steelecountymn.govregistered as Steele County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Stevens County, Minnesota stevenscountymn.govregistered as Stevens County Minnesota in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Swift County, Minnesota swiftcounty.govregistered as Swift County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Todd County, Minnesota toddcountymn.govregistered as Todd County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Traverse County, Minnesota traversecountymn.govregistered as Traverse County MN in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Wabasha County, Minnesota co.wabasha.mn.usweb address from Wikidata (P856), not the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Wadena County, Minnesota wadenacounty.govregistered as Wadena County MN in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Waseca County, Minnesota wasecacounty.govregistered as Waseca County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Washington County, Minnesota washingtoncountymn.govregistered as Washington County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 | |
| Watonwan County, Minnesota watonwancountymn.govregistered as Watonwan County in the .gov registry | 33 | Gated | 1 | |
| Wilkin County, Minnesota wilkincounty.govregistered as Wilkin County in the .gov registry | 28 | Gated | 1 |
Scores are for the population, not for ranking two named sites against each other. A few points between neighbors is noise. See what these numbers can and cannot support. Data: sites.csv · checks.csv · summary.json