Corporated and uncorporated?

Question

When I drove by some small towns, I saw the sigh with this town is corporated or uncorporated. Anyone knows what’s that mean? Thx

Answer 1

1. It simply indicates whether or not there is a municipal corporation (local council). If it is corporated, then there will be a form of local taxation levied to pay for locally delivered services.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unincorporated_area

2. Unincorporated areas are regulated by, and have their public services delivered by, a higher level authority - usually at county level. Thus "Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, who are elected by the county's voters .... can pass ordinances for the unincorporated areas (ordinances that affect the whole county, like posting of restaurant ratings, must be ratified by the individual city)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County