Which statement defines a general-law city?

• A. A city under state rule
• B. A city with no home rules
• C. One with a population under 5,000 or with a population of more than 5,000 that does not have home rules
• D. A city with a charter and self-government

Answer: (C)

General-law cities are municipalities that operate under state law rather than a locally adopted charter. In practice, that means a city with fewer than 5,000 residents is general-law, and even if a city has more than 5,000 residents, it remains general-law if it has not adopted a home-rule charter. A city with a charter and self-government is home-rule, not general-law. So the statement that defines a general-law city correctly covers both scenarios: population under 5,000, or population over 5,000 without a home-rule charter.