Why Your Town Should Be Using a .GOV Domain

A .gov domain isn’t just a web address, it’s a digital badge of trust. Unlike .com, .org, or .us, the .gov domain is tightly regulated and exclusively reserved for verified government entities. It’s managed by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and with that comes built-in layers of protection. Towns that adopt a .gov domain benefit from required security protocols such as HTTPS encryption, DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC), and multifactor authentication.

But security is only part of the equation. Residents instantly recognize .gov as official. There’s no second-guessing whether they’re visiting the legitimate town website or interacting with a trusted department. When a town uses .gov, it’s communicating clearly: "This is real. This is safe. This is your government."

Many municipalities still rely on domains like .org, .us, or .com, unaware of the risks that come with them. These domains can be purchased by virtually anyone, including malicious actors looking to impersonate a local agency. There are no enforced standards for DNS or email security, making them vulnerable to spoofing or phishing attacks. Worse still, their unofficial appearance can undermine credibility. Residents and external partners may question whether an email or website is truly affiliated with the town or dismiss it altogether.

Email systems are the quiet workhorses of local government, and when they fail, it can lead to serious consequences. Domains outside the .gov space are more likely to be flagged as spam, blocked by enterprise firewalls, or filtered out by advanced email security tools. For municipalities, this becomes a silent crisis. Time-sensitive messages about taxes, election reminders, inspection notices, or emergency alerts may never make it to their intended recipients. And when that happens, deadlines are missed, confusion grows, and trust in local government erodes.

Sticking with a non-.gov domain comes with real consequences. Every undelivered email, every resident unsure about a website’s legitimacy, and every potential security loophole chips away at the town’s reputation. The result? Communication breakdowns, reduced public engagement, and heightened exposure to cyber threats like ransomware or impersonation attacks. These are not hypothetical risks, they are operational failures waiting to happen.

Despite the clear benefits, many towns haven’t made the switch, often due to simple inertia or lack of awareness. What they may not realize is that since 2021, .gov domains have been made free for all eligible U.S. government organizations, including cities, towns, counties, and special districts. The application process is surprisingly straightforward, requiring only basic documentation and signoff from a local authority.

In Massachusetts, the transition is already well underway. Based on state guidance and municipal directories, an estimated 70 to 80 percent of communities have already adopted .gov domains, and the number continues to rise as more towns recognize the value of secure and credible digital presence.

• Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
  https://get.gov – Official site to register .gov domains
  https://home.dotgov.gov – Background and governance
  
  

• Massachusetts Municipal Domain Name Guidance
  https://www.mass.gov/guides/municipal-domain-name-guidance
  
  

• Zillow Research on Email Deliverability Risks
  https://blog.zillabyte.com/email-security-and-spam (archived)
  
  

• VC3: Municipal Tech Blog – Why .GOV Matters
  https://www.vc3.com/blog/why-municipalities-need-a-.gov-domain-and-professional-email-provider
  
  

• NIST & Homeland Security Briefings on Email Spoofing
  https://www.nist.gov/publications/email-security
  
  

• Massachusetts Municipal Association Directory
  https://www.mma.org/members/member-communities/city-and-town-websites