In 2023, around 19.58 million people were working for state and local governments in the United States. This is much higher than the number of federal government (civilian) employees, which stood at about 2.87 million people in that year.
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Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023
Characteristic
Federal (civilian)
State and local
1982
2.89
12.99
1983
2.91
13.16
1984
2.92
13.49
1985
2.97
13.67
1986
3.05
13.91
1987
3.07
14.12
1988
3.11
14.48
1989
3.15
14.77
1990
3.19
15.26
1991
3.09
15.45
1992
3.11
15.7
1993
3.07
15.82
1994
3.04
16.47
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of employees in millions2.892.892.912.912.922.922.972.973.053.053.073.073.113.113.153.153.193.193.093.093.113.113.073.073.043.042.962.962.832.832.752.752.752.752.872.872.742.742.742.742.772.772.712.712.722.722.722.722.712.712.732.732.782.782.912.912.862.862.822.822.782.782.722.722.732.732.772.772.792.792.772.772.792.792.862.862.852.852.872.872.932.9312.9912.9913.1613.1613.4913.4913.6713.6713.9113.9114.1214.1214.4814.4814.7714.7715.2615.2615.4515.4515.715.715.8215.8216.4716.4716.6316.6316.7316.7317.0917.0917.5117.5117.9817.9818.2718.2718.3518.3518.6518.6518.7618.76191919.3319.3319.3919.3919.6919.6919.8419.8419.619.619.4119.4119.2519.2519.1119.1119.2319.2319.2919.2919.4119.4119.5419.5419.619.619.6919.6919.7719.7718.8318.8319.2319.2319.5819.58Federal (civilian)State and local19821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
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*Figures for state and local are as of March each year from 1997 onwards, and October for prior years. No survey was conducted in 1996 due to this change.
Values have been rounded.
Cumulative data for state and local government can be accessed here.
Federal Government Employees taken from the bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Employment Statistics, and reflect an annual average which is available here. Select "One Screen" for "Employment, Hours, and Earnings - National", then: "All Employees, Thousands" for box 1, "Government" for box 2, and "Federal" for 3. Select 'not seasonally adjusted data' for March each year are used to align figures with local and state government data.
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US Census Bureau, & Bureau of Labor Statistics. (July 3, 2024). Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/
US Census Bureau, und Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023." Chart. July 3, 2024. Statista. Accessed July 30, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/
US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 30, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/
US Census Bureau, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Total Number of Government Employees in The United States from 1982 to 2023." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Jul 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/
US Census Bureau & Bureau of Labor Statistics, Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/ (last visited July 30, 2025)
Total number of government employees in the United States from 1982 to 2023 [Graph], US Census Bureau, & Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 3, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/204535/number-of-governmental-employees-in-the-us/
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