Public Employees Per 10,000 of Population

(full-time equivalent)

Description

This variable is calculated as the full-time equivalent state and local public employees per 10,000 of state population. This information comes from 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data. These data were released in May 2024.

Current (2026)

Current values and ranks for the 2026 edition of Rich States, Poor States.

Public Employees Per 10,000 of Population Rank

Worst Best

ME 29

VT 42

NH 12

WA 28

ID 7

MT 30

ND 46

MN 27

IL 15

WI 8

MI 6

NY 44

RI 5

MA 18

OR 33

NV 1

WY 50

SD 20

IA 43

IN 9

OH 17

PA 4

NJ 16

CT 21

CA 19

UT 14

CO 38

NE 47

MO 23

KY 31

WV 40

VA 35

MD 34

DE 24

AZ 2

NM 41

KS 48

AR 37

TN 10

NC 22

SC 13

OK 32

LA 36

MS 45

AL 39

GA 11

AK 49

HI 26

TX 25

FL 3

State	Value	Rank
Alabama	569.44	39^th
Alaska	701.37	49^th
Arizona	394.93	2^nd
Arkansas	544.42	37^th
California	506.22	19^th
Colorado	553.05	38^th
Connecticut	509.13	21^st
Delaware	509.85	24^th
Florida	395.93	3^rd
Georgia	485.67	11^th
Hawaii	515.3	26^th
Idaho	457.2	7^th
Illinois	499.37	15^th
Indiana	478.84	9^th
Iowa	603.26	43^rd
Kansas	698.05	48^th
Kentucky	526.83	31^st
Louisiana	544.03	36^th
Maine	524.27	29^th
Maryland	537.01	34^th
Massachusetts	503.89	18^th
Michigan	434.89	6^th
Minnesota	517.17	27^th
Mississippi	612.53	45^th
Missouri	509.38	23^rd
Montana	525.63	30^th
Nebraska	638.86	47^th
Nevada	367.54	1^st
New Hampshire	488.55	12^th
New Jersey	499.38	16^th
New Mexico	585.87	41^st
New York	607.58	44^th
North Carolina	509.18	22^nd
North Dakota	625.21	46^th
Ohio	501.68	17^th
Oklahoma	527.38	32^nd
Oregon	530.39	33^rd
Pennsylvania	415.72	4^th
Rhode Island	427.45	5^th
South Carolina	493.24	13^th
South Dakota	508.44	20^th
Tennessee	482.13	10^th
Texas	512.71	25^th
Utah	499.19	14^th
Vermont	588.18	42^nd
Virginia	539.23	35^th
Washington	521.42	28^th
West Virginia	575.35	40^th
Wisconsin	471.77	8^th
Wyoming	867.01	50^th

U.S. Trends

Overview of states' Public Employees Per 10,000 of Population over time.

Historical Ranks

Historical state ranks for Public Employees Per 10,000 of Population across editions of the Rich States, Poor States.

State	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
Alabama	38^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	39^th	39^th	40^th	41^st	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	39^th	39^th	39^th
Alaska	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	48^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th
Arizona	3^rd	2^nd	6^th	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd
Arkansas	30^th	34^th	33^rd	30^th	40^th	45^th	41^st	40^th	38^th	39^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	37^th	37^th	37^th	37^th
California	9^th	7^th	8^th	7^th	5^th	5^th	4^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	9^th	8^th	12^th	13^th	19^th
Colorado	20^th	20^th	17^th	26^th	24^th	23^rd	21^st	24^th	22^nd	20^th	26^th	30^th	25^th	34^th	36^th	35^th	36^th	36^th	38^th
Connecticut	21^st	15^th	21^st	16^th	17^th	17^th	16^th	22^nd	25^th	29^th	32^nd	21^st	22^nd	20^th	18^th	19^th	22^nd	21^st	21^st
Delaware	35^th	36^th	31^st	25^th	27^th	28^th	27^th	32^nd	23^rd	23^rd	21^st	20^th	20^th	23^rd	23^rd	22^nd	20^th	15^th	24^th
Florida	4^th	5^th	9^th	5^th	6^th	6^th	5^th	4^th	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd
Georgia	23^rd	22^nd	25^th	20^th	21^st	19^th	18^th	20^th	18^th	15^th	17^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	12^th	11^th	11^th	10^th	11^th
Hawaii	24^th	27^th	30^th	35^th	22^nd	24^th	24^th	21^st	24^th	24^th	27^th	29^th	27^th	24^th	22^nd	25^th	21^st	19^th	26^th
Idaho	25^th	19^th	15^th	11^th	8^th	10^th	10^th	14^th	15^th	12^th	12^th	14^th	9^th	8^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th
Illinois	8^th	8^th	7^th	9^th	9^th	9^th	11^th	15^th	13^th	13^th	13^th	9^th	8^th	11^th	13^th	12^th	15^th	17^th	15^th
Indiana	16^th	16^th	24^th	19^th	20^th	12^th	13^th	12^th	10^th	11^th	11^th	11^th	14^th	17^th	10^th	14^th	8^th	9^th	9^th
Iowa	41^st	39^th	38^th	39^th	37^th	37^th	33^rd	35^th	41^st	41^st	41^st	42^nd	41^st	42^nd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd
Kansas	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	49^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th
Kentucky	34^th	32^nd	29^th	29^th	31^st	33^rd	32^nd	28^th	33^rd	34^th	36^th	35^th	35^th	33^rd	33^rd	31^st	34^th	33^rd	31^st
Louisiana	42^nd	41^st	42^nd	41^st	41^st	42^nd	39^th	36^th	39^th	35^th	35^th	37^th	37^th	36^th	39^th	39^th	38^th	38^th	36^th
Maine	37^th	31^st	37^th	24^th	26^th	35^th	38^th	33^rd	27^th	25^th	22^nd	22^nd	24^th	27^th	25^th	26^th	33^rd	32^nd	29^th
Maryland	12^th	18^th	14^th	15^th	16^th	21^st	23^rd	17^th	19^th	19^th	18^th	18^th	17^th	18^th	26^th	24^th	26^th	31^st	34^th
Massachusetts	11^th	12^th	12^th	6^th	10^th	8^th	8^th	11^th	14^th	17^th	14^th	8^th	13^th	10^th	14^th	10^th	16^th	22^nd	18^th
Michigan	6^th	4^th	2^nd	4^th	7^th	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	4^th	4^th	5^th	4^th	4^th	4^th	5^th	4^th	5^th	6^th	6^th
Minnesota	15^th	21^st	18^th	18^th	18^th	18^th	19^th	19^th	20^th	21^st	24^th	24^th	33^rd	30^th	31^st	32^nd	28^th	29^th	27^th
Mississippi	45^th	45^th	46^th	46^th	45^th	44^th	45^th	47^th	47^th	46^th	46^th	45^th	45^th	44^th	44^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	45^th
Missouri	26^th	26^th	23^rd	22^nd	23^rd	22^nd	22^nd	25^th	21^st	22^nd	20^th	23^rd	23^rd	22^nd	21^st	23^rd	19^th	14^th	23^rd
Montana	29^th	33^rd	28^th	34^th	38^th	38^th	36^th	38^th	36^th	38^th	37^th	34^th	32^nd	39^th	35^th	36^th	27^th	28^th	30^th
Nebraska	47^th	44^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	46^th	47^th	46^th	45^th	44^th	44^th	46^th	46^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th
Nevada	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st
New Hampshire	17^th	23^rd	22^nd	21^st	30^th	27^th	28^th	23^rd	31^st	31^st	23^rd	28^th	21^st	21^st	19^th	16^th	14^th	12^th	12^th
New Jersey	36^th	35^th	35^th	33^rd	35^th	29^th	29^th	26^th	28^th	28^th	30^th	27^th	30^th	35^th	32^nd	20^th	25^th	23^rd	16^th
New Mexico	46^th	47^th	45^th	45^th	42^nd	40^th	43^rd	42^nd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	41^st	42^nd	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st
New York	40^th	42^nd	41^st	43^rd	43^rd	41^st	42^nd	43^rd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	43^rd	43^rd	46^th	46^th	44^th	44^th	44^th	44^th
North Carolina	32^nd	38^th	39^th	38^th	36^th	36^th	37^th	37^th	34^th	32^nd	33^rd	36^th	36^th	29^th	30^th	29^th	31^st	25^th	22^nd
North Dakota	44^th	46^th	44^th	44^th	46^th	47^th	46^th	44^th	44^th	45^th	45^th	44^th	44^th	45^th	45^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	46^th
Ohio	22^nd	17^th	19^th	17^th	19^th	16^th	17^th	16^th	17^th	18^th	19^th	17^th	18^th	15^th	15^th	15^th	13^th	20^th	17^th
Oklahoma	39^th	37^th	36^th	37^th	34^th	34^th	35^th	31^st	35^th	37^th	34^th	32^nd	28^th	26^th	24^th	28^th	30^th	35^th	32^nd
Oregon	7^th	11^th	11^th	14^th	13^th	14^th	14^th	10^th	9^th	9^th	9^th	10^th	12^th	13^th	16^th	17^th	18^th	24^th	33^rd
Pennsylvania	2^nd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	4^th	4^th	6^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	4^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	4^th	5^th	4^th	4^th	4^th
Rhode Island	5^th	10^th	5^th	8^th	3^rd	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	5^th	5^th
South Carolina	31^st	30^th	34^th	28^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	30^th	26^th	30^th	25^th	25^th	31^st	32^nd	34^th	33^rd	23^rd	18^th	13^th
South Dakota	33^rd	24^th	20^th	36^th	32^nd	30^th	30^th	34^th	29^th	33^rd	31^st	33^rd	34^th	31^st	29^th	34^th	32^nd	30^th	20^th
Tennessee	19^th	14^th	13^th	12^th	14^th	15^th	15^th	18^th	16^th	14^th	16^th	12^th	15^th	12^th	11^th	13^th	9^th	11^th	10^th
Texas	27^th	28^th	27^th	32^nd	33^rd	32^nd	34^th	29^th	30^th	26^th	29^th	31^st	26^th	25^th	27^th	30^th	29^th	26^th	25^th
Utah	10^th	6^th	4^th	10^th	12^th	20^th	20^th	13^th	8^th	8^th	8^th	15^th	11^th	14^th	17^th	18^th	17^th	16^th	14^th
Vermont	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	42^nd	44^th	43^rd	44^th	45^th	46^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	43^rd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd
Virginia	28^th	29^th	32^nd	31^st	29^th	26^th	26^th	27^th	32^nd	27^th	28^th	26^th	29^th	28^th	28^th	27^th	35^th	34^th	35^th
Washington	14^th	13^th	16^th	23^rd	15^th	13^th	12^th	8^th	11^th	10^th	10^th	19^th	19^th	19^th	20^th	21^st	24^th	27^th	28^th
West Virginia	18^th	25^th	26^th	27^th	28^th	31^st	31^st	39^th	37^th	36^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	37^th	37^th	38^th	40^th	40^th	40^th
Wisconsin	13^th	9^th	10^th	13^th	11^th	11^th	9^th	9^th	12^th	16^th	15^th	13^th	10^th	9^th	8^th	9^th	10^th	8^th	8^th
Wyoming	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th

Historical Values

Historical values for Public Employees Per 10,000 of Population. The years listed correspond to the actual data years, not necessarily the publication of Rich States, Poor States.

State	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Alabama	592.6	614.5	619.5	607.5	600	592.9	592.5	583.4	583.87	580.93	577.1	577.4	580.9	586	583.5	562.5	560.2	565.7	569.44
Alaska	785.5	761.8	779.7	765.2	762.4	757.5	753.2	753.9	738.87	729.88	710.4	700.8	703.5	709.1	694.8	687.3	688.8	694.6	701.37
Arizona	462.3	473.8	498.7	463.3	459.8	433.2	431.8	427.8	426.57	418.17	406.2	400.8	388.7	390.7	385.6	383.7	382.5	389.8	394.93
Arkansas	576.1	587	581.5	563.6	601.3	645.4	598.1	570.3	564.64	571.04	569.5	560.3	562.2	563.7	563.1	546.7	548.5	551.9	544.42
California	498.9	500.6	502.1	496.6	478.2	464.8	466.1	446.3	451.71	453.46	462.4	470.8	473.4	478.1	485.4	467.3	483.3	491.6	506.22
Colorado	536.5	539.4	535.9	549	541.4	528	527	524.4	523.7	518.07	529.8	533.5	526.1	540.2	547.3	534.2	533.4	542.2	553.05
Connecticut	537	532.1	547.2	531.1	524.4	517.2	513	516.9	530.1	534.51	540.1	519.4	516.6	511.9	508.5	491.7	501.9	506.8	509.13
Delaware	579.8	593.1	580.5	548.5	547.2	548.4	544.1	542.7	524.17	522.58	517.6	517.3	510.3	514.8	525.3	499.8	500.3	503.3	509.85
Florida	479.4	488	502.2	476.1	482	466	466.7	441	434.27	432.33	429.7	424.5	422.4	421.4	415.9	408.9	397.5	399.1	395.93
Georgia	540	544.4	556.6	538.7	532.8	518.9	518.5	512.6	503.74	495.66	498	499.5	497	498.2	491.9	472.9	476.5	481.9	485.67
Hawaii	541.4	557.2	580.1	582.5	536.9	535.8	535.1	515.7	527.77	524.48	529.9	532.1	527.6	518.1	524	509.1	501.5	505.5	515.3
Idaho	541.5	536.4	533.5	509.9	497.1	495.7	491.2	496	493.76	485.33	488	492.6	487.7	482.8	473.7	454.4	452.1	457	457.2
Illinois	494.8	500.8	502.1	497.8	498.2	487.1	499.4	501	487.74	488.26	492.6	483	483.5	486.9	493.8	473.1	491.6	504.5	499.37
Indiana	527.2	533	555.4	537.9	531.2	505.6	505	486.3	483.51	485.06	484.5	487	495.5	500	488	475.3	469.8	476.9	478.84
Iowa	623.5	609.9	607.3	596.8	585.7	578.9	564.8	552.4	585.12	583.65	588	593	590.4	594.7	601.4	586.9	596.3	600.8	603.26
Kansas	669.1	677.1	696.3	717.4	708.2	685.6	680.8	695.4	671.97	669.8	681.9	690.7	695	692.5	702.9	678.2	682.4	681	698.05
Kentucky	579.6	579.6	576.9	561.3	557.8	565	564.4	537.4	550.56	549.64	551.9	545.8	546.3	539.3	543	520.7	521.3	525.4	526.83
Louisiana	643.2	615.4	639.8	616.4	610.2	615.5	589.8	555.5	565.45	555.13	551.7	553.6	553.7	556.8	572.6	561.2	555.4	560.1	544.03
Maine	587.2	578	593.5	546.1	545.6	567.5	583.2	548	531.67	529.19	521.4	520.4	520.4	526.7	526.7	511.3	520.7	523	524.27
Maryland	518.4	534	532.8	528.3	522.9	526.8	528.2	503.2	505.07	505.16	505.3	506.9	502.9	503.5	527.9	500.6	509.9	522.7	537.01
Massachusetts	515.9	516.2	527.8	493.4	502.2	486.9	486.9	482.8	488.78	497.19	493.4	478.9	494.3	486.7	497	471.9	492.1	508.6	503.89
Michigan	482.1	486.9	474.9	475.3	482.8	462.3	461	438.5	441.54	440.11	442	435.4	436.9	434.2	439.1	417.8	426	434.4	434.89
Minnesota	527.2	539.6	537.1	535	525.9	518.6	519.1	509.7	518.57	519.16	528.2	527.4	539.3	532.7	538.8	523.4	514.2	520.8	517.17
Mississippi	649	648	652.3	655.9	649.8	644.6	640.9	644.9	641.52	637.83	638.7	632.1	626.5	619.3	616.4	606.9	608.7	613.4	612.53
Missouri	547.8	556.8	555.2	542.3	541.3	527.9	527.5	525	522.22	520.74	517.4	522.1	520.1	513.8	515.4	500	497.1	502.6	509.38
Montana	573.6	584.1	570.5	580.8	589.6	579.8	574.2	562	557.62	562.76	553.4	545.4	538.3	573.1	546.9	539	511.3	518.5	525.63
Nebraska	664.4	640.3	656.2	656.6	663.3	656.5	652	639.9	630.11	624.44	626.5	632.7	631.6	650.8	663.7	636	634.9	647.7	638.86
Nevada	414	429.7	439.5	436.5	422.1	419.7	418.8	367.6	386.96	373.98	385.6	385.5	383	385.4	376.7	362.3	360.1	365.8	367.54
New Hampshire	530.7	544.9	548.6	541	554.3	548.3	547.4	520.6	537.5	535.21	528	531.4	515.5	513.5	512	487.2	489.5	485.4	488.55
New Jersey	586.6	587.5	583.3	578.7	580.5	553.3	551.6	531.2	531.71	533.21	534.8	530.4	531.8	545.1	542	497.7	509	510.1	499.38
New Mexico	654.5	676.8	651.9	645.7	621.9	603.5	604.4	595.5	603.01	600.48	605.4	591.5	594	589.4	589.1	567.3	570.7	583.9	585.87
New York	616.5	634.3	634	640.8	631.3	604	603.8	596.4	590.89	592.84	599.4	604.6	616.7	624.1	639.3	593.8	602.1	609.8	607.58
North Carolina	577.3	598.2	614.6	593.6	580.6	575.9	575.7	558	552.85	538.35	540.9	547.4	549.9	529.6	530	518.4	517.7	513.7	509.18
North Dakota	647.5	650.2	643.1	644	660.9	658.6	650.7	625.1	619.69	626.64	633.6	626.3	619	622.3	622	624.6	633.8	633.6	625.21
Ohio	537.3	533.4	540.1	533.9	526.4	515.1	514.3	501.6	499.07	502.96	506.7	505	504.2	497.8	497.5	476.6	489.1	506.2	501.68
Oklahoma	598.9	595.7	593.4	590.5	576.8	566.4	566.3	541.3	555.12	556.41	550.5	537.1	529.2	524.6	526.7	514.3	515.9	536.2	527.38
Oregon	491	507.2	503.6	519.4	516.8	509.6	509.6	482.8	479.39	477.13	483	485.1	493.4	492.1	499.5	489.1	496.3	513	530.39
Pennsylvania	456.9	476.1	478.1	472.7	471.5	464.5	467.7	444.9	445.27	443.4	439.8	442.1	437.3	435.2	438.9	418.2	417.6	419.2	415.72
Rhode Island	479.9	504.7	494.9	497	470.2	473.2	471	458.1	454.16	454.93	456.3	448.4	453.1	456.9	461.3	426.2	430.2	432.1	427.45
South Carolina	576.1	575.5	582.7	557.9	543.4	541.9	540.8	539.4	530.45	534.97	528.9	528.5	532.1	536.8	543.3	523.5	502	504.6	493.24
South Dakota	577.9	546.4	540.3	589.7	566.2	556.4	552	548.3	531.92	543.27	535.4	540.6	544.6	535.6	529.5	526.4	519.6	520.9	508.44
Tennessee	536	525.9	528.3	516.9	517.4	511.4	512	504.7	494.21	491.43	494.7	488.2	495.8	491.6	489.2	474.3	470.9	482.8	482.13
Texas	559.4	562.2	563.5	570.4	575.1	564.8	565.2	537.9	532.81	530.87	533.4	534.7	526.2	523.8	528.9	519.3	515.8	513.8	512.71
Utah	505	498.2	493.1	503	509.3	523.9	523.1	488.8	477.14	475.53	482.2	498.1	491.5	497.6	503	490.6	492.8	503.6	499.19
Vermont	643.4	637.9	641.8	618.4	646.9	632.9	632.6	632.2	636.81	646.95	642.5	656.9	633	596.3	599.5	576.3	589.4	591.8	588.18
Virginia	563.4	571.3	580.5	564.1	552.2	542	542.7	532.2	537.57	532.23	532	529.9	531.5	527.3	529	513.5	525.8	534.1	539.23
Washington	521	525.4	534	544.7	519.7	507.1	500	460.2	484.21	478.59	483.9	516.4	504.5	510.5	515.1	499.2	505.9	518.5	521.42
West Virginia	535.6	556.3	560.4	557	548.6	558.9	555.9	564.2	560.31	556.04	571.3	561.5	565.9	561.1	560.8	551.9	568.9	568.7	575.35
Wisconsin	518.4	502.5	503.5	517.6	503	496.5	489.5	477.8	485.47	496.15	493.7	491.3	488.8	485.3	483.1	471.1	474.5	471.1	471.77
Wyoming	889.4	915.4	927.4	948.9	900.1	928.1	918.2	865.5	873.11	864.83	870.6	864.5	868.2	882.8	879.4	862.8	854.3	855.2	867.01

Description

Current (2026)

U.S. Trends

Historical Ranks

Historical Values

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Rich States, Poor States 19th Edition

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