Census ACS 5-Year · 52 states
States With Most Government Jobs
Public administration, the government workforce that runs federal, state, and local agencies, is concentrated in certain states far more than others. The District of Columbia has by far the highest share (as the seat of the federal government), but among states, Alaska, Virginia, and Maryland rank highest. Virginia and Maryland benefit from their proximity to Washington DC, hosting numerous federal agencies, military installations, and government contractors. Alaska's high ranking reflects the outsized role of federal and state government in managing vast public lands, natural resources, and services for remote communities. Government jobs offer stability, benefits, and pensions that are increasingly rare in the private sector, making them especially valued in areas with limited private employment. States with large government workforces tend to have more stable economies during recessions but face fiscal pressure when budgets tighten.
Key Findings
- 1District of Columbia leads with a public administration employment share of 17.8%, followed by Alaska (11.4%) and Maryland (11.1%).
- 2The gap between #1 District of Columbia and #52 Iowa (3.3%) is 14.5 percentage points.
- 3The national median across all states is 4.6% (Kansas at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: District of Columbia, Alaska, Maryland, Virginia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, New Mexico, West Virginia, Wyoming, Oklahoma.
Full Ranking: States With Most Government Jobs
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Gov Jobs % | Median Income | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 6.5% | $74,815 | 579,761 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 3.6% | $75,670 | 5,892,023 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 7.0% | $57,917 | 1,784,462 |
| 4 | Washington | 5.0% | $94,952 | 7,740,984 |
| 5 | Virginia | 8.9% | $90,974 | 8,657,499 |
| 6 | Vermont | 5.0% | $78,024 | 645,254 |
| 7 | Utah | 4.6% | $91,750 | 3,331,187 |
| 8 | Texas | 4.1% | $76,292 | 29,640,343 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 4.2% | $67,097 | 6,986,082 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 4.8% | $72,421 | 899,194 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 4.4% | $66,818 | 5,212,774 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 4.3% | $86,372 | 1,095,371 |
| 13 | Puerto Rico | 8.0% | $25,096 | 3,254,885 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 4.0% | $76,081 | 12,986,518 |
| 15 | Oregon | 4.8% | $80,426 | 4,238,714 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 6.2% | $63,603 | 3,995,260 |
| 17 | Ohio | 4.0% | $69,680 | 11,780,046 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 4.8% | $75,949 | 779,361 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 4.1% | $69,904 | 10,584,340 |
| 20 | New York | 4.8% | $84,578 | 19,872,319 |
| 21 | New Mexico | 7.5% | $62,125 | 2,114,768 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 4.4% | $101,050 | 9,267,014 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 4.0% | $95,628 | 1,387,834 |
| 24 | Nevada | 4.1% | $75,561 | 3,141,000 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 4.3% | $74,985 | 1,965,926 |
| 26 | Montana | 5.6% | $69,922 | 1,105,072 |
| 27 | Missouri | 4.4% | $68,920 | 6,168,181 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 5.2% | $54,915 | 2,951,438 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 3.7% | $87,556 | 5,713,716 |
| 30 | Michigan | 3.5% | $71,149 | 10,051,595 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | 3.9% | $101,341 | 6,992,395 |
| 32 | Maryland | 11.1% | $101,652 | 6,170,738 |
| 33 | Maine | 4.5% | $71,773 | 1,377,400 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 5.4% | $60,023 | 4,621,025 |
| 35 | Kentucky | 4.2% | $62,417 | 4,510,725 |
| 36 | Kansas | 4.6% | $72,639 | 2,937,569 |
| 37 | Iowa | 3.3% | $73,147 | 3,195,937 |
| 38 | Indiana | 3.6% | $70,051 | 6,811,752 |
| 39 | Illinois | 3.8% | $81,702 | 12,692,653 |
| 40 | Idaho | 4.8% | $74,636 | 1,893,296 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 8.6% | $98,317 | 1,445,635 |
| 42 | Georgia | 4.7% | $74,664 | 10,822,590 |
| 43 | Florida | 4.3% | $71,711 | 21,928,881 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | 17.8% | $106,287 | 672,079 |
| 45 | Delaware | 5.8% | $82,855 | 1,005,872 |
| 46 | Connecticut | 3.7% | $93,760 | 3,598,348 |
| 47 | Colorado | 4.5% | $92,470 | 5,810,774 |
| 48 | California | 4.7% | $96,334 | 39,242,785 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 4.4% | $58,773 | 3,032,651 |
| 50 | Arizona | 4.8% | $76,872 | 7,268,175 |
| 51 | Alaska | 11.4% | $89,336 | 733,971 |
| 52 | Alabama | 5.5% | $62,027 | 5,054,253 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
District of Columbia has the highest public administration employment share at 17.8%, according to latest Census ACS data. Alaska and Maryland round out the top three.
Iowa has the lowest public administration employment share at 3.3%. Michigan is second-lowest at 3.5%.
The median across all 52 states is 4.6%. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.