Public Service Recognition Week: May 7-13, 2023

May 07, 2023

Press Release Number: CB23-SFS.66

From the U.S. Office of Personnel Management:

“Celebrated annually during the first week of May since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) is time set aside to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees.

“Throughout the country, mayors, governors, agency leaders, communities and public service organizations participate in PSRW by issuing proclamations; hosting award ceremonies and special tribute events; and delivering messages about the value of public service.”

Key Stats

Source: 2021 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (ASPEP).

2021 ASPEP Datasets & Tables (Government Employment & Payroll)

View and download the 2021 ASPEP datasets.
State Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2021 [<1.0 MB]
Local Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2021 [<1.0 MB]
State and Local Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2021 (table below) [<1.0 MB]

State and Local Government: Employment and Payroll Data by State and by Function: March 2021

Note: The table above includes combined data for all 50 state governments and all local governments (i.e., counties, municipalities, townships, special districts, and school districts) by government function. It is cropped to highlight total employment and payroll in the United States. Several subtotal rows are hidden, as are all “Coefficient of Variation” columns. Click on the image for the full table.

More Stats

From Topics / Public Sector (Federal, State, & Local Governments):

Census of Governments (CoG)

Identifies the scope and nature of the nation's state and local government sector including public finance and public employment and classifications.
Government Employment & Payroll: Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (ASPEP)

Provides state and local government data on full-time and part-time employment, full-time equivalent employment, and payroll statistics.
Government Finances (Local Gov Finance/State Gov Finance)

Government finances include revenues, expenditures (spending), debt, and assets (cash and security holdings).
Government Organization & Structure

Information about state and local governments, including the number of governments in the U.S.
Public Sector Data

Sources are the Census Bureau and other federal agencies, if applicable. For additional Public Sector data, please visit the subtopic pages.
Public Sector News

Here you will find news related to Public Sector. Visit the Newsroom for news releases published by the Census Bureau.
Surveys and Programs Contributing to Public Sector

Learn more about the surveys, censuses, and programs that contribute data and other content to Public Sector.

From the Library:

America Counts: Government Stories
America Counts: Public Sector Stories

Explore various America Counts stories on the topic of public sector.
How Did CARES Act Funding Impact State Revenues, Spending? (July 2022)

The 2020 Annual Survey of State Government Finances captures only three months of the CARES Act funding to state governments but it already shows major impacts.
The 2019 Annual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll Is Out (October 2020)

The Annual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll shows the largest government employment categories: education, hospitals, and police protection.
Effects of Economic Downturn on Private and Public Employment (October 2019)

Private industry employment dipped more but rebounded quicker, surpassing pre-recession levels. Public sector employment still has not fully recovered.

From the Newsroom:

Stats for Stories: National Tax Day: April 18, 2023 (delayed from April 15)

Q4 2022 combined state and local tax revenues for property, sales and gross receipts, and income taxes increased 2.4% to $502.7B from $490.9B in Q4 2021.
Press Release: Census Bureau Releases 2020 State and Local Government Finance Summary Brief (September 22, 2022)

This report highlights changes in revenues, expenditures, debt, and cash and security holdings for the state and local government finance combined estimates.
Press Release: 2021 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll Now Available (May 25, 2022)

The 2021 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll statistics provide a comprehensive look at the employment of the nation’s state and local governments.
Stats for Stories: Armed Forces Day: May 21, 2022

The 2021 American Community Survey estimated the U.S. had 257.1 million people 18 years and over, and of those, 16.5 million, or 6.4 percent, were veterans.
Stats for Stories: National Teacher Appreciation Week & Day: May 2-6 & 3, 2022

The 2021 American Community Survey counted about 5.95M teachers in the U.S. including preschool to postsecondary, special ed, tutors, assistants, and other.
Press Release: Census Bureau Releases Census of Governments Infographic (February 03, 2021)

Note: The Census of Governments (CoG) collects state and local government data every five years in years ending in “2” and “7.” The first phase of data collection for the 2022 CoG began in February 2021. Data products from the CoG will be available beginning in 2023.

Sources: Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (ASPEP), and Population Estimates.

Visualization: State & Local Government Snapshot, 2012-2017 (June 2020)

Note: Use this tool to explore aggregated Revenue, Expenditure and Employment data for State and Local Governments. Customize the view by using the drop-down menus, and selectable category buttons. Receive additional information by hovering over each data element. Please note, all Revenue and Expenditure data are annual while Employment data have been annualized from each year’s March statistics. Dollar amounts are displayed in whole dollars.

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