The U.S. Census Bureau has released estimates of state and local government employment, and the results may be surprising to those who believe California has too many government workers.


The Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy, an independent Palo Alto-based think tank, reported that in 2008 California had the third-lowest number of full-time equivalent state government employees relative to population among all 50 states.


In California there are 103 state employees for every 10,000 residents. Illinois had the lowest ratio at 97.


The U.S. average was 143 state employees per 10,000 residents. California’s ratio of state government employees relative to population was 28 percent below the national average.


Nevada, Arizona and Texas were other states with the lowest ratios of state workers to population. When state and local government employees (including education) are added together, California has the fourth-lowest ratio of employees to population.


California had 484 state and local full-time equivalent employees per 10,000 residents in 2008 compared to the national average of 549.


Nevada was the state with the lowest ratio (440) followed by Michigan (475), Pennsylvania (478), and Utah (493). California’s ratio was 12 percent below the national average.
Texas has 563 state and local government employees per 10,000 residents or slightly above the national average.


K-12 education has the largest number of employees in most states. California has the 5th lowest ratio of K-12 education employees to population. California is 19% below the national average in education employees relative to population despite the fact that California has an above-average percent of K-12 students in the state’s population. Texas ranks 5th highest among states with 275 K-12 employees per 10,000 residents.


The Census Bureau tabulations include limited data on compensation. Data is provided for a single