Higgins Strategy

From Study VIII, Exhibit 1

Per resident, the fewest federal civilian employees since 1940

Source. BLS Current Employment Statistics via FRED: all employees, federal government (CES9091000001) and federal except U.S. Postal Service (CES9091100001); BEA resident population (B230RC0A052NBEA) and Census monthly population (POPTHM). 1939–2026 (2026: January–September).

Method and data

Method. Annual averages of seasonally adjusted monthly values; 2026 is the January–September average, divided by the August 2026 monthly population (343,008 thousand). Population from BEA (annual). The CES counts payroll jobs at all federal civilian employers, including the Postal Service and the legislative and judicial branches; it does not count uniformed military or contractors. The bold line excludes the Postal Service.

YearBasisExcept Postal (thousands)All federal (thousands)Except Postal per 1,000All federal per 1,000Population (thousands)
1939Annual average629.2949.54.87.25131,028
1940Annual average716.71,044.65.427.91132,122
1941Annual average1,0661,405.27.9910.53133,402
1942Annual average1,974.72,319.514.6417.2134,860
1943Annual average2,6813,048.119.6122.29136,739
1944Annual average2,666.33,071.819.2722.2138,397
1945Annual average2,504.42,945.917.921.05139,928
1946Annual average1,890.62,364.213.3716.72141,389
1947Annual average1,512.81,982.910.513.76144,126
1948Annual average1,455.71,951.89.9313.31146,631
1949Annual average1,473.72,000.29.8813.41149,188
1950Annual average1,506.62,020.29.9313.32151,684
1951Annual average1,893.62,41312.2715.64154,287
1952Annual average1,996.72,537.812.7216.17156,954
1953Annual average1,887.32,41911.8315.16159,565
1954Annual average1,761.52,294.610.8514.13162,391
1955Annual average1,760.72,294.610.6513.88165,275
1956Annual average1,778.82,317.610.5713.78168,221
1957Annual average1,770.52,325.810.3413.58171,274
1958Annual average1,731.92,298.19.9513.2174,141
1959Annual average1,763.62,341.99.9613.22177,130
1960Annual average1,790.42,381.89.913.18180,760
1961Annual average1,789.82,391.39.7413.01183,742
1962Annual average1,8532,455.59.9313.16186,590
1963Annual average1,870.72,474.49.8813.07189,300
1964Annual average1,858.72,463.69.6812.84191,927
1965Annual average1,876.12,495.19.6512.84194,347
1966Annual average2,004.62,690.410.213.68196,599
1967Annual average2,134.32,853.910.7414.36198,752
1968Annual average2,1432,872.610.6814.31200,745
1969Annual average2,155.52,894.310.6314.28202,736
1970Annual average2,123.22,865.410.3513.97205,089
1971Annual average2,095.82,827.710.0913.61207,692
1972Annual average2,111.92,815.110.0613.41209,924
1973Annual average2,095.72,793.49.8913.18211,939
1974Annual average2,147.72,857.410.0413.36213,898
1975Annual average2,183.22,882.210.1113.34215,981
1976Annual average2,187.62,863.710.0313.13218,086
1977Annual average2,2022,859.21012.98220,289
1978Annual average2,2332,893.710.0313222,629
1979Annual average2,220.82,894.29.8712.86225,106
1980Annual average2,326.52,999.410.2213.17227,726
1981Annual average2,246.92,921.69.7712.7230,008
1982Annual average2,199.82,883.89.4712.42232,218
1983Annual average2,229.72,914.89.5212.44234,333
1984Annual average2,236.92,942.59.4612.45236,394
1985Annual average2,263.63,013.49.4912.63238,506
1986Annual average2,251.73,044.29.3612.65240,683
1987Annual average2,274.63,089.59.3712.72242,843
1988Annual average2,289.63,124.69.3412.75245,061
1989Annual average2,297.53,135.89.2912.68247,387
1990Annual average2,3703,195.79.4712.77250,181
1991Annual average2,296.63,110.89.0612.27253,530
1992Annual average2,311.13,111.6912.11256,922
1993Annual average2,269.73,062.28.7211.76260,282
1994Annual average2,196.93,016.48.3411.45263,455
1995Annual average2,097.92,946.87.8711.05266,588
1996Annual average2,009.62,876.27.4510.66269,714
1997Annual average1,940.32,805.57.1110.28272,958
1998Annual average1,891.12,770.86.8510.03276,154
1999Annual average1,879.52,769.76.739.92279,328
2000Annual average1,984.42,8657.0310.15282,398
2001Annual average1,890.22,763.26.639.69285,225
2002Annual average1,923.82,765.66.689.6287,955
2003Annual average1,953.22,760.36.729.5290,626
2004Annual average1,947.92,731.16.649.31293,262
2005Annual average1,956.62,731.56.619.23295,993
2006Annual average1,961.92,732.66.579.14298,818
2007Annual average1,965.72,735.36.529.07301,696
2008Annual average2,013.72,761.26.619.07304,543
2009Annual average2,1282,830.66.939.21307,240
2010Annual average2,317.52,976.27.489.61309,839
2011Annual average2,227.72,859.57.139.16312,295
2012Annual average2,210.52,821.57.028.96314,725
2013Annual average2,175.22,7706.868.74317,099
2014Annual average2,140.52,733.26.78.55319,601
2015Annual average2,159.72,757.26.78.56322,113
2016Annual average2,185.22,794.36.738.61324,609
2017Annual average2,188.62,803.36.78.58326,860
2018Annual average2,191.32,799.56.668.51328,794
2019Annual average2,2242,830.86.738.56330,513
2020Annual average2,328.32,931.67.028.83331,840
2021Annual average2,279.62,886.26.868.68332,503
2022Annual average2,265.42,867.56.788.58334,350
2023Annual average2,321.72,925.96.898.68337,087
2024Annual average2,394.52,999.97.048.82340,095
2025Annual average2,307.52,902.96.758.49341,944
2026January–September average2,084.42,684.26.087.83343,008

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Higgins Strategy. “Per resident, the fewest federal civilian employees since 1940” Exhibit 1, Every Federal Job (Study VIII). October 12, 2026. https://higginsstrategy.com/charts/08-federal-employment-1939-2026/