The continuing government shutdown may hit hard throughout the country, especially in places where federal workers in affected agencies account for a relatively high share of jobs. As a percentage of all workers, federal employees affected by the shutdown are as common in Montana and Alaska as they are in Maryland.
Where the shutdown could
have the biggest impact
Number of federal employees in agencies
affected by the shutdown per 100,000 workers
250
500
1,000
1,500
NH
WA
VT
MT
ME
ND
MN
1,500
OR
MA
WI
ID
SD
NY
RI
WY
MI
CT
IA
PA
NE
NV
OH
NJ
IN
IL
UT
DE
CO
WV
VA
KS
CA
MO
KY
MD
NC
1,569
TN
OK
AZ
AR
NM
SC
MS
GA
AL
AK
D.C.
LA
TX
1,699
12,653
per 100,000
workers
FL
HI
Note: As of June 2018. Map does not include 240,000 workers for whom location was not reported.
Where the shutdown could have
the biggest impact
Number of federal employees in
agencies affected by the shutdown per 100,000 workers
250
500
1,000
1,500
NH
WA
VT
MT
ME
ND
MN
1,500
OR
MA
WI
ID
SD
NY
RI
WY
MI
CT
IA
PA
NE
NV
NJ
OH
IN
IL
UT
DE
CO
WV
VA
KS
CA
MO
KY
MD:
NC
1,569
TN
OK
AZ
AR
NM
SC
D.C.:
MS
GA
AL
12,653
per 100,000
workers
AK
LA
TX
1,699
FL
HI
Note: As of June 2018. Map does not include 240,000 workers
for whom location was not reported.
Where the shutdown could have
the biggest impact
Number of federal employees in agencies
affected by the shutdown per 100,000 workers
250
500
1,000
1,500
NH
WA
VT
MT
ME
ND
MN
1,500
OR
MA
WI
ID
SD
NY
RI
MI
WY
CT
PA
IA
NE
NJ
NV
OH
IN
IL
DE
UT
WV
CO
CA
VA
MD:
KS
MO
KY
1,569
NC
TN
D.C.:
OK
AR
AZ
SC
NM
12,653
per 100,000
workers
GA
AL
MS
AK
LA
TX
1,699
FL
HI
Note: As of June 2018. Map does not include 240,000 workers for whom
location was not reported.
Where the shutdown could have the biggest impact
Number of federal employees in agencies
affected by the shutdown per 100,000 workers
250
500
1,000
1,500
NH
WA
VT
MT
ME
ND
MN
1,500
OR
MA
WI
ID
SD
NY
RI
MI
WY
CT
PA
IA
NE
NJ
NV
OH
IN
IL
DE
UT
WV
CO
CA
VA
MD
KS
MO
KY
1,569
NC
TN
D.C.
OK
AR
AZ
SC
NM
12,653
per 100,000
workers
GA
AL
MS
AK
LA
TX
1,699
FL
HI
Note: As of June 2018. Map does not include 240,000 workers for whom location was not reported.
The top places outside the D.C. area where agency workers affected by the shutdown are most concentrated are Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and Idaho.
[U.S. towns with federal workers brace for impact as the shutdown continues]
While around 75 percent of the government is fully funded, the shuttered federal agencies employ more than 800,000 people who work in all 50 states, according to a Washington Post analysis of data from the federal Office of Personnel Management. The total of their reported salaries tops $1.4 billion per week, a reflection of their economic impact.
The federal workers affected reflect a wide variety of jobs and skills. Half of the affected workers do not have college degrees, while one in five have education beyond a bachelor’s degree. The largest part, 45 percent, are categorized as administrative and hold positions such as air traffic controllers, inspectors, IT managers and criminal investigators. Tens of thousands are blue collar workers, including mechanics, cooks and custodians.
Although they typically earn $85,600 a year, almost 111,000 workers make less than $50,000.
Salaries of affected federal workers vary widely
Nearly 14 percent of federal employees affected by the shutdown make less than $50,000 a year.
60,000
employees
0
$30,000
$50,000
$150,000
$300,000
60,000
employees
0
$30,000
$50,000
$150,000
$300,000
60,000
employees
40,000
20,000
0
$30,000
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$300,000
60,000
employees
40,000
20,000
0
$30,000
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$300,000
The affected employees include those who are furloughed and not working at all, as well as essential employees who are still on the job but not getting paid. In past shutdowns, employees received back pay after the government was funded. (Some government contractors have been ordered to stop work on certain contracts. Those employees, not included in this analysis, are less likely to receive back pay.)
The most, more than a quarter million, work in five states (three in the D.C. region and in California and Texas). But as a share of all workers, federal employees affected by the shutdown are as common in Montana and Alaska as they are in Maryland.
Top three agencies with most workers affected in each state
| State | Agency | Number of employees |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. overall | Total | 806,300 |
| Homeland Security | 203,700 | |
| Justice | 114,200 | |
| Agriculture | 94,000 | |
| District of Columbia | Total | 98,300 |
| Justice | 17,400 | |
| Homeland Security | 14,700 | |
| State | 8,800 | |
| Maryland | Total | 42,500 |
| Health and Human Services (FDA) | 14,300 | |
| Commerce | 11,800 | |
| Treasury | 4,400 | |
| California | Total | 42,300 |
| Agriculture | 9,900 | |
| Treasury | 7,600 | |
| Interior | 5,800 | |
| Texas | Total | 36,300 |
| Treasury | 8,900 | |
| Homeland Security | 5,700 | |
| Transportation | 4,300 | |
| Virginia | Total | 34,000 |
| Commerce | 9,600 | |
| Homeland Security | 9,100 | |
| Interior | 3,600 | |
| New York | Total | 17,100 |
| Treasury | 4,800 | |
| Transportation | 2,300 | |
| Homeland Security | 2,200 | |
| Georgia | Total | 16,200 |
| Treasury | 3,700 | |
| Transportation | 2,600 | |
| Agriculture | 2,400 | |
| Florida | Total | 16,200 |
| Homeland Security | 2,600 | |
| Transportation | 2,500 | |
| NASA | 2,000 | |
| Colorado | Total | 15,900 |
| Interior | 5,400 | |
| Agriculture | 3,700 | |
| Commerce | 1,400 | |
| Missouri | Total | 14,400 |
| Treasury | 5,400 | |
| Agriculture | 3,600 | |
| Homeland Security | 1,000 | |
| Pennsylvania | Total | 14,200 |
| Treasury | 4,800 | |
| Justice | 1,800 | |
| Agriculture | 1,400 | |
| Arizona | Total | 13,700 |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 4,200 | |
| Interior | 3,700 | |
| Agriculture | 2,300 | |
| Washington | Total | 11,600 |
| Agriculture | 2,800 | |
| Transportation | 2,200 | |
| Interior | 1,900 | |
| New Mexico | Total | 10,700 |
| Interior | 3,400 | |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 3,200 | |
| Agriculture | 2,800 | |
| Utah | Total | 10,100 |
| Treasury | 5,100 | |
| Agriculture | 2,000 | |
| Interior | 1,800 | |
| Illinois | Total | 10,000 |
| Transportation | 1,900 | |
| Agriculture | 1,400 | |
| Justice | 1,200 | |
| Oregon | Total | 9,800 |
| Agriculture | 5,000 | |
| Interior | 2,800 | |
| Commerce | 500 | |
| Massachusetts | Total | 8,200 |
| Treasury | 2,100 | |
| Transportation | 1,100 | |
| Interior | 1,100 | |
| Oklahoma | Total | 7,900 |
| Transportation | 3,400 | |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 1,400 | |
| Interior | 900 | |
| North Carolina | Total | 7,800 |
| Agriculture | 1,900 | |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 1,200 | |
| Homeland Security | 1,100 | |
| Ohio | Total | 7,300 |
| NASA | 1,600 | |
| Transportation | 1,100 | |
| Treasury | 1,000 | |
| Tennessee | Total | 7,300 |
| Treasury | 3,200 | |
| Agriculture | 1,200 | |
| Transportation | 1,000 | |
| Montana | Total | 7,200 |
| Agriculture | 3,700 | |
| Interior | 2,000 | |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 800 | |
| Kentucky | Total | 6,500 |
| Treasury | 3,400 | |
| Justice | 1,000 | |
| Agriculture | 1,000 | |
| West Virginia | Total | 6,200 |
| Treasury | 3,100 | |
| Justice | 1,100 | |
| Agriculture | 700 | |
| Louisiana | Total | 6,100 |
| Agriculture | 2,200 | |
| Homeland Security | 1,000 | |
| Interior | 900 | |
| Minnesota | Total | 6,100 |
| Agriculture | 1,700 | |
| Transportation | 900 | |
| Interior | 700 | |
| Idaho | Total | 6,000 |
| Agriculture | 3,700 | |
| Interior | 1,800 | |
| Transportation | 200 | |
| Michigan | Total | 5,800 |
| Agriculture | 1,200 | |
| Treasury | 900 | |
| Transportation | 700 | |
| Alaska | Total | 5,700 |
| Interior | 2,600 | |
| Transportation | 1,100 | |
| Agriculture | 900 | |
| New Jersey | Total | 5,600 |
| Transportation | 1,700 | |
| Homeland Security | 1,000 | |
| Justice | 700 | |
| Alabama | Total | 5,500 |
| NASA | 2,300 | |
| Agriculture | 1,000 | |
| Justice | 500 | |
| Indiana | Total | 5,300 |
| Commerce | 1,800 | |
| Transportation | 900 | |
| Agriculture | 700 | |
| South Dakota | Total | 4,400 |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 1,600 | |
| Interior | 1,400 | |
| Agriculture | 1,000 | |
| Mississippi | Total | 3,900 |
| Agriculture | 1,600 | |
| Justice | 500 | |
| NASA | 400 | |
| Kansas | Total | 3,800 |
| Agriculture | 900 | |
| Transportation | 700 | |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 500 | |
| South Carolina | Total | 3,700 |
| Agriculture | 900 | |
| Justice | 700 | |
| State | 600 | |
| Wyoming | Total | 3,700 |
| Interior | 2,200 | |
| Agriculture | 1,100 | |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 100 | |
| Arkansas | Total | 3,500 |
| Agriculture | 1,700 | |
| Health and Human Services (FDA) | 400 | |
| Justice | 400 | |
| Wisconsin | Total | 3,300 |
| Agriculture | 1,500 | |
| Interior | 700 | |
| Commerce | 300 | |
| Nevada | Total | 3,200 |
| Interior | 1,500 | |
| Agriculture | 500 | |
| Transportation | 300 | |
| Iowa | Total | 2,800 |
| Agriculture | 1,900 | |
| Transportation | 200 | |
| Treasury | 200 | |
| Hawaii | Total | 2,700 |
| Agriculture | 700 | |
| Interior | 600 | |
| Commerce | 400 | |
| Nebraska | Total | 2,700 |
| Agriculture | 1,300 | |
| Interior | 400 | |
| Homeland Security | 300 | |
| North Dakota | Total | 2,400 |
| Interior | 800 | |
| Agriculture | 700 | |
| Health and Human Services (IHS) | 400 | |
| New Hampshire | Total | 2,100 |
| Transportation | 700 | |
| State | 500 | |
| Agriculture | 400 | |
| Vermont | Total | 1,500 |
| Homeland Security | 900 | |
| Agriculture | 300 | |
| Interior | 100 | |
| Connecticut | Total | 1,500 |
| Homeland Security | 400 | |
| Justice | 300 | |
| Transportation | 200 | |
| Maine | Total | 1,200 |
| Interior | 400 | |
| Agriculture | 200 | |
| Homeland Security | 200 | |
| Rhode Island | Total | 600 |
| Commerce | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | |
| Homeland Security | 100 | |
| Delaware | Total | 500 |
| Agriculture | 300 | |
| Justice | 100 | |
| Commerce | 100 |
Kevin Uhrmacher, Brittany Renee Mayes and Reuben Fischer-Baum contributed to this report.
About this story
Statistics for federal employees affected by the shutdown came from a Post analysis of anonymous data from the Office of Personnel Management and of state job data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some agencies are partially affected; for example, the Food and Drug Administration is shuttered, while other parts of the Department of Health and Human Services remain open. Work location and salary were not reported in the data for 29 percent of workers, including most employees in the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice.
Originally published Jan. 5, 2019.
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