The 90,740 state and local governments across the country had 16.6 million full-time equivalent employees in 2010, 203,321 fewer than were employed in 2009, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The majority of these employees, 9.0 million, worked in education, followed by those working in hospitals (986,471) police protection (946,196) and corrections (731,692).

Part-time state and local government employees numbered 4.8 million in 2010, a decrease of 27,567 from 2009.

Local governments - which include counties, cities, townships, special districts and school districts - accounted for 12.2 million full-time equivalent employees in 2010, while state governments employed 4.4 million. Both figures showed decreases from 2009. The number of full-time equivalent employees is equal to the number of full-time employees added to the number of hours worked by part-time employees divided by the standard number of hours for a full-time employee.

These estimates come from the Census Bureau'sAnnual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll. The survey shows totals for state and local government full-time and part-time employment and details employment by government function at the national and state level.

Local Government Employment

Between 2009 and 2010, most states saw decreases in full-time equivalent employment.Rhode Islandshowed the biggest decline (7.7 percent), whileNorth Dakotasaw the largest increase (7.5 percent).

Most states experienced another year of decline in part-time employment between 2009 and 2010, losing about 56,787 employees overall. Local governments inCaliforniasaw a decrease of 47,620 part-time employees, while the largest increase in part-time employees was inTexas, which added 24,731 part-time employees.

State Government Employment

Most state governments saw small decreases in full-time or full-time equivalent employment between 2009 and 2010.Idaho,ConnecticutandRhode Islandsaw the largest declines, each losing about 5 percent of its workforce.Texassaw the largest percent increase (5.9 percent), adding about 17,800 to its workforce.

Most state governments saw increases in their part-time workforce, led byWisconsin, which added 5,063 part-time employees, followed byCaliforniawith an increase of 2,836 state employees.Floridasaw the largest loss in part-time employment (7.5 percent), with a drop of about 3,555 employees. (Note: 2010 state and local part-time statistics forPennsylvaniaare not comparable with previous statistics because of changes in reporting by the commonwealth.)