Public Sector Employment and Its Role in Local Economic Development

When considering the role of government in economic development, much of our attention focuses on tax incentives, corporate attraction, workforce readiness, and infrastructure development. But what about the role of the public sector as employer or direct supporter of jobs? We created a publicly driven employment index that includes both direct government jobs (federal, state, local, and military) and jobs in sectors that receive substantial public funding (education, social services, and health care).