And people who are not employed tend to consume some kinds of government services in a disproportionate amount. Knowing what services government workers provide completes the picture. State and local government accounts for the greatest number of hires, although federal employment in the state has risen slightly in the last 10 years. State and local government accounted for 87.5 percent of all government employees in West Virginia in 1989 and 84.8 percent in 1998. No single federal program accounted for most federal employees in 1998, although the U.S. Postal Service was a major employer.
Education is, by far, the largest of the state and local government employers.
A government agency is the largest single employer in 38 of 55 counties and ranks in the top three of all but two counties, employment statistics show.