Good questions need good data. Here is how many full-time-equivalent positions (FTEs) each part of city government had each year, and where that number went up or down. Pick the years to compare, then open any area to see its departments.
All views personal, all data city or state provided. Corrections welcomed and encouraged.
Compareto
Year by year: positions added and cut
Each square is one year’s change from the year before. Blue squares added positions; red squares cut them. Open an area to see its departments.
Override took effectReorganization: staff moved between departments, not new or lost jobsGray: department didn’t exist that year
Positions over time, by area
Each chart has its own scale, so the shape of each line can be compared, but not the height. Gold lines mark the years overrides took effect.
Total change in positions between the two years you picked. The citywide total is at the top of the page. Open an area in the heat map to see which departments drove it.
In the years you picked
About this data
An FTE is a full-time-equivalent position. Two half-time jobs count as one FTE. These are budgeted positions, not a head count of people. FY27 is the current budget.
Overrides were approved in June 2013 (in effect FY2014) and March 2020 (delayed by the pandemic; in effect FY2022). Both were $2.5M.
Education opens to show Northampton Public Schools and Smith Vocational separately. The city’s sheet groups them as Education, but Smith Vocational is funded differently.
Some changes are reorganizations, not new or lost jobs. The Treasurer and Collector offices merged in FY17. Storm drain staff moved from Public Works into the new Stormwater enterprise fund in FY15. Public Works divisions were regrouped in FY19. These years are striped gold.
Human services growth reflects the creation of the Division of Community Care. It responds to mental health, substance use and social service calls as an alternative to police, grew out of the city’s 2021 policing review, and was placed within Health and Human Services in 2022. Its first director was named in March 2023.
Fire Rescue added eight new firefighter positions in FY26. Northampton’s firefighters also provide the city’s EMS.
Enterprise funds (water, sewer, solid waste, stormwater) are paid for by user fees, not the general fund.
Two FY24 totals don’t match their lines. The city’s sheet totals General Government at 70.13 FTEs, while its department lines add to 71.13. Its citywide total, 1,088.87 FTEs, is 3 lower than its area totals add to (1,091.87). This page uses the sheet’s own totals, including for All departments.
Source: City of Northampton, “FTEs by Employee Affiliation and Department, Fiscal Year 2027” (FY13–FY27). Overrides: City free cash presentation, Jan. 2025; Gazette, May 2024; The Shoestring, Feb. 2021. Division of Community Care: The Reminder, May 10, 2022; City of Northampton, Mar. 20, 2023. Fire Rescue positions: Daily Hampshire Gazette, June 30, 2025.