In its report below, Gemini identifies all the key assumptions used in its analysis. And this was entirely Gemini’s analysis, unconstrained by us. For example, we made several attempts to persuade Gemini that the Representatives working from their home districts, with no more than 50,000 constituents each, would not need any staff, or maybe just one. Gemini insisted that each "remote" Representative would need two staff, and that is what is in the analysis.
The office expense may be the most difficult one to approximate. Some Representatives might prefer to work from their existing offices. Or they could work from home, and meet constituents at coffee shops or other venues. Gemini agreed with that uncertainty, and assumed a fixed office allowance that the Representatives could use as they see fit.
This analysis is not intended to be definitive, but instead could form the basis for further developing a more detailed and comprehensive cost analysis in the future. In the meantime, this analysis provides a reasonably credible estimate of the cost of the larger House of Representative: $1.9 billion anually. On the face of it, that's a big expense but, to put it in perspective, it is only 0.026% of the 2024 federal budget.
Fortunately, the available data show that as the House is enlarged, and the average constituency size per Representative is decreased, federal spending can be expected to be decreased as well. A Gemini report explains that “increasing the size of the House of Representatives to substantially reduce constituency size would be a powerful long-term check on federal spending”, due to increased fiscal prudence and other reasons. Thirty-Thousand.org argues that an additional $2 billion expenditure for a truly representative House of Representatives would easily prevent billions of dollars of wasteful spending.
Below is Gemini’s report created on August 8, 2025.
Comprehensive Personnel & Operations Cost Analysis
A Comparison of the Current U.S. House of Representatives and a Hypothetical 6,692-Member Model
Date: August 8, 2025
Executive Summary
This report provides a comprehensive cost analysis of the U.S. House of Representatives, comparing the current 435-member structure to a hypothetical 6,692-member model. The proposed model is designed to dramatically increase direct citizen representation by creating smaller congressional districts.
The analysis covers staffing levels, salaries for both staff and Representatives, federal benefits, and a flexible operating allowance for members working from their home districts. This report aims to estimate all major personnel and direct operational expenses.
The key findings are as follows:
- Total Personnel: The number of individuals on the House payroll (Representatives and staff) would increase from approximately 12,235 to 26,201.
- Total Costs: The total annual cost for salaries, benefits, and operating allowances would increase from $1.38 billion in the current system to $3.31 billion in the hypothetical model—a net increase of over $1.9 billion.
- Cost Drivers: The increase is driven by the sheer volume of new Representatives and their essential staff. While the model achieves savings through a massive reduction in committee staff and a lower average Representative salary, these are far outweighed by the costs of the expansion.
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Key Assumptions & Methodology
This estimate is based on publicly available data and a set of clearly defined assumptions that are critical to the analysis.
- Representative Work Location: It's assumed that in the 6,692-member model, a rotating contingent of 300 Representatives serves physically in Washington, D.C., while the remaining 6,392 Representatives work remotely from their home districts.
- Personal Staffing Model: Staffing levels for Representatives' personal offices differ based on work location, resulting in a total of 14,284 personal staff.
- D.C.-Based Representatives: Each of the 300 members in Washington is allocated 5 personal staff.
- District-Based Representatives: Each of the 6,392 remote members is allocated a skeletal staff of 2 personal staff.
- Committee & Administrative Staff:
- Committee Staff is reduced by 75%, based on the premise that a larger pool of members would absorb these duties directly.
- Administrative Staff for the institution is assumed to double (a 100% increase) to manage the vastly larger operational workload.
- Compensation Model (Cost-of-Living Adjusted): To ensure equitable pay, compensation for personnel located across the country is adjusted for regional cost of living.
- Representatives & Personal Staff: Salaries are adjusted based on the Cost of Living (COL) Index for their state.
- Committee & Administrative Staff: These salaries are based on a national average, as many would remain centralized in the high-cost Washington, D.C. area.
- District Operating Allowance: Each of the 6,392 remote Representatives receives a flexible District Operating Allowance. This fund is also COL-adjusted, anchored to a national average of $22,000, and can be used for office space, supplies, or supplemental staff pay.
- Benefits Calculation: The cost of federal health and retirement benefits is estimated at 32% of total salary cost, a standard percentage used in federal budget analysis.
Scenario 1: The Current 435-Representative House
This section details the estimated annual personnel costs for the current structure.
| Personnel Category | Count | Total Annual Salaries | Est. Annual Benefits (@32%) | Total Annual Personnel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Staff | 11,800 | $972,000,000 | $311,040,000 | $1,283,040,000 |
| Representatives | 435 | $75,690,000 | $24,220,800 | $99,910,800 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 12,235 | $1,047,690,000 | $335,260,800 | $1,382,950,800 |
Scenario 2: The Hypothetical 6,692-Representative House
This section details the estimated annual costs for the proposed expanded model, based on the assumptions outlined above.
| Category | Count | Total Annual Salaries | Est. Annual Benefits | Total Annual Operating Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Staff | 19,509 | $1,538,735,000 | $492,395,200 | $2,031,130,200 |
| Representatives | 6,692 | $858,189,308 | $274,620,579 | $1,132,809,887 |
| District Allowance | 6,392 | --- | --- | $146,840,000 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 26,201 | $2,396,924,308 | $767,015,779 | $3,310,780,087 |
Final Comparative Summary & Conclusion
The table below provides a direct comparison of the total estimated costs for both scenarios.
| Expense & Personnel Category | Current System (435 Reps) | Hypothetical System (6,692 Reps) | Net Annual Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel Counts | |||
| Number of Representatives | 435 | 6,692 | +6,257 |
| Number of Staff | 11,800 | 19,509 | +7,709 |
| Total Personnel | 12,235 | 26,201 | +13,966 |
| Financial Costs (Annual) | |||
| Total Salaries | ~$1.05 Billion | ~$2.40 Billion | +$1.35 Billion |
| Total Estimated Benefits | ~$335 Million | ~$767 Million | +$432 Million |
| District Operating Allowance | $0 | ~$147 Million | +$147 Million |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED COST | ~$1.38 Billion | ~$3.31 Billion | +$1.93 Billion |
Conclusion:
The proposal to expand the U.S. House of Representatives to 6,692 members, while achieving the laudable goal of direct representation, carries with it a substantial increase in federal expenditures. The total annual cost for personnel and direct operations is projected to rise from $1.38 billion to over $3.3 billion—a net increase of more than $1.9 billion in current dollars.
This financial commitment should be understood not as a flaw in the proposal, but as a direct and quantifiable measure of the resources required to fundamentally re-center the House around the principle of close-to-the-people representation.
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Sources
¹ Staffing Data: Staffing levels are based on data aggregated by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Source: Brudnick, Ida A. House of Representatives Staff Levels in Member, Committee, and Leadership Offices, 1995-2022. CRS Report R43947.
² Apportionment Data: The apportionment of 6,692 Representatives is from the user-provided data table based on the 2020 Census.
³ Salary Data: Average staff salary estimates are derived from analysis of public data from sources like LegiStorm and the House's quarterly Statement of Disbursements.
⁴ Cost of Living Data: The Cost of Living Index is sourced from The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), Cost of Living Index, First Quarter 2025.
⁵ Benefits Calculation: The benefits load factor of 32% is a standard estimation used for budgetary analysis of federal employee compensation.