The 20 Best Government Website Designs in the U.S.

The State of Utah Government

Utah.gov is one of the best government websites when it comes to user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. The look and usability of this website exceed expectations. In addition, its homepage showcases the beauty of the state of Utah.

Factors that put this website on the list of the best state government websites include:

• Innovative design
• Effective use of eye-catching and high-quality background photographs of the state of Utah.
• The website’s design, elements, and photography blend perfectly.
• The website menus and sections are easy to find and navigate.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has one of the best federal government websites, offering superior usability and simplicity. Its menu is compact, leaving plenty of space for relevant imagery and information. It also utilizes branding, iconography, and color well to match the overall purpose and theme.

The NOAA website finds a spot on this list of the best government website designs because:

• It has a simple user interface.
• It is uncluttered and easy to navigate.
• It adapts well to mobile devices, laptops, and desktops.
• Its on-brand color palette choice and use of iconography are perfect.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website is a prime example of what you may expect from the best government website designs. The web design company responsible for creating this website clearly knew what it was doing, showcasing professional and clean design at its best.

Factors that work in favor of the IRS WEBSITE include:

• A clean and professional layout.
• Information is easy to find.
• The website delivers a great UX across all types of devices.
• The traditional blue, gray, and white color palette suits the official purpose of the website.

The State of Mississippi Government

The official website of Mississippi is undoubtedly one of the best government websites in terms of UX and UI. Its clean, well-thought-out design, quickly-accessible chat box, and search bar put users first. People visiting it can easily navigate to different sections to find the information they seek.

This website features on several lists of the best-designed government websites because:

• It has a strong focus on UX optimization.
• It offers a prominent search bar and chat box for quick and easy navigation.
• Its use of complimentary blue hues and bright accent colors is visually appealing.
• It makes use of high-quality background and website photographs.

The United States Postal Service (USPS)

Of all the top government website examples listed on this page, the United States Postal Service (USPS) website catches your eye from the word go because of its smart use of graphics and the brand’s colors. Relying heavily on simplicity, it has a visually appealing design with blocks, buttons, icons, and illustrations that help bring different elements to life.

Factors that draw attention to the USPS website from the design perspective include:

• Features on-trend and modern graphics in its design and visuals.
• Bold use of accent colors alongside traditional blues and grays.
• UI- and UX-optimized to ensure easy navigation to services and information.

Silverthorne Government

The web design agency that worked on creating the website for the government of Silverthorne, Colorado, has gone above and beyond in delivering a platform that highlights what the town has to offer. This website is one of the best municipal websites when it comes to UX and UI, making finding local activities easy and fun.

The top reasons that have helped the Silverthorne website deliver great results include:

• An emphasis on cultural engagement.
• Highlights the scenery and local activities that make the region unique.
• Smart use of buttons, calendars, and blog posts to better guide website and city visitors.
• Aesthetically pleasing use of accent colors and photography.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA and its logo feature prominently in pop culture, even showing up on t-shirts and caps, and it’s fair to say this federal agency has some of the best and most recognizable branding around. In pretty much the same vein, its website is among the best-designed government websites because it perfectly captures NASA’s identity.

NASA’s name features on the list of top website designs because:

• On-point branding.
• Easily-identifiable choice of colors and backgrounds that fit the NASA logo and brand.
• Eye-catching placement of interesting high-quality space photography.
• It makes the process of navigation to relevant news quick and easy.

The NASA Earth Science Applied Sciences Program

The NASA Earth Sciences Applied Sciences Program website is an offshoot looking to engage scientists and innovators on the ground. Besides colors and graphics, the web design company that worked on this project paid due attention to iconography, using a unique set to make an impact.

This website finds a mention on this page because:

• Innovative use of custom-designed unique iconography.
• An unusual choice of colors that appeals to a younger and more modern audience.
• It provides valuable and easily accessible information to upskill the public for free.

Kansas City Government

Kcmo.gov is one of the best city website designs you can find in terms of UX and UI. This modern website cleverly uses buttons to link to relevant topics and pages. Current affairs, events, and programs feature prominently within the hero image on the homepage, improving user engagement and value.

What works in favor of this local government web design includes:

• Smart use of buttons and linking results for easier navigation and better engagement.
• The content is up-to-date and relevant to current affairs.
• Exciting use of turquoise blue instead of traditional blue hues.

The City of San Jose Government

The official City of San Jose website is one of the top local government web design examples you can find. This well-thought-out website features shades of teal alongside complementary pops of yellow. Its overall design is aesthetically pleasing, to say the least, cohesively progressing from top to bottom.

This local government website design makes the cuts because:

• Use of green-blue primary colors, monochromes, and complementary yellow accents.
• Limited use of white as a background color helps reduce eye strain.
• The overall design is cohesive, from the top menu to the footer.

Police Department, Pflugerville

The website of the Pflugerville police department ranks very well when it comes to delivering a great user experience, which is one of the factors that put it on this list of the best local government web design examples.

The team responsible for building this website has prioritized smartphone users, ensuring that it is optimized for usability. Like popular mobile and web apps, it looks good and functions well on various devices, not just computer screens.

The top factors that contribute to its success include:

• It adapts well to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.
• Innovative use and layout of buttons and menus.
• Links to the police station’s social media platform pages are easy to find.

U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy possesses one of the best federal government website designs in terms of visual appeal. The use of bold photographs, be it a destroyer or a submarine, transforms the design from utilitarian to eye-catching.

The U.S. Navy website is a great example of government websites that get it right because:

• Excellent choice of background images.
• Visible linking to social media platforms and pages.
• Simple, clean, and easy-to-navigate layout.

DriveClean, California

While government websites can inform and deliver services to the public, they can also successfully promote programs and initiatives, just like the DriveClean website. This clean and impactful website run by the California government is one of the best-designed government websites for streamlining change.

It deserves your attention because:

• It is solely devoted to promoting the DriveClean initiative.
• It helps users learn about, search, and access different programs, initiatives, and incentives easily.
• Clever and aesthetically appealing use of iconography, color, and photography.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

As far as the best federal government websites go, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website truly stands out for its bold use of color. This website takes inspiration from agriculture, nature, and food, all the subjects it delves into, and showcases these tones perfectly. The effect is rather refreshing without being irrelevant.

Factors that contribute to the USDA website having among the best government website designs include:

• Its bright color palette takes inspiration from various nature-related elements.
• Smart use of buttons, iconography, and accent colors to highlight these elements.
• The website design flows and is cohesive from the top menu to the bottom footer.

The White House

No list of the best government websites in the U.S. would be complete without mention of the White House. One reason it is among the most important government websites is that it represents a building that has served as the residence of every president since 1800. Besides, this is a building where the country’s leaders have made some of their most important decisions.

What helps with the White House website is that it captures the setting and atmosphere of The White House perfectly. Other elements that work well include:

• Prominent use of photographs of the White House, president, and cabinet.
• An impressive and regal design and layout that match the website’s purpose.
• Easy-access buttons that increase text size and toggle a high-contrast background.

New York State Government

New York State has one of the best government websites, with its convenient service delivery being an important reason. This website makes it quick and simple to digitally access public services or find information about a plethora of governance-related topics.

It finds its way on this list of the best state government websites for these reasons.

• Bold use of complementary blue and yellow hues.
• Prominently features current initiatives and important public services.
• The simple layout is easy to navigate and not too busy.

City of West Hollywood Government

The use of videography and web animation on websites is a relatively new trend, and the West Hollywood website is one of the best local government web design examples showcasing this type of media. For example, the top of the homepage keeps featuring videos that highlight different aspects of the city.

Factors that work in the favor of the West Hollywood website include:

• Clever use of videography transports website users to West Hollywood.
• Complimentary use of hues that match the website’s overall color theme.
• The design is minimalistic and easy to navigate.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) website is one of the best federal government websites when it comes to layout. This website features a very clean and uncluttered design that makes it easy to navigate. Each section or button has a place along with relevant imagery or icons, and features insightful descriptions.

This government website makes the cut because:

• It has a clean and seamless design, executed to perfection.
• Good use of accent colors.
• Clever use of relevant iconography, images, and descriptions that make navigation easy.

California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website is one of the best local government websites from a user-friendliness perspective. This unusually modern website utilizes its hero image space to provide vital information through imagery that appeals to a younger audience and it follows the latest design trends.

Like others on this list, this website also has different positive factors that work in its favor.

• Trendy use of modern and abstract digital illustrations in many of its videos.
• A simple and clean design featuring complementary colors.
• All the information is easy to find and pages easy to get to via its homepage.

Save Our Water

It’s not always necessary to use text to introduce a topic. The right image or photograph can speak a thousand words and also engage more internet users. The Save Our Water website, owned and operated by the State of California, is one of the top local government website design examples that put this ethos into play.

Other reasons why the Save Our Water website is among the best government websites include:

• Clever use of high-quality photographs helps guide and inspire visitors.
• The website illustrates how to make water conservation a way of life in a great way.
• It makes valuable water conservation information readily and freely available.

What Are the Best Colors for Government Website Designs?

If you look at the color palettes of the best-designed government websites, you will notice that blue is a top choice. Besides being a calming color, it’s also one that evokes a feeling of trust and accountability – two characteristics that all citizens appreciate in a government and its public service delivery.

Blue is a common choice because government websites wish to remain separate from the governing parties or any brand affiliations. While blue might seem like a boring option, especially for government websites that wish to engage a younger audience, it is possible to work around this challenge. For example, using an unusual shade of blue is one way that web design companies innovate.

Adding bright accent colors that complement the primary blue tone also makes an impact. Blue and blue-green tones are opposite oranges, red, and pink on the color chart. According to color theory, the use of complementary warm colors can be eye-catching and engaging.

The Best Primary Colors for a Government Website Design

When conceptualizing a design, web design companies decide on a color palette. The primary website colors picked are important. These are the central focus of the design, and all the website content must match these tones.

The top primary color palette choices for government website designs are:

• Blue. Traditional navy, royal, and cobalt blue shades are a top choice for government website designs, specifically federal websites. Greenish-blue tones such as teal, cerulean, and tiffany blues are also popular, particularly among state and government agency websites.
• Distinctive brand colors. If a particular government department, organization, or state possesses existing brand colors, these can also feature successfully in its website design.

The Best Secondary Colors for a Government Website Design

The secondary colors that government website design companies often choose for a website color palette also play an important role. These hues should further distinguish and differentiate the design while complementing its primary colors.

Some popular secondary government website design colors include:

• Monochromes. Varying shades and tones of the primary government website design colors offer diversity without looking busy, which is why monochromes find favor in website backgrounds and menus.
• Bright accent colors. Bright colors add a bit of excitement and draw a user’s eye. These hues are an excellent choice for smaller elements such as buttons and icons.
• Complementary colors. Complementary colors are hues that fall opposite the branding or primary design colors. If warm, complementary hues will likely be cold, or vice versa. Orange is complementary to blue, red to green, purple to yellow, red-orange to blue-green, yellow-orange to indigo blue, pink to lime, and so on.
• Neutrals. Neutrals include black, gray, white, brown, and variations of these tones and shades. These colors are ideal for backgrounds, menus, fonts, and areas of a website meant to blend into the background.

Conclusion

What makes for a successful government website design varies, but there are a few defining characteristics. For instance, usability through well-thought-out UI and UX design improves service delivery and user satisfaction. Cutting-edge elements, modern touches, and an unusual layout make a website memorable. Mobile-first and responsive design ensures a website displays correctly on all devices.

A color palette should not only inspire trust but also ensure that users know whose website they’re visiting. Last, but not least, the best government website designs make use of suitable imagery and are aesthetically appealing. Fortunately, a professional government website design company knows and applies these principles in its design and development processes, ensuring that it leaves nothing to chance.