Young Americans enlist in the armed services for many reasons, including the opportunity to gain new skills, get physically fit, and earn financial assistance to pay for college. One of the most common reasons, however, is to serve the country. On top of the more than 1.4 million active-duty service members in the military, the United States is home to over 17.8 million veterans.
The sacrifices veterans have made for the country often follow them long after their service. Nearly half of those who served after the terror attacks of 9/11 say they had an emotionally traumatic or distressing experience while serving, and about one in four of all veterans say readjusting to civilian life was at least somewhat difficult, according to a Pew Research study.
Still, the same study also found that over half of all veterans say their service provided them with useful skills and training for the civilian job market, and that veterans are less likely to live in poverty and more likely to have higher incomes than their nonveteran counterparts.
Veterans of the armed service reside in communities across the country, but some parts of the country have a considerably higher concentration of military vets than others. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 counties with the most veterans. Counties and county equivalents, which can include independent cities, are ranked by the share of adult residents who are veterans.
Most counties on this list are in the South. In every county on this list, more than one in every 10 adults have a history of military service. In some, they account for more than one in every five adult residents. For context, 7.1% of the total U.S. civilian adult population have served in the military. Here is a look at the U.S. presidents who have served in the military.
It is important to note that while many veterans chose to enlist out of a sense of patriotic duty – including a considerable share of the 2.4 million who enlisted after 9/11 – many living veterans did not choose to serve and were drafted into service during the Vietnam War. In most counties on this list, those whose period of service is confined to the Vietnam Era account for over 20% of the total veteran population. Here is a look at the wars that claimed the most American lives.
Click here to see the counties with the most veterans
Click here to see our detailed methodology
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50. Chesapeake city, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 15.5%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 18.7% — 257th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 19.2% — 63rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.9% — 134th lowest of 3,032 counties
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49. Custer County, South Dakota
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 15.7%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 10.9% — 1,411th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 46.5% — 237th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 4.6% — 729th lowest of 3,032 counties
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48. Sierra County, New Mexico
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 15.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 0.6% — 39th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 54.4% — 44th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 7.0% — 1,423rd highest of 3,032 counties
Source: Courtesy of Camden County, NC via Facebook
47. Camden County, North Carolina
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 15.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 12.4% — 1,045th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 23.4% — 149th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 3.1% — 315th lowest of 3,032 counties
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46. Craven County, North Carolina
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 15.9%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 19.6% — 210th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 26.1% — 257th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 3.8% — 481st lowest of 3,032 counties
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45. Houston County, Georgia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.0%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 14.7% — 663rd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.8% — 94th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.4% — 84th lowest of 3,032 counties
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44. La Paz County, Arizona
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.1%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 2.2% — 108th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 39.8% — 873rd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 10.3% — 551st highest of 3,032 counties
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43. Columbia County, Georgia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.1%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 24.1% — 79th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 21.5% — 107th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.6% — 110th lowest of 3,032 counties
42. Poquoson city, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 21.8% — 127th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 33.9% — 1,123rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.4% — 29th lowest of 3,032 counties
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41. Otero County, New Mexico
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 21.5% — 139th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 24.6% — 200th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 5.0% — 821st lowest of 3,032 counties
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40. Storey County, Nevada
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 3.8% — 234th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 33.7% — 1,081st lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.8% — 125th lowest of 3,032 counties
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39. Kitsap County, Washington
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 15.6% — 524th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 26.9% — 302nd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.8% — 251st lowest of 3,032 counties
38. Hoke County, North Carolina
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 26.3% — 61st highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 10.8% — 7th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.3% — 79th lowest of 3,032 counties
37. Long County, Georgia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 26.2% — 63rd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 7.8% — the lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.2% — 24th lowest of 3,032 counties
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36. Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.5%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 31.8% — 18th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.0% — 74th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.4% — 88th lowest of 3,032 counties
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35. Hardin County, Kentucky
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.5%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 18.2% — 288th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.7% — 92nd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.5% — 91st lowest of 3,032 counties
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34. Adams County, Idaho
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.6%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 2.7% — 143rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 47.1% — 214th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 6.2% — 1,285th lowest of 3,032 counties
33. Suffolk city, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.7%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 19.1% — 238th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.9% — 44th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.4% — 89th lowest of 3,032 counties
32. Nye County, Nevada
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 4.8% — 337th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 44.5% — 381st highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 6.9% — 1,467th highest of 3,032 counties
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31. King George County, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 18.0% — 303rd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.1% — 33rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.2% — 178th lowest of 3,032 counties
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30. El Paso County, Colorado
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 16.9%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 23.4% — 94th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 19.8% — 70th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.1% — 170th lowest of 3,032 counties
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29. Teller County, Colorado
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 7.3% — 801st lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 26.2% — 259th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.7% — 239th lowest of 3,032 counties
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28. Clay County, Florida
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 16.5% — 420th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 22.5% — 126th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.4% — 205th lowest of 3,032 counties
27. Menard County, Texas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 4.3% — 275th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 66.0% — 5th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 4.3% — 646th lowest of 3,032 counties
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26. Churchill County, Nevada
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 15.8% — 494th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 29.5% — 485th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 6.3% — 1,331st lowest of 3,032 counties
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25. Island County, Washington
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.6%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 19.8% — 192nd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 29.0% — 443rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.9% — 281st lowest of 3,032 counties
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24. Virginia Beach city, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.7%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 21.5% — 137th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.8% — 42nd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.9% — 133rd lowest of 3,032 counties
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23. Santa Rosa County, Florida
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 17.5% — 337th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 21.7% — 109th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.7% — 118th lowest of 3,032 counties
22. Mineral County, Nevada
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.9%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 4.7% — 333rd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 35.5% — 1,413th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 6.5% — 1,390th lowest of 3,032 counties
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21. Comanche County, Oklahoma
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 17.9%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 23.2% — 99th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.1% — 79th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.9% — 276th lowest of 3,032 counties
20. Prince George County, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 18.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 33.5% — 13th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 18.9% — 56th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.3% — 190th lowest of 3,032 counties
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19. Clay County, Kansas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 18.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 25.5% — 68th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 32.6% — 874th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.2% — 173rd lowest of 3,032 counties
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18. Hampton city, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 18.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 28.7% — 42nd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.5% — 35th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.5% — 212th lowest of 3,032 counties
17. Vernon Parish, Louisiana
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 18.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 33.4% — 14th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.7% — 40th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.8% — 263rd lowest of 3,032 counties
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16. York County, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 18.9%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 13.8% — 790th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 18.8% — 52nd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 3.3% — 368th lowest of 3,032 counties
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15. Cumberland County, North Carolina
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 19.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 27.2% — 55th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 16.5% — 28th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.3% — 77th lowest of 3,032 counties
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14. Jackson County, Colorado
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 19.3%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 20.0% — 187th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 29.1% — 452nd lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 15.9% — 105th highest of 3,032 counties
13. Stafford County, Virginia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 19.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 17.9% — 307th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 12.1% — 10th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.6% — 101st lowest of 3,032 counties
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12. Cochise County, Arizona
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 19.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 13.3% — 887th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 28.1% — 367th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 5.0% — 820th lowest of 3,032 counties
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11. Montgomery County, Tennessee
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 20.0%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 30.1% — 31st highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 13.6% — 15th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.3% — 71st lowest of 3,032 counties
10. Pulaski County, Missouri
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 20.1%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 26.0% — 66th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 17.4% — 34th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.9% — 54th lowest of 3,032 counties
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9. Coryell County, Texas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 20.4%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 28.4% — 43rd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 16.8% — 30th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.9% — 49th lowest of 3,032 counties
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8. Bell County, Texas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 21.1%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 30.7% — 26th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 13.4% — 14th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.1% — 67th lowest of 3,032 counties
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7. Chattahoochee County, Georgia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 21.2%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 51.8% — the highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 9.7% — 4th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.0% reported — the lowest of 3,032 counties (tied)
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6. Onslow County, North Carolina
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 21.5%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 38.5% — 5th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 13.4% — 13th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.4% — 87th lowest of 3,032 counties
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5. Lampasas County, Texas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 21.6%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 8.6% — 1,071st lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.4% — 84th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.5% — 97th lowest of 3,032 counties
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4. Okaloosa County, Florida
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 21.7%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 18.8% — 255th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 20.2% — 80th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 2.3% — 202nd lowest of 3,032 counties
3. Elmore County, Idaho
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 22.1%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 24.4% — 77th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 18.1% — 46th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.9% — 46th lowest of 3,032 counties
2. Liberty County, Georgia
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 23.8%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 37.7% — 6th highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 10.7% — 6th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 0.4% — 31st lowest of 3,032 counties
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1. Geary County, Kansas
> Civilian adults who have served in the military: 25.6%
> Veterans who first enlisted after 9/11: 46.5% — 2nd highest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served in the Vietnam Era only: 13.2% — 12th lowest of 3,032 counties
> Veterans who served during the Korean War only: 1.9% — 135th lowest of 3,032 counties
Methodology
To determine the counties with the most veterans, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of the share of the civilian population 18 years and over who are veterans from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey.
Counties and county equivalents, which can include independent cities, were ranked based on the share of the population 18 and over who are veterans. To break ties, we used the number of veterans.
Counties were excluded if the share of veterans was not available in the 2020 ACS, if the civilian population 18 and over was less than 1,000, or if the sampling error associated with a county’s data was deemed too high.
The sampling error was defined as too high if the coefficient of variation — a statistical assessment of how reliable an estimate is — for a county’s share of veterans was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all counties’ veteran shares. We similarly excluded counties that had a sampling error too high for their population, using the same definition.
Additional information on the share of veterans who served after 9/11, in the Vietnam Era, and during the Korean War are also five-year estimates from the 2020 ACS.
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