With an estimated 750 bases across six continents — and troops deployed in 159 countries — the U.S. has a massive, global military footprint. Internationally, American military bases are used to project power, deter adversaries, and reassure allies. (This is the country with the most people in the military.)
Still, the bulk of American military power is concentrated within the United States. Across the 50 states and Washington D.C., there are hundreds of military bases home to nearly 1.2 million active-duty service members and their families, according to the Department of Defense’s report Demographics Profile of the Military Community. Used for training and maintaining troop readiness, many of these bases have populations comparable to a mid-size city. (This is the county in every state with the most people in the military.)
Using DoD military demographics data for 2019 — the most recent year of comprehensive base-level — 24/7 Wall St. identified America’s largest military bases. For the purposes of this story, only bases housing active-duty military personnel for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and DoD were considered.
Each of the 26 bases on this list are home to at least 10,000 active-duty military personnel. Including dependents and military families, some of these bases have over 100,000 people. The largest branch of the U.S. military by headcount, the Army controls most of these bases. The Air Force and Marine Corps each have only two bases on this list, while the Navy has five.
These bases include those used as basic training sites for these four military branches.
Here are America’s largest military bases.
26. Nellis AFB, Nevada
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,168 (89.2% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,937
- Service branch: Air Force
- Location: 8 miles from Las Vegas
25. Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,222 (21.5% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,697
- Service branch: Navy
- Location: 6 miles from Honolulu
24. Mayport NAVSTA, Florida
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,442 (15.7% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,013
- Service branch: Navy
- Location: 10 miles from Jacksonville
23. Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,721 (8.8% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,655
- Service branch: Army
- Location: San Antonio
22. Fort George G. Meade, Maryland
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,140 (39.8% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,041
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 15 miles from Baltimore
21. Fort Gordon, Georgia
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,220 (16.5% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,636
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 12 miles from Augusta
20. Fort Jackson, South Carolina
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,545 (28.4% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 20,589
- Service branch: Army
- Location: Columbia
19. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 12,218 (72.3% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 23,479
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 85 miles from Springfield
18. Fort Sill, Oklahoma
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 13,310 (59.2% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,189
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 90 miles from Oklahoma City
17. Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,057 (31.7% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 34,022
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 20 miles from Honolulu
16. Fort Drum, New York
Source: John Moore / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,195 (74.7% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 32,011
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 8 miles from Watertown
15. Fort Riley, Kansas
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- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,214 (69.8% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 33,295
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 50 miles from Topeka
14. Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,726 (72.8% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,875
- Service branch: Navy
- Location: 30 miles from Chicago
13. Fort Stewart, Georgia
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 19,476 (28.6% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 45,302
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 35 miles from Savannah
12. Lackland AFB, Texas
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 22,220 (18.2% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 42,521
- Service branch: Air Force
- Location: 5 miles from San Antonio
11. Fort Moore, Georgia
Source: Jessica McGowan / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,305 (35.7% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 46,785
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 5 miles from Columbus
10. Fort Carson, Colorado
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- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,520 (68.4% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 57,473
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 6 miles from Colorado Springs
9. Fort Bliss, Texas
Source: Bobbie DeHerrera / Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,100 (21.3% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 60,307
- Service branch: Army
- Location: El Paso
8. Fort Lewis, Washington
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,512 (44.6% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,831
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 12 miles from Tacoma
7. Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Source: Luke Sharrett / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,824 (83.1% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,977
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 50 miles from Nashville
6. San Diego NAVSTA, California
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 32,983 (20.0% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 66,557
- Service branch: Navy
- Location: San Diego
5. Fort Cavazos, Texas
Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 36,697 (30.0% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 83,815
- Service branch: Army
- Location: Killeen
4. Camp Lejeune MCB, North Carolina
Source: marine_corps / Flickr
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 38,706 (37.1% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 72,106
- Service branch: Marine Corps
- Location: 3 miles from Jacksonville
3. Camp Pendleton, California
Source: Althom / iStock via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 39,690 (24.0% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 70,700
- Service branch: Marine Corps
- Location: 35 miles from San Diego
2. Fort Liberty, North Carolina
Source: Melissa Sue Gerrits / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 45,055 (43.2% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 109,101
- Service branch: Army
- Location: 10 miles from Fayetteville
1. Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 47,368 (37.5% of mil. personnel in state)
- All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 100,893
- Service branch: Navy
- Location: Norfolk
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