Special Report

How Many Americans Serve in the Military in Every State

24/7 Wall St. Staff

Published: January 14, 2024 10:33 am

The United States is the most powerful military in the world and, in terms of defense technologies and armed forces, they are unparalleled in what they are capable of doing. They may not rank as the largest military worldwide, China and India take the number one and two positions, but they still have impressive numbers. With more than 1.4 million active-duty personnel, including those serving in all six branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard – they rank number third. (Read about the countries with the largest militaries.)

As of 2022, there are more than 171,000 active-duty service members deployed abroad, with the majority stationed at one of over 450 military bases in the United States. Every state has at least one military base, with California having the most and Wyoming the fewest. Virginia is home to the largest base in the country — the Norfolk Naval Base — where over 47,000 active-duty personnel are stationed.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed unclassified military personnel data from the Department of Defense Personnel, Workforce Reports & Publications, using data from Sept. 30, 2022, the most recent fully updated information, to determine the states that have the most active-duty military personnel. We considered active-duty personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard serving in each state and the District of Columbia — adjusted per 100,000 state population. 

Per capita defense spending figures by state came from the DOD’s report Defense Spending by State Fiscal Year 2021, the most recent available year. Data on the number of military sites in each state came from the U.S. Department of Transportation/Bureau of Transportation Statistics National Transportation Atlas Database and are for May 2019. State populations came from the Census Bureau’s Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for July 1, 2022. Notable bases came from 24/7 Wall St.’s previous piece about the largest military base in each state.

Here are the U.S. States that have the highest number of military personnel

51. Iowa

Source: Smith Collection/Gado / Archive Photos via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 8 per 100,000 (total: 246)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: N/A
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $805 — 12th lowest

50. West Virginia

Source: virsuziglis / iStock via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 10 per 100,000 (total: 177)
• No. of military sites: 8 — 19th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: N/A
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $496 — 5th lowest

49. Minnesota

Source: jferrer / Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 10 per 100,000 (total: 580)
• No. of military sites: 10 — 25th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Snelling
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $387 — 3rd lowest

48. Indiana

Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 15 per 100,000 (total: 1,043)
• No. of military sites: 11 — 24th most (tied)
• Notable base: DFAS Indianapolis Center
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,059 — 21st lowest

47. Wisconsin

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 17 per 100,000 (total: 993)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Fort McCoy
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $857 — 17th lowest

46. Michigan

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 19 per 100,000 (total: 1,900)
• No. of military sites: 9 — 20th fewest
• Notable base: Detroit Arsenal
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $649 — 8th lowest

45. Pennsylvania

Secretary Gates at Carlisle Ba... (CC BY 2.0) by @USArmy

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 19 per 100,000 (total: 2,468)
• No. of military sites: 16 — 12th most (tied)
• Notable base: Carlisle Barracks
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,272 — 26th highest

44. Vermont

Vermont National Guard (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 22 per 100,000 (total: 141)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Burlington IAP-AGS
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $845 — 16th lowest

43. Tennessee

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 34 per 100,000 (total: 2,378)
• No. of military sites: 15 — 14th most (tied)
• Notable base: Naval Support Activity Mid-South
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $462 — 4th lowest

42. Oregon

Oregon Military Museum - 2023 (CC BY 2.0) by Oregon National Guard

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 36 per 100,000 (total: 1,514)
• No. of military sites: 11 — 24th most (tied)
• Notable base: N/A
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $324 — the lowest

41. Massachusetts

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 48 per 100,000 (total: 3,350)
• No. of military sites: 10 — 25th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Hanscom AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $3,057 — 9th highest

40. Maine

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 58 per 100,000 (total: 797)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Brunswick NAS
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $2,348 — 11th highest

39. Ohio

New construction at Wright-Pat... (CC BY 2.0) by LouisvilleUSACE

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 58 per 100,000 (total: 6,846)
• No. of military sites: 15 — 14th most (tied)
• Notable base: Wright-Patterson AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $844 — 15th lowest

38. New Hampshire

Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 80 per 100,000 (total: 1,115)
• No. of military sites: 4 — 3rd fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,671 — 17th highest

37. New Jersey

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 86 per 100,000 (total: 7,954)
• No. of military sites: 10 — 25th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: McGuire AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,002 — 20th lowest

36. New York

Springtime at Fort Drum (CC BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 98 per 100,000 (total: 19,364)
• No. of military sites: 17 — 11th most
• Notable base: Fort Drum
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,557 — 20th highest

35. Arkansas

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 123 per 100,000 (total: 3,740)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Little Rock AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $639 — 7th lowest

34. Utah

Source: usairforce / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 133 per 100,000 (total: 4,503)
• No. of military sites: 11 — 24th most (tied)
• Notable base: Hill AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,877 — 16th highest

33. Alabama

Fortrucker (Public Domain) by U.S. Army (Transferred by The Bushranger/Originally uploaded by The Bushranger) - U.S. Army (Originally uploaded on en.wikipedia)

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 162 per 100,000 (total: 8,244)
• No. of military sites: 32 — 6th most
• Notable base: Fort Rucker
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $3,123 — 7th highest

32. Connecticut

USS Indiana transits the Thame... (CC BY 2.0) by Official U.S. Navy Page

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 172 per 100,000 (total: 6,224)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: New London NAVSUBASE
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $5,347 — 4th highest

31. Illinois

Source: usnavy / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 180 per 100,000 (total: 22,679)
• No. of military sites: 14 — 18th most (tied)
• Notable base: Naval Station Great Lakes
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $749 — 10th lowest

30. Idaho

Source: usairforce / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 181 per 100,000 (total: 3,511)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Mountain Home AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $356 — 2nd lowest

29. Missouri

Source: tradoc / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 233 per 100,000 (total: 14,409)
• No. of military sites: 13 — 21st most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Leonard Wood
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,979 — 14th highest

28. Arizona

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 238 per 100,000 (total: 17,482)
• No. of military sites: 19 — 10th most
• Notable base: Davis-Monthan AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $2,013 — 13th highest

27. Montana

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 290 per 100,000 (total: 3,253)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Malmstrom AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $586 — 6th lowest

26. Florida

USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrives a... (CC BY 2.0) by Official U.S. Navy Page

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 301 per 100,000 (total: 66,971)
• No. of military sites: 41 — 4th most
• Notable base: Mayport NAVSTA
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,384 — 24th highest

25. Louisiana

Source: scguard / Flickr / Public Domain

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 325 per 100,000 (total: 14,910)
• No. of military sites: 14 — 18th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Polk
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $768 — 11th lowest

24. Nebraska

Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint u00e2u0080u0099... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Alan Wilson

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 330 per 100,000 (total: 6,499)
• No. of military sites: 8 — 19th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Offutt AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $844 — 15th lowest

23. Delaware

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 343 per 100,000 (total: 3,490)
• No. of military sites: 4 — 3rd fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Dover AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $947 — 18th lowest

22. Rhode Island

Source: U.S. Navy / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 347 per 100,000 (total: 3,793)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Naval Station Newport
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,533 — 22nd highest

21. South Dakota

86-0094 Rockwell B-1B Lancer 2... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Tomu00c3u0083u00c2u0083u00c3u0082u00c2u00a1s Del Coro

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 372 per 100,000 (total: 3,388)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Ellsworth AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $718 — 9th lowest

20. Mississippi

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 376 per 100,000 (total: 11,067)
• No. of military sites: 12 — 23rd most
• Notable base: Keesler AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,911 — 15th highest

19. Texas

Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 380 per 100,000 (total: 114,245)
• No. of military sites: 42 — 2nd most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Hood
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,601 — 18th highest

18. Nevada

Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 386 per 100,000 (total: 12,275)
• No. of military sites: 13 — 21st most (tied)
• Notable base: Nellis AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $974 — 19th lowest

17. California

Source: Sandy Huffaker / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 419 per 100,000 (total: 163,393)
• No. of military sites: 73 — the most
• Notable base: Camp Pendleton
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,463 — 23rd highest

16. Maryland

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 480 per 100,000 (total: 29,599)
• No. of military sites: 25 — 7th most
• Notable base: Fort George G. Meade
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $4,258 — 6th highest

15. Oklahoma

Source: charlesduggar / Flickr

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 525 per 100,000 (total: 21,114)
• No. of military sites: 15 — 14th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Sill
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,582 — 19th highest

14. Wyoming

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 541 per 100,000 (total: 3,148)
• No. of military sites: 3 — the fewest
• Notable base: Francis E Warren AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $822 — 13th lowest

13. Georgia

Source: Jessica McGowan / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 585 per 100,000 (total: 63,873)
• No. of military sites: 20 — 8th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Benning
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,378 — 25th highest

12. New Mexico

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 636 per 100,000 (total: 13,437)
• No. of military sites: 10 — 25th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Cannon AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,547 — 21st highest

11. Colorado

Source: Chmiel / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 651 per 100,000 (total: 37,990)
• No. of military sites: 10 — 25th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Carson
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $2,138 — 12th highest

10. Kansas

Source: wellesenterprises / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 700 per 100,000 (total: 20,566)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Riley
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,263 — 25th lowest

9. South Carolina

Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 725 per 100,000 (total: 38,322)
• No. of military sites: 14 — 18th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Jackson
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,179 — 24th lowest

8. Kentucky

Source: Luke Sharrett / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 767 per 100,000 (total: 34,608)
• No. of military sites: 6 — 11th fewest
• Notable base: Fort Campbell
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $3,068 — 8th highest

7. Washington

Source: Stephen Brashear / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 798 per 100,000 (total: 62,130)
• No. of military sites: 20 — 8th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Lewis
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $2,470 — 10th highest

6. North Carolina

Source: Melissa Sue Gerrits / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 897 per 100,000 (total: 95,999)
• No. of military sites: 16 — 12th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Bragg
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,113 — 22nd lowest

5. North Dakota

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 933 per 100,000 (total: 7,272)
• No. of military sites: 7 — 17th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: Minot AFB
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $1,165 — 23rd lowest

4. Virginia

Source: Alexandre Tziripouloff / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 1,491 per 100,000 (total: 129,492)
• No. of military sites: 42 — 2nd most (tied)
• Notable base: Norfolk Naval Base
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $7,259 — 2nd highest

3. District Of Columbia

District of Columbia National ... (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 1,641 per 100,000 (total: 11,024)
• No. of military sites: 5 — 10th fewest (tied)
• Notable base: N/A
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $14,614 — the highest

2. Alaska

141022-A-IQ085-020 (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK)

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 2,754 per 100,000 (total: 20,206)
• No. of military sites: 15 — 14th most (tied)
• Notable base: Fort Jonathan Wainwright
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $4,916 — 5th highest

1. Hawaii

Source: Phil Mislinski / Getty Images

• Active-duty personnel (as of Sept. 30, 2022): 2,811 per 100,000 (total: 40,485)
• No. of military sites: 39 — 5th most
• Notable base: Schofield Barracks
• Per capita defense spending, 2021: $5,465 — 3rd highest