The United States has the world’s largest defense budget by a wide margin. The Pentagon spent $159 billion on payroll alone in fiscal 2022, more than the entire military budget of every country in the world except China. These expenditures, while only a small portion of total U.S. military spending, cover compensation for nearly 2.6 million Defense Department employees — including all active-duty military personnel.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Defense, there were more than 1.1 million active-duty troops serving in all four main branches of the U.S. military in fiscal 2022. These men and women are stationed across hundreds of military bases and installations across the country, and each state is home to anywhere from 100 to over 100,000 active-duty service members. (Here is a look at the size of the American military every year since the Korean War.)
Using data from the DOD report Defense Spending By State Fiscal Year 2022, 24/7 Wall St. identified the county in each state with the most military personnel. In each state, we listed the county or county equivalent – such as independent cities, boroughs in Alaska, or parishes in Louisiana – home to the most active duty military troops, excluding reservists, the National Guard, and civilian Defense Department employees.
The number of troops stationed within the counties or county equivalents on this list ranges from fewer than 30 to nearly 85,000. These places typically account for a large proportion of the total statewide troop count. Nearly every county on this list is home to at least 25% of all active-duty service members within the entire state. In over a dozen states, a single county accounts for over 80% of all troops.
Not surprisingly, many of the counties on this list have at least one major military installation. San Diego County, California, for example, is home to Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base used for training. Partially as a result, more than half of the 157,000 active-duty troops stationed in California are in San Diego County. (Here is a look at the biggest military bases in the United States.)
Here is the county in every state with the most men and women in the military.
Alabama: Dale County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Dale County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,314 (45.8% of active-duty personnel in Alabama)
- Military installation in county: Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker); Army
- County seat: Ozark, Alabama
Alaska: Anchorage Borough
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- Borough with the most active-duty military personnel: Anchorage Borough
- Active-duty service members in borough: 9,580 (51.8% of active-duty personnel in Alaska)
- Military installation in borough: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson; Air Force
- Borough seat: Anchorage, Alaska
Arizona: Pima County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Pima County
- Active-duty service members in county: 6,177 (35.4% of active-duty personnel in Arizona)
- Military installation in county: Davis-Monthan AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Tucson, Arizona
Arkansas: Pulaski County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Pulaski County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,557 (95.6% of active-duty personnel in Arkansas)
- Military installation in county: Little Rock AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Little Rock, Arkansas
California: San Diego County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: San Diego County
- Active-duty service members in county: 84,638 (53.8% of active-duty personnel in California)
- Military installation in county: Camp Pendleton; Marine Corps
- County seat: San Diego, California
Colorado: El Paso County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: El Paso County
- Active-duty service members in county: 31,780 (92.3% of active-duty personnel in Colorado)
- Military installation in county: Fort Carson; Army
- County seat: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Connecticut: New London County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: New London County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,876 (70.0% of active-duty personnel in Connecticut)
- Military installation in county: Naval Submarine Base New London; Navy
- County seat: N/A
Delaware: Kent County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Kent County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,384 (97.9% of active-duty personnel in Delaware)
- Military installation in county: Dover AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Dover, Delaware
Florida: Okaloosa County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Okaloosa County
- Active-duty service members in county: 18,450 (29.8% of active-duty personnel in Florida)
- Military installation in county: Hurlburt Field; Air Force
- County seat: Crestview, Florida
Georgia: Muscogee County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Muscogee County
- Active-duty service members in county: 18,180 (28.7% of active-duty personnel in Georgia)
- Military installation in county: Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning); Army
- County seat: Columbus, Georgia
Hawaii: Honolulu County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Honolulu County
- Active-duty service members in county: 33,508 (85.6% of active-duty personnel in Hawaii)
- Military installation in county: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; Navy
- County seat: Honolulu, Hawaii
Idaho: Elmore County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Elmore County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,339 (95.3% of active-duty personnel in Idaho)
- Military installation in county: Mountain Home AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Mountain Home, Idaho
Illinois: Lake County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Lake County
- Active-duty service members in county: 16,944 (75.1% of active-duty personnel in Illinois)
- Military installation in county: Naval Station Great Lakes; Navy
- County seat: Waukegan, Illinois
Indiana: Johnson County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Johnson County
- Active-duty service members in county: 307 (30.5% of active-duty personnel in Indiana)
- Military installation in county: Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center
- County seat: Franklin, Indiana
Iowa: Polk County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Polk County
- Active-duty service members in county: 90 (42.5% of active-duty personnel in Iowa)
- Military installation in county: Camp Dodge Johnston TS; Army Guard
- County seat: Des Moines, Iowa
Kansas: Geary County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Geary County
- Active-duty service members in county: 14,525 (70.9% of active-duty personnel in Kansas)
- Military installation in county: Fort Riley; Army
- County seat: Junction City, Kansas
Kentucky: Christian County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Christian County
- Active-duty service members in county: 27,614 (80.2% of active-duty personnel in Kentucky)
- Military installation in county: Fort Campbell North; Army
- County seat: Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Louisiana: Vernon Parish
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- Parish with the most active-duty military personnel: Vernon Parish
- Active-duty service members in parish: 7,264 (52.7% of active-duty personnel in Louisiana)
- Military installation in parish: Fort Polk; Army
- Parish seat: Leesville, Louisiana
Maine: Sagadahoc County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Sagadahoc County
- Active-duty service members in county: 104 (36.2% of active-duty personnel in Maine)
- Military installation in county: SUPSHIP Bath; Navy
- County seat: Bath, Maine
Maryland: Anne Arundel County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Anne Arundel County
- Active-duty service members in county: 12,888 (45.1% of active-duty personnel in Maryland)
- Military installation in county: Fort George G. Meade; Army
- County seat: Annapolis, Maryland
Massachusetts: Middlesex County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Middlesex County
- Active-duty service members in county: 1,157 (58.9% of active-duty personnel in Massachusetts)
- Military installation in county: Hanscom AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Cambridge and Lowell, Massachusetts
Michigan: Macomb County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Macomb County
- Active-duty service members in county: 211 (24.8% of active-duty personnel in Michigan)
- Military installation in county: Detroit Arsenal; Army
- County seat: Mount Clemens, Michigan
Minnesota: Hennepin County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Hennepin County
- Active-duty service members in county: 274 (60.1% of active-duty personnel in Minnesota)
- Military installation in county: Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station; Air Force Reserve
- County seat: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mississippi: Harrison County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Harrison County
- Active-duty service members in county: 7,554 (70.7% of active-duty personnel in Mississippi)
- Military installation in county: Keesler AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi
Missouri: Pulaski County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Pulaski County
- Active-duty service members in county: 9,485 (66.9% of active-duty personnel in Missouri)
- Military installation in county: Fort Leonard Wood; Army
- County seat: Waynesville, Missouri
Montana: Cascade County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Cascade County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,160 (97.4% of active-duty personnel in Montana)
- Military installation in county: Malmstrom AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Great Falls, Montana
Nebraska: Sarpy County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Sarpy County
- Active-duty service members in county: 6,329 (97.6% of active-duty personnel in Nebraska)
- Military installation in county: Offutt AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Papillion, Nebraska
Nevada: Clark County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Clark County
- Active-duty service members in county: 11,046 (90.3% of active-duty personnel in Nevada)
- Military installation in county: Nellis AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Las Vegas, Nevada
New Hampshire: Rockingham County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Rockingham County
- Active-duty service members in county: 355 (33.3% of active-duty personnel in New Hampshire)
- Military installation in county: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard; Navy
- County seat: Brentwood, New Hampshire
New Jersey: Burlington County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Burlington County
- Active-duty service members in county: 5,342 (86.5% of active-duty personnel in New Jersey)
- Military installation in county: McGuire AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Mount Holly, New Jersey
New Mexico: Curry County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Curry County
- Active-duty service members in county: 5,060 (38.2% of active-duty personnel in New Mexico)
- Military installation in county: Cannon AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Clovis, New Mexico
New York: Jefferson County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Jefferson County
- Active-duty service members in county: 14,702 (79.9% of active-duty personnel in New York)
- Military installation in county: Fort Drum; Army
- County seat: Watertown, New York
North Carolina: Cumberland County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Cumberland County
- Active-duty service members in county: 46,607 (49.3% of active-duty personnel in North Carolina)
- Military installation in county: Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg); Army
- County seat: Fayetteville, North Carolina
North Dakota: Ward County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Ward County
- Active-duty service members in county: 5,499 (76.0% of active-duty personnel in North Dakota)
- Military installation in county: Minot AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Minot, North Dakota
Ohio: Greene County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Greene County
- Active-duty service members in county: 5,170 (82.4% of active-duty personnel in Ohio)
- Military installation in county: Wright-Patterson AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Xenia, Ohio
Oklahoma: Comanche County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Comanche County
- Active-duty service members in county: 11,982 (56.8% of active-duty personnel in Oklahoma)
- Military installation in county: Fort Sill; Army
- County seat: Lawton, Oklahoma
Oregon: Multnomah County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Multnomah County
- Active-duty service members in county: 274 (50.2% of active-duty personnel in Oregon)
- Military installation in county: USAREC, Portland Battalion; Army
- County seat: Portland, Oregon
Pennsylvania: Cumberland County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Cumberland County
- Active-duty service members in county: 616 (28.6% of active-duty personnel in Pennsylvania)
- Military installation in county: Carlisle Barracks; Army
- County seat: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Rhode Island: Newport County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Newport County
- Active-duty service members in county: 2,642 (78.8% of active-duty personnel in Rhode Island)
- Military installation in county: Naval Station Newport; Navy
- County seat: Newport, Rhode Island
South Carolina: Beaufort County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Beaufort County
- Active-duty service members in county: 9,943 (26.7% of active-duty personnel in South Carolina)
- Military installation in county: Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island; Marine Corps
- County seat: Beaufort, South Carolina
South Dakota: Meade County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Meade County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,308 (97.7% of active-duty personnel in South Dakota)
- Military installation in county: Ellsworth AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Sturgis, South Dakota
Tennessee: Shelby County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Shelby County
- Active-duty service members in county: 1,465 (65.7% of active-duty personnel in Tennessee)
- Military installation in county: Naval Support Activity Mid-South; Navy
- County seat: Memphis, Tennessee
Texas: Bexar County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Bexar County
- Active-duty service members in county: 32,993 (29.4% of active-duty personnel in Texas)
- Military installation in county: Joint Base San Antonio; Air Force
- County seat: San Antonio, Texas
Utah: Davis County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Davis County
- Active-duty service members in county: 4,133 (92.2% of active-duty personnel in Utah)
- Military installation in county: Hill AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Farmington, Utah
Vermont: Chittenden County
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Chittenden County
- Active-duty service members in county: 69 (59.0% of active-duty personnel in Vermont)
- Military installation in county: Burlington IAP; Air Force
- County seat: Burlington, Vermont
Virginia: Norfolk
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County-equivalent with the most active-duty military personnel: Norfolk independent city
- Active-duty service members in city: 49,691 (40.0% of active-duty personnel in Virginia)
- Military installation in city: Naval Station Norfolk; Navy
- County seat: N/A
Washington: Pierce County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Pierce County
- Active-duty service members in county: 30,108 (49.7% of active-duty personnel in Washington)
- Military installation in county: Joint Base Lewis-McChord; Army
- County seat: Tacoma, Washington
West Virginia: Kanawha County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Kanawha County
- Active-duty service members in county: 28 (25.7% of active-duty personnel in West Virginia)
- Military installation in county: 130th Airlift Wing; Air National Guard
- County seat: Charleston, West Virginia
Wisconsin: Monroe County
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- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Monroe County
- Active-duty service members in county: 229 (32.6% of active-duty personnel in Wisconsin)
- Military installation in county: Fort McCoy; Army Reserve
- County seat: Sparta, Wisconsin
Wyoming: Laramie County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- County with the most active-duty military personnel: Laramie County
- Active-duty service members in county: 3,056 (97.2% of active-duty personnel in Wyoming)
- Military installation in county: Francis E Warren AFB; Air Force
- County seat: Cheyenne, Wyoming
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