Stacker compiled a list of the states with the most active-duty military members using 2021 data from the Department of Defense.
States with the most active-duty military members
Updated
The largest army in the world as of 2022—with about 2 million active members—belongs to China, according to the CIA's World Factbook; India holds the #2 spot with 1.5 million active-duty members. And the United States follows close behind with roughly 1.3 million service members on active duty—yet the nation's military spending totals more than twice as much as China and India combined.
Active-duty service members are based around the world, but the vast majority of them—nearly 1.2 million—are stationed in the U.S. Stacker compiled a list of the states with the most active-duty military members using data from the Department of Defense 2021 Demographics Report: Profile of the Military Community.
There are active military members in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. But almost 50% of them—belonging to five of the six branches of the U.S. military—are stationed in five states: California, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia.
On the other extreme, eight states are home to fewer than 1,000 members (per state) of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and the most recently created Space Force. All branches are part of the Defense Department.
The Coast Guard, which belongs to the Department of Homeland Security, wasn't taken into account in this ranking, which also doesn't include non-active-duty military members like those in the reserves and National Guard.
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#51. West Virginia
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 123
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 7
#50. Vermont
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 127
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 20
#49. Maine
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 201
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 15
#48. Iowa
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 231
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 7
#47. Minnesota
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 522
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 9
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#46. Wisconsin
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 747
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 13
#45. Oregon
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 886
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 21
#44. Michigan
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 969
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 10
#43. Indiana
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 1,028
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 15
#42. New Hampshire
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 1,174
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 84
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#41. Massachusetts
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 2,157
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 31
#40. Pennsylvania
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 2,208
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 17
#39. Tennessee
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 2,348
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 33
#38. Wyoming
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,176
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 546
#37. Rhode Island
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,262
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 298
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#36. Montana
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,355
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 299
#35. South Dakota
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,488
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 383
#34. Idaho
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,608
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 186
#33. Delaware
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,623
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 356
#32. Arkansas
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 3,818
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 125
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#31. Utah
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 4,640
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.4%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 137
#30. Nebraska
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 6,362
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 323
#29. Connecticut
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 6,385
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 176
#28. New Jersey
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 6,461
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 70
#27. Ohio
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 6,605
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 56
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#26. North Dakota
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 7,514
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 964
#25. Alabama
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 7,786
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.7%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 153
#24. District of Columbia
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 8,972
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.8%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 1,336
#23. Mississippi
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 11,446
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 389
#22. Nevada
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 12,373
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 389
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#21. New Mexico
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 12,701
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 601
#20. Louisiana
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 14,378
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 313
#19. Missouri
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 15,570
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 252
#18. Alaska
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 18,935
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 2,581
#17. Arizona
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 19,019
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 258
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#16. New York
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 19,520
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.7%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 99
#15. Oklahoma
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 21,425
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.8%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 533
#14. Illinois
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 21,534
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.9%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 171
#13. Kansas
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 21,663
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.9%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 738
#12. Maryland
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 29,244
- Percent of total active-duty force: 2.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 474
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#11. Kentucky
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 35,064
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 777
#10. South Carolina
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 37,467
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 709
#9. Colorado
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 38,035
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 651
#8. Hawaii
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 40,539
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 2,815
#7. Washington
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 61,771
- Percent of total active-duty force: 5.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 793
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#6. Florida
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 64,318
- Percent of total active-duty force: 5.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 289
#5. Georgia
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 69,391
- Percent of total active-duty force: 6.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 636
#4. North Carolina
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 99,135
- Percent of total active-duty force: 8.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 927
#3. Texas
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 116,970
- Percent of total active-duty force: 10.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 390
#2. Virginia
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 126,529
- Percent of total active-duty force: 10.9%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 1,457
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#1. California
Updated
- Number of active-duty military members: 157,639
- Percent of total active-duty force: 13.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 404
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