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Cities with the most veterans in every state
More than 20 million veterans live in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. While some are living lives of retirement, others remain active in the armed forces or work civilian jobs in their local communities. But where do our veterans live?
Using data from the 2016 American Community Survey provided by the U.S. Census, Stacker created a list of 50 cities with the highest concentration of veterans in each state. Each state’s top city was determined by the percentage of veterans compared to the adult civilian population. This list also contains current estimates of veteran populations dating back to World War II. Cities must have a civilian population of at least 10,000 people over the age of 18 to qualify for the list.
Read on to find out which city in your state has the highest percentage of veterans. The list is in alphabetical order, starting from Alabama and ending with Wyoming.
RELATED: Click here to see which states have the most veterans.
- 1 / 50TampAGS // Wikicommons
Alabama: Enterprise
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 19,709
Estimated total veterans: 4,004 (20.3% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 1,426
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 1,887
- Vietnam War: 1,349
- Korean War: 206
- World War II: 84
One in five adults living in Enterprise, Alabama, is a veteran. The city is located near Fort Rucker, which is the headquarters of the United States Army Aviation Branch. Nearly 40% of students in Enterprise schools are military youth.
- 2 / 50RadioKAOS // Wikicommons
Alaska: Badger
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 13,792
Estimated total veterans: 3,436 (24.9% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 1,461
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 1,532
- Vietnam War: 904
- Korean War: 102
- World War II: 32
Badger, Alaska, is located in the middle of the state and is home to a large population of veterans who served in the Gulf wars. The city spends $6,000 more per student than the U.S. average and has strong mining, tourism, and forest industries.
- 3 / 50Alb8001 // Wikicommons
Arizona: Sierra Vista
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 29,042
Estimated total veterans: 8,041 (27.7% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 2,672
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 3,077
- Vietnam War: 2,670
- Korean War: 616
- World War II: 205
Sierra Vista is situated several miles from the United States-Mexico border in southeast Arizona. More than a quarter of the city’s 29,000-person population are veterans. The city is near Fort Huachuca, which was built in 1877 and is now a national landmark.
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- 4 / 50Yinan Chen // Wikicommons
Arkansas: Hot Springs Village
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 12,709
Estimated total veterans: 2,481 (19.5% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 128
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 221
- Vietnam War: 1,091
- Korean War: 495
- World War II: 235
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, has a large Vietnam War population. The city is located in the central part of the state. Veterans there are active in a local chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
- 5 / 50Bernard Gagnon // Wikicommons
California: Twentynine Palms
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 12,860
Estimated total veterans: 2,664 (20.7% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 1,333
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 699
- Vietnam War: 587
- Korean War: 105
- World War II: 70
Twentynine Palms, California, is home to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. The base serves as a military training ground for new recruits. The surrounding area is a popular spot for veterans of the second Gulf War.
- 6 / 50Greg WIllis // Wikicommons
Colorado: Fountain
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 16,926
Estimated total veterans: 4,576 (27.0% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 2,669
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 2,101
- Vietnam War: 661
- Korean War: 53
- World War II: 17
Fountain, Colorado, sits just outside of Colorado Springs and is several miles from Fort Carson. The army base is a major economic driver in the area, and the city is a popular place among young veterans.
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- 7 / 50John Phelan // Wikicommons
Connecticut: Norwich
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 30,845
Estimated total veterans: 3,100 (10.1% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 618
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 732
- Vietnam War: 841
- Korean War: 259
- World War II: 130
The city of Norwich is in eastern Connecticut, near the Atlantic Ocean. Just over 10% of the population of 30,845 people are veterans.
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Delaware: Dover
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 28,295
Estimated total veterans: 3,546 (12.5% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 1,096
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 990
- Vietnam War: 1,015
- Korean War: 327
- World War II: 146
Dover, Delaware, is home to Dover Air Force Base, which houses more than 9,000 active soldiers. The base was opened in 1941 to stage missions in World War II. Personnel from the base have also taken part in missions in Afghanistan, Haiti, and Nepal.
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Florida: Crestview
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 15,827
Estimated total veterans: 4,190 (26.5% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 2,156
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 2,154
- Vietnam War: 911
- Korean War: 58
- World War II: 25
Crestview, located in Okaloosa County, Florida, is home to a large population of Gulf War veterans. The city of 15,827 people is a short drive to the beaches of Western Florida.
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- 10 / 50Bubba73 // Wikicommons
Georgia: Hinesville
Estimated civilian population 18+ years: 22,061
Estimated total veterans: 5,686 (25.8% of civilian population)
- Gulf War II (Sep '01 or later): 3,214
- Gulf War I (Aug '90 - Aug '01): 2,323
- Vietnam War: 1,152
- Korean War: 38
- World War II: 0
Hinesville, Georgia, is a town of just over 22,000 people and encompasses Fort Stewart. The army base is the largest in the eastern part of the United States. Fort Stewart was originally inhabited by Native Americans before it was turned into a military outpost by the British.