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States with the most active-duty military members

·Martha Sandoval

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
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The largest army in the world as of 2024—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.

The U.S. military force is the smallest it's been in more than 80 years, since World War II—and it's projected to shrink even more in 2024, down to about 1.28 million amid difficulties recruiting new members, federal budget cuts, and losing members who rejected the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The military's scope and missions, however, remain robust.

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. To see where exactly, Stacker compiled a list of the states with the most active-duty military members using data from the Department of Defense's 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. 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.

Read on to find out which states have the most active-duty military members—and how many there are where you call home.

A view across the water of Charleston, West Virginia.

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#51. West Virginia

- Number of active-duty military members: 123
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 7

Historic buildings in Montpelier.

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#50. Vermont

- Number of active-duty military members: 127
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 20

New Navy sailors in blue shirts and khaki pants are sworn in by a sailor in white.

Brianna Soukup/Portland Portland Press Herald // Getty Images

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#49. Maine

- Number of active-duty military members: 201
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 15

An aerial view of Iowa City.

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#48. Iowa

- Number of active-duty military members: 231
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 7

The downtown Minneapolis skyline.

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#47. Minnesota

- Number of active-duty military members: 522
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 9

The Capitol in downtown Madison.

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#46. Wisconsin

- Number of active-duty military members: 747
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 13

An aerial view of downtown Portland with mountains in the background.

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#45. Oregon

- Number of active-duty military members: 886
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 21

The Grand Rapids skyline.

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#44. Michigan

- Number of active-duty military members: 969
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 10

A member of the Indiana National Guard wearing an American flag balaclava carries a box of food while helping workers in distributing food.

Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket // Getty Images

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#43. Indiana

- Number of active-duty military members: 1,028
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 15

Homes and boats on the water in Portsmouth.

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#42. New Hampshire

- Number of active-duty military members: 1,174
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 84

An aerial view of downtown Boston on the water.

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#41. Massachusetts

- Number of active-duty military members: 2,157
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 31

Historic brick buildings in Lancaster.

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#40. Pennsylvania

- Number of active-duty military members: 2,208
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 17

An aerial view of downtown Knoxville.

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#39. Tennessee

- Number of active-duty military members: 2,348
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 33

An aerial view of Casper with mountains in the background.

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#38. Wyoming

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,176
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 546

Military police wearing masks and gloves waiting at a checkpoint.

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#37. Rhode Island

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,262
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 298

An aerial view of Billings in the foothills.

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#36. Montana

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,355
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 299

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#35. South Dakota

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,488
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 383

A line of women in camouflage and helmets aiming guns.

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#34. Idaho

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,608
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 186

The Wilmington skyline.

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#33. Delaware

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,623
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 356

An elevated view of Fayetteville.

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#32. Arkansas

- Number of active-duty military members: 3,818
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 125

Salt Lake City with snowy mountains in the background.

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#31. Utah

- Number of active-duty military members: 4,640
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.4%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 137

The Omaha skyline.

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#30. Nebraska

- Number of active-duty military members: 6,362
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 323

Historic buildings going downhill on a street in Greenwich.

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#29. Connecticut

- Number of active-duty military members: 6,385
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 176

Aerial cityscape of Dover.

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#28. New Jersey

- Number of active-duty military members: 6,461
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 70

Columbus skyline.

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#27. Ohio

- Number of active-duty military members: 6,605
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 56

An American flag flying in downtown Grand Forks.

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#26. North Dakota

- Number of active-duty military members: 7,514
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 964

Aerial view of downtown Mobile.

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#25. Alabama

- Number of active-duty military members: 7,786
- Percent of total active-duty force: 0.7%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 153

National Guard soldiers are issued rifles in front of the U.S. Capitol.

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#24. District of Columbia

- 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

Buildings in downtown Jackson.

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#23. Mississippi

- Number of active-duty military members: 11,446
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 389

An aerial view of Reno in the mountains.

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#22. Nevada

- Number of active-duty military members: 12,373
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 389

An aerial view of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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#21. New Mexico

- Number of active-duty military members: 12,701
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 601

Old trees and historic homes in New Orleans.

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#20. Louisiana

- Number of active-duty military members: 14,378
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 313

An overpass running through a forest with homes nestled in the foreground.

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#19. Missouri

- Number of active-duty military members: 15,570
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 252

The Anchorage waterfront and skyline with snow-covered mountains in the background.

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#18. Alaska

- 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

National Guard members listening to a speech.

CAITLIN O'HARA/AFP // Getty Images

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#17. Arizona

- Number of active-duty military members: 19,019
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.6%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 258

An armed forces recruitment center with a lit up American flag on a snowy day.

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#16. New York

- Number of active-duty military members: 19,520
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.7%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 99

Historic buildings in a small town.

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#15. Oklahoma

- Number of active-duty military members: 21,425
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.8%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 533

An aerial view of downtown Chicago on the water.

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#14. Illinois

- Number of active-duty military members: 21,534
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.9%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 171

A street running through the small town of Salina.

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#13. Kansas

- Number of active-duty military members: 21,663
- Percent of total active-duty force: 1.9%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 738

A historic building with a green dome and businesses on the water at the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

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#12. Maryland

- Number of active-duty military members: 29,244
- Percent of total active-duty force: 2.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 474

An aerial view of downtown Louisville on the water.

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#11. Kentucky

- Number of active-duty military members: 35,064
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 777

An aerial view of colorful homes and buildings in Charleston.

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#10. South Carolina

- Number of active-duty military members: 37,467
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.2%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 709

A faraway view of the skyline of Denver with homes in the foreground at sunset.

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#9. Colorado

- Number of active-duty military members: 38,035
- Percent of total active-duty force: 3.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 651

A sailor with flowers holds a little girl in sunglasses next to a ship.

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#8. Hawaii

- 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

Homes and businesses on a hill in Tacoma with mountains in the background.

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#7. Washington

- Number of active-duty military members: 61,771
- Percent of total active-duty force: 5.3%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 793

Historic buildings and palm trees lining a street.

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#6. Florida

- Number of active-duty military members: 64,318
- Percent of total active-duty force: 5.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 289

An aerial view of downtown Atlanta.

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#5. Georgia

- Number of active-duty military members: 69,391
- Percent of total active-duty force: 6.0%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 636

Soldiers in a warehouse listening to instruction next to a large American flag.

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#4. North Carolina

- Number of active-duty military members: 99,135
- Percent of total active-duty force: 8.5%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 927

An aerial view of Austin on a sunny day.

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#3. Texas

- Number of active-duty military members: 116,970
- Percent of total active-duty force: 10.1%
- Active-duty military members per 100,000: 390

Historic homes in Colonial Williamsburg.

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#2. Virginia

- 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

A group of women in tan camouflage military gear.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP // Getty Images

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#1. California

- 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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