Counties with the most veterans in New Mexico
There are roughly 17.5 million veterans living in the U.S., according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Though, the VA anticipates the percentage of the U.S. population with military experience will continue to decline over the next couple of decades—by 2046, it expects the number of living U.S. veterans to decrease by 35%.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with the most veterans in New Mexico using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percent of residents that are veterans based on the Census' 2023 5-year estimate.
Alaska, Virginia, and Wyoming are home to the most veterans per capita. American veterans live in virtually all of the country's 3,142 counties.
Keep reading to see where the most veterans live in your home state.
#33. Lea County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 3.7% (1,908 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 46
--- Korean War: 28
--- Vietnam War: 634
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 524
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 346
#32. De Baca County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 3.8% (46 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 39
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 6
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 5
#31. McKinley County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 4.8% (2,449 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 155
--- Vietnam War: 646
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 585
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 777
#30. San Juan County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.4% (5,748 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 138
--- Korean War: 422
--- Vietnam War: 1,762
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,431
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,090
#29. Hidalgo County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.5% (207 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 14
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 120
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 26
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 29
#28. Rio Arriba County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.6% (2,060 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 33
--- Korean War: 99
--- Vietnam War: 1,096
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 411
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 162
#27. Eddy County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.7% (3,003 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 25
--- Korean War: 190
--- Vietnam War: 1,019
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 525
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 430
#26. Union County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.7% (212 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 21
--- Vietnam War: 81
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 14
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 20
#25. Santa Fe County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7% (9,062 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 118
--- Korean War: 619
--- Vietnam War: 4,181
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,566
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,341
#24. Chaves County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.1% (3,437 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 44
--- Korean War: 327
--- Vietnam War: 1,311
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 597
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 585
#23. San Miguel County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.2% (1,629 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 13
--- Korean War: 141
--- Vietnam War: 583
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 426
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 262
#22. Guadalupe County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.3% (250 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 104
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 12
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 17
#21. Luna County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.5% (1,413 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 9
--- Korean War: 75
--- Vietnam War: 750
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 134
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 219
#20. Taos County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.6% (2,189 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 73
--- Korean War: 57
--- Vietnam War: 1,043
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 285
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 211
#19. Do��a Ana County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.7% (13,007 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 48
--- Korean War: 741
--- Vietnam War: 3,979
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 3,587
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 4,023
#18. Los Alamos County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.7% (1,169 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 13
--- Korean War: 29
--- Vietnam War: 349
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 377
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 279
#17. Roosevelt County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.7% (1,073 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 49
--- Vietnam War: 180
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 335
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 601
#16. Bernalillo County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.1% (43,238 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 549
--- Korean War: 2,507
--- Vietnam War: 14,722
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 10,713
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 10,749
#15. Mora County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.1% (292 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 21
--- Vietnam War: 128
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 61
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 4
#14. Cibola County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.2% (1,703 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 30
--- Korean War: 63
--- Vietnam War: 692
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 447
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 230
#13. Socorro County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.8% (1,115 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 19
--- Vietnam War: 355
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 160
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 212
#12. Colfax County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9% (910 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 4
--- Korean War: 75
--- Vietnam War: 387
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 128
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 85
#11. Valencia County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9.6% (5,716 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 61
--- Korean War: 340
--- Vietnam War: 2,530
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 905
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,092
#10. Quay County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9.8% (671 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 18
--- Korean War: 11
--- Vietnam War: 273
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 100
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 230
#9. Lincoln County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9.9% (1,657 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 57
--- Korean War: 18
--- Vietnam War: 862
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 278
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 168
#8. Sandoval County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 10.3% (12,167 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 91
--- Korean War: 309
--- Vietnam War: 4,628
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 3,890
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 2,928
#7. Torrance County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 10.4% (1,257 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 56
--- Vietnam War: 464
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 350
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 296
#6. Grant County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 11.1% (2,527 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 21
--- Korean War: 64
--- Vietnam War: 1,299
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 322
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 170
#5. Curry County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 11.8% (3,707 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 60
--- Korean War: 65
--- Vietnam War: 869
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,412
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,573
#4. Otero County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 14.9% (7,257 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 75
--- Korean War: 444
--- Vietnam War: 2,384
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 2,004
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 2,658
#3. Sierra County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 15.1% (1,469 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 164
--- Vietnam War: 656
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 110
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 120
#2. Catron County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 17.6% (587 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 12
--- Korean War: 69
--- Vietnam War: 187
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 125
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 137
#1. Harding County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 18.2% (104 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 5
--- Vietnam War: 30
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 27
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 25
