Counties with the most veterans in New Mexico
There are roughly 17.1 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 29%.
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' 2024 5-year estimate.
Alaska, Virginia, and Montana are home to the most veterans per capita. American veterans live in virtually all of the country's 3,144 counties.
Keep reading to see where the most veterans live in your home state.
#33. Lea County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 3.4% (1,749 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 45
--- Korean War: 14
--- Vietnam War: 601
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 423
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 364
#32. McKinley County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 4.3% (2,205 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 2
--- Korean War: 32
--- Vietnam War: 670
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 499
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 734
#31. De Baca County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 5.3% (67 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 51
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 10
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 9
#30. Rio Arriba County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 5.6% (1,737 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 28
--- Korean War: 28
--- Vietnam War: 894
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 334
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 191
#29. Hidalgo County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6% (190 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 11
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 142
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 13
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 18
#28. San Juan County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.2% (5,623 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 94
--- Korean War: 334
--- Vietnam War: 1,704
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,457
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,324
#27. Union County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.2% (196 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 20
--- Vietnam War: 75
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 37
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 38
#26. Chaves County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.5% (3,144 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 45
--- Korean War: 328
--- Vietnam War: 1,108
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 644
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 412
#25. Eddy County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.6% (2,990 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 44
--- Korean War: 118
--- Vietnam War: 945
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 555
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 578
#24. Santa Fe County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.8% (8,866 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 62
--- Korean War: 478
--- Vietnam War: 4,232
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,656
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,415
#23. Guadalupe County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 6.9% (236 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 0
--- Vietnam War: 103
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 21
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 36
#22. Luna County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.1% (1,345 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 69
--- Vietnam War: 658
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 169
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 234
#21. Socorro County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.1% (865 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 34
--- Vietnam War: 245
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 192
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 203
#20. Los Alamos County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.3% (1,101 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 11
--- Korean War: 56
--- Vietnam War: 345
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 336
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 299
#19. Taos County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.3% (2,136 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 60
--- Korean War: 55
--- Vietnam War: 1,108
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 364
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 236
#18. Doña Ana County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.4% (12,627 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 64
--- Korean War: 708
--- Vietnam War: 4,094
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 3,412
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 3,515
#17. San Miguel County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.5% (1,670 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 152
--- Vietnam War: 650
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 393
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 301
#16. Cibola County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 7.6% (1,573 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 30
--- Korean War: 32
--- Vietnam War: 770
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 399
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 136
#15. Bernalillo County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8% (42,524 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 447
--- Korean War: 2,051
--- Vietnam War: 13,759
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 11,325
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 11,110
#14. Colfax County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.3% (839 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 45
--- Vietnam War: 398
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 129
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 85
#13. Roosevelt County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.6% (1,191 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 15
--- Vietnam War: 237
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 343
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 658
#12. Mora County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 8.8% (302 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 15
--- Vietnam War: 140
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 23
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 52
#11. Valencia County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9.3% (5,633 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 87
--- Korean War: 318
--- Vietnam War: 2,110
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,140
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,127
#10. Grant County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 9.7% (2,207 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 70
--- Vietnam War: 1,092
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 370
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 170
#9. Sandoval County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 10.1% (12,145 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 45
--- Korean War: 303
--- Vietnam War: 4,304
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 3,866
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 2,966
#8. Lincoln County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 10.2% (1,727 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 82
--- Vietnam War: 989
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 158
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 167
#7. Torrance County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 11.1% (1,373 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 48
--- Vietnam War: 507
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 346
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 340
#6. Quay County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 11.2% (772 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 4
--- Korean War: 38
--- Vietnam War: 317
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 250
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 211
#5. Curry County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 12.3% (3,848 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 1
--- Korean War: 93
--- Vietnam War: 859
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 1,470
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 1,731
#4. Otero County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 14.6% (7,184 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 55
--- Korean War: 424
--- Vietnam War: 2,304
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 2,158
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 2,725
#3. Sierra County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 16.1% (1,559 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 128
--- Vietnam War: 647
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 116
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 191
#2. Harding County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 16.4% (90 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 0
--- Korean War: 2
--- Vietnam War: 37
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 25
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 16
#1. Catron County
- Percent of residents that are veterans: 17.9% (629 veterans)
- Veterans by war:
--- World War II: 32
--- Korean War: 31
--- Vietnam War: 266
--- Gulf War (08/1990 to 08/2001): 176
--- Gulf War (09/2001 or later): 46
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