Introduction
On November 11, the United States honors the veterans of the United States Armed Forces. A veteran is any person who has served in a branch of the armed forces, such as the Marine Corps, the Army, or the Air Force for example, and who has been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. In 2019, the United States Census Bureau stated that, in total,17.4 million veterans were living in the country. A percentage of each state’s population is made up of veterans who served both during peacetime and in war.
Throughout the United States, the percentage of living veterans differs from state to state, ranging from approximately 4% to 12%, with most states having 7%—8.5% of their population composed of veterans. Each state provides various veterans’ benefits (such as medical benefits or housing) and sets different criteria to access them.
To learn more about veterans by state, explore the data in the charts.
| # | State | Veteran Population | Korean War Veterans | Vietnam War Veterans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,525,746 | 132,542 | 531,254 |
| 2 | Texas | 1,435,527 | 83,667 | 461,679 |
| 3 | Florida | 1,416,472 | 127,629 | 507,334 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 731,411 | 68,143 | 268,632 |
| 5 | Ohio | 685,905 | 51,174 | 247,608 |
| 6 | New York | 676,295 | 69,245 | 234,646 |
| 7 | Virginia | 674,242 | 35,076 | 197,412 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 654,365 | 41,346 | 223,229 |
| 9 | Georgia | 625,251 | 32,126 | 202,654 |
| 10 | Illinois | 553,593 | 46,440 | 199,747 |
| 11 | Michigan | 532,394 | 43,845 | 201,285 |
| 12 | Washington | 517,912 | 31,253 | 183,688 |
| 13 | Arizona | 491,239 | 39,295 | 184,354 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 428,519 | 27,352 | 155,261 |
| 15 | Missouri | 391,513 | 30,322 | 147,403 |
| 16 | Indiana | 372,074 | 27,276 | 130,705 |
| 17 | Colorado | 370,677 | 22,853 | 124,558 |
| 18 | South Carolina | 360,355 | 21,613 | 133,143 |
| 19 | Maryland | 357,261 | 22,331 | 109,070 |
| 20 | Alabama | 324,857 | 21,723 | 114,232 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 319,280 | 27,649 | 117,606 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 313,928 | 35,079 | 115,126 |
| 23 | Minnesota | 291,453 | 28,659 | 111,438 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | 290,648 | 32,056 | 101,911 |
| 25 | Oregon | 273,946 | 22,238 | 105,563 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 266,895 | 17,878 | 98,151 |
| 27 | Kentucky | 257,452 | 15,826 | 94,424 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 239,881 | 15,816 | 85,378 |
| 29 | Nevada | 205,659 | 13,163 | 74,314 |
| 30 | Arkansas | 191,786 | 14,380 | 72,639 |
| 31 | Iowa | 178,481 | 16,814 | 65,362 |
| 32 | Kansas | 172,750 | 14,218 | 61,707 |
| 33 | Mississippi | 164,687 | 10,963 | 56,607 |
| 34 | Connecticut | 160,142 | 17,589 | 57,467 |
| 35 | New Mexico | 141,558 | 10,898 | 54,010 |
| 36 | West Virginia | 125,084 | 9,514 | 49,325 |
| 37 | Utah | 120,198 | 9,192 | 41,690 |
| 38 | Idaho | 115,549 | 8,018 | 44,157 |
| 39 | Nebraska | 113,567 | 10,046 | 39,928 |
| 40 | Maine | 101,652 | 8,063 | 39,135 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 97,478 | 6,838 | 33,087 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | 93,326 | 7,636 | 34,719 |
| 43 | Montana | 85,401 | 5,576 | 32,328 |
| 44 | Delaware | 65,065 | 4,638 | 25,379 |
| 45 | Alaska | 64,765 | 2,086 | 19,174 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 55,969 | 4,689 | 20,519 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 52,128 | 5,273 | 19,771 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 46,288 | 3,146 | 15,435 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 44,403 | 2,974 | 16,862 |
| 50 | Vermont | 34,915 | 3,035 | 13,653 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 25,514 | 2,420 | 7,044 |
Veteran Population by State
Alabama
Veteran Population
324,857
Ranked in the US
#20
21,723
Ranked in the US
#24
114,232
Ranked in the US
#21
Alaska
Veteran Population
64,765
Ranked in the US
#45
2,086
Ranked in the US
#51
19,174
Ranked in the US
#47
Arizona
Veteran Population
491,239
Ranked in the US
#13
39,295
Ranked in the US
#10
184,354
Ranked in the US
#12
Arkansas
Veteran Population
191,786
Ranked in the US
#30
14,380
Ranked in the US
#31
72,639
Ranked in the US
#30
California
Veteran Population
1,525,746
Ranked in the US
#1
132,542
Ranked in the US
#1
531,254
Ranked in the US
#1
Colorado
Veteran Population
370,677
Ranked in the US
#17
22,853
Ranked in the US
#21
124,558
Ranked in the US
#18
Connecticut
Veteran Population
160,142
Ranked in the US
#34
17,589
Ranked in the US
#27
57,467
Ranked in the US
#33
Delaware
Veteran Population
65,065
Ranked in the US
#44
4,638
Ranked in the US
#46
25,379
Ranked in the US
#44
District of Columbia
Veteran Population
25,514
Ranked in the US
#51
2,420
Ranked in the US
#50
7,044
Ranked in the US
#51
Florida
Veteran Population
1,416,472
Ranked in the US
#3
127,629
Ranked in the US
#2
507,334
Ranked in the US
#2
Georgia
Veteran Population
625,251
Ranked in the US
#9
32,126
Ranked in the US
#13
202,654
Ranked in the US
#8
Hawaii
Veteran Population
97,478
Ranked in the US
#41
6,838
Ranked in the US
#42
33,087
Ranked in the US
#42
Idaho
Veteran Population
115,549
Ranked in the US
#38
8,018
Ranked in the US
#40
44,157
Ranked in the US
#37
Illinois
Veteran Population
553,593
Ranked in the US
#10
46,440
Ranked in the US
#7
199,747
Ranked in the US
#10
Indiana
Veteran Population
372,074
Ranked in the US
#16
27,276
Ranked in the US
#20
130,705
Ranked in the US
#17
Iowa
Veteran Population
178,481
Ranked in the US
#31
16,814
Ranked in the US
#28
65,362
Ranked in the US
#31
Kansas
Veteran Population
172,750
Ranked in the US
#32
14,218
Ranked in the US
#32
61,707
Ranked in the US
#32
Kentucky
Veteran Population
257,452
Ranked in the US
#27
15,826
Ranked in the US
#29
94,424
Ranked in the US
#27
Louisiana
Veteran Population
239,881
Ranked in the US
#28
15,816
Ranked in the US
#30
85,378
Ranked in the US
#28
Maine
Veteran Population
101,652
Ranked in the US
#40
8,063
Ranked in the US
#39
39,135
Ranked in the US
#40
Maryland
Veteran Population
357,261
Ranked in the US
#19
22,331
Ranked in the US
#22
109,070
Ranked in the US
#23
Massachusetts
Veteran Population
290,648
Ranked in the US
#24
32,056
Ranked in the US
#14
101,911
Ranked in the US
#25
Michigan
Veteran Population
532,394
Ranked in the US
#11
43,845
Ranked in the US
#8
201,285
Ranked in the US
#9
Minnesota
Veteran Population
291,453
Ranked in the US
#23
28,659
Ranked in the US
#17
111,438
Ranked in the US
#22
Mississippi
Veteran Population
164,687
Ranked in the US
#33
10,963
Ranked in the US
#34
56,607
Ranked in the US
#34
Missouri
Veteran Population
391,513
Ranked in the US
#15
30,322
Ranked in the US
#16
147,403
Ranked in the US
#15
Montana
Veteran Population
85,401
Ranked in the US
#43
5,576
Ranked in the US
#43
32,328
Ranked in the US
#43
Nebraska
Veteran Population
113,567
Ranked in the US
#39
10,046
Ranked in the US
#36
39,928
Ranked in the US
#39
Nevada
Veteran Population
205,659
Ranked in the US
#29
13,163
Ranked in the US
#33
74,314
Ranked in the US
#29
New Hampshire
Veteran Population
93,326
Ranked in the US
#42
7,636
Ranked in the US
#41
34,719
Ranked in the US
#41
New Jersey
Veteran Population
313,928
Ranked in the US
#22
35,079
Ranked in the US
#11
115,126
Ranked in the US
#20
New Mexico
Veteran Population
141,558
Ranked in the US
#35
10,898
Ranked in the US
#35
54,010
Ranked in the US
#35
New York
Veteran Population
676,295
Ranked in the US
#6
69,245
Ranked in the US
#4
234,646
Ranked in the US
#6
North Carolina
Veteran Population
654,365
Ranked in the US
#8
41,346
Ranked in the US
#9
223,229
Ranked in the US
#7
North Dakota
Veteran Population
46,288
Ranked in the US
#48
3,146
Ranked in the US
#47
15,435
Ranked in the US
#49
Ohio
Veteran Population
685,905
Ranked in the US
#5
51,174
Ranked in the US
#6
247,608
Ranked in the US
#5
Oklahoma
Veteran Population
266,895
Ranked in the US
#26
17,878
Ranked in the US
#26
98,151
Ranked in the US
#26
Oregon
Veteran Population
273,946
Ranked in the US
#25
22,238
Ranked in the US
#23
105,563
Ranked in the US
#24
Pennsylvania
Veteran Population
731,411
Ranked in the US
#4
68,143
Ranked in the US
#5
268,632
Ranked in the US
#4
Rhode Island
Veteran Population
52,128
Ranked in the US
#47
5,273
Ranked in the US
#44
19,771
Ranked in the US
#46
South Carolina
Veteran Population
360,355
Ranked in the US
#18
21,613
Ranked in the US
#25
133,143
Ranked in the US
#16
South Dakota
Veteran Population
55,969
Ranked in the US
#46
4,689
Ranked in the US
#45
20,519
Ranked in the US
#45
Tennessee
Veteran Population
428,519
Ranked in the US
#14
27,352
Ranked in the US
#19
155,261
Ranked in the US
#14
Texas
Veteran Population
1,435,527
Ranked in the US
#2
83,667
Ranked in the US
#3
461,679
Ranked in the US
#3
Utah
Veteran Population
120,198
Ranked in the US
#37
9,192
Ranked in the US
#38
41,690
Ranked in the US
#38
Vermont
Veteran Population
34,915
Ranked in the US
#50
3,035
Ranked in the US
#48
13,653
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
Veteran Population
674,242
Ranked in the US
#7
35,076
Ranked in the US
#12
197,412
Ranked in the US
#11
Washington
Veteran Population
517,912
Ranked in the US
#12
31,253
Ranked in the US
#15
183,688
Ranked in the US
#13
West Virginia
Veteran Population
125,084
Ranked in the US
#36
9,514
Ranked in the US
#37
49,325
Ranked in the US
#36
Wisconsin
Veteran Population
319,280
Ranked in the US
#21
27,649
Ranked in the US
#18
117,606
Ranked in the US
#19
Wyoming
Veteran Population
44,403
Ranked in the US
#49
2,974
Ranked in the US
#49
16,862
Ranked in the US
#48
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