This State Is the Leading Midwestern Hub for the US Military

 24/7 Wall St. Insights

• With nearly 2.6 million people on payroll, the Department of Defense is one of the largest employers in the world. 
• While DOD employees, including civilians and active-duty service members, are spread across the 50 states, a disproportionate share of defense workers are concentrated in a handful of Ohio communities.
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The U.S. Department of Defense has over 2.5 million people on payroll, making it one of the largest employers in the world — and with an annual budget of more than $870 billion, it is one of the best funded agencies in the federal government.

Although the Defense Department is headquartered at the Pentagon in northern Virginia, its employees — including both civilians and active-duty service members — are assigned to military installations across the country. Each of the 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., are home to thousands of defense workers. But one Midwestern state in particular has emerged as a hub for the U.S. military.

According to Defense Spending by State, a recent report from the DOD, approximately 59,400 national defense personnel were stationed in Ohio in fiscal 2023 — more than in any other Midwestern state and more than in all but 10 other states nationwide. The largest share of department employees in Ohio — 47.0% — are civilians. An additional 25.3% are guards men and women, 17.2% are reservists, and 10.5% are active-duty troops. (Here is a look at the states with the most armed forces personnel.)

The largest DOD service branches in the state by total employment, including civilians and reservists, are the Air or Space Force with about 29,800 employees collectively. The Army, meanwhile, employs 17,600 people in Ohio, while the combined ranks of the Navy and Marine Corps total about 2,600. Another 9,600 Ohio residents work in other areas of national defense.

Just as Ohio stands out as a critical state for the U.S. military, there are certain parts of the state where the DOD’s presence is especially concentrated. Due in part to major military installations in the state — including Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base and the Columbus Defense Supply Center — there are multiple counties in Ohio that are home to well over a thousand Defense Department employees. In one Ohio county, the DOD has more personnel than in all of New Hampshire and Vermont combined. In this single county, the DOD spent nearly $725 million on payroll alone in fiscal 2023. (Here is a look at the newest American military bases.)

These are the six counties in Ohio with the most military and civilian Defense Department personnel. All data in this story was compiled by the DOD and is current as of fiscal 2023. Counties for which personnel data was not disclosed were excluded from analysis.

Why it Matters

A significant share of the Pentagon’s budget goes to payroll for the 2.6 million American men and women who work for the national defense. In fiscal 2023 alone, the Department of Defense spent over $167.4 billion on employee salaries and wages. While this money is spread across the 50 states, it has an outsized impact in places that have emerged as hubs for U.S. military operations.

6. Summit County

• Total Defense Department personnel: 1,516 (2.6% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 12 (0.2% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 395 (2.6% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 824 (8.0% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 285 (1.0% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: $52,460,201 (1.4% of DOD payroll statewide)

5. Stark County

• Total Defense Department personnel: 1,540 (2.6% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 26 (0.4% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 673 (4.5% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 790 (7.7% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 51 (0.2% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: N/A

4. Trumbull County

• Total Defense Department personnel: 1,857 (3.1% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 18 (0.3% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 386 (2.6% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 1,381 (13.5% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 72 (0.3% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: $48,373,553 (1.3% of DOD payroll statewide)

3. Hamilton County

• Total Defense Department personnel: 1,901 (3.2% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 113 (1.8% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 668 (4.4% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 865 (8.4% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 255 (0.9% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: $71,494,289 (1.9% of DOD payroll statewide)

2. Cuyahoga County

• Total Defense Department personnel: 2,750 (4.6% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 206 (3.3% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 355 (2.4% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 171 (1.7% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 2,018 (7.2% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: $179,509,421 (4.7% of DOD payroll statewide)

1. Franklin County

Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio.Guard Base, Ohio (PDM 1.0) by aeroman3

• Total Defense Department personnel: 12,772 (21.5% of DOD personnel statewide)
• Active-duty personnel: 356 (5.7% of active-duty personnel statewide)
• National Guard personnel: 3,703 (24.6% of National Guard personnel statewide)
• Reservist personnel: 2,656 (25.9% of reservist personnel statewide)
• Civilian DOD personnel: 6,057 (21.7% of civilian personnel statewide)
• Total Defense Department payroll: $724,748,067 (18.9% of DOD payroll statewide)