Though there are thousands of active-duty U.S. military personnel deployed abroad and on ships at sea, the vast majority of American troops are stationed at bases within the United States. Across the country, there are hundreds of military bases that are collectively home to over 1 million active-duty personnel and their families. These domestic military installations vary considerably in personnel capacity, and many of them have populations equivalent to that of a mid-size city.
Using the Department of Defense’s report Demographics Profile of the Military Community for 2019 – the most recent year of comprehensive data by base – 24/7 Wall St. identified the largest military base in each state. For the purposes of this story, only bases housing at least 100 active-duty military personnel for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and DOD were considered.
In nearly every state, there is at least one military base with more than 1,000 troops, and in half of all states there are bases home to over 13,000 service members. In only three states – Iowa, Oregon, and West Virginia – there are no bases with 100 or more troops.
The Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military by headcount, and the largest share of bases on this list – 20 in total – are Army bases. Meanwhile, the Air Force manages the largest base in 17 states, while eight bases on this list are under the purview of the U.S. Navy. The Marine Corps and DOD each control one. (These are the biggest military bases in the country.)
Some veterans and military members will be familiar with some of the bases on this list as the place where their career in the armed services began. The Army uses Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Georgia; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for basic training, and each of these bases ranks as the largest base in its state. The naval base used for boot camp also appears on this list. (Here are the US military special forces with the most brutal training.)
Other bases – including several bases larger than those used for basic training – serve a variety of functions, including operational support, maintaining deployment-ready forces, and continued advanced training.
Click here to see the largest military base in each state.
Alabama: Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker)
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,860
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 9,805
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 26 miles from Dothan
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Alaska: Fort Jonathan Wainwright
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 6,117
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 13,112
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 1 miles from Fairbanks
Arizona: Davis-Monthan AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 5,995
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 12,919
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: Tucson
Arkansas: Little Rock AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,536
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 8,108
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 18 miles from Little Rock
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California: Camp Pendleton
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 39,690
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 70,700
> Service branch: Marine Corps
> Location: 35 miles from San Diego
Colorado: Fort Carson
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,520
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 57,473
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 6 miles from Colorado Springs
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Connecticut: New London NAVSUBBASE
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 6,385
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 13,856
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: 50 miles from Hartford
Delaware: Dover AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,484
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 7,718
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 5 miles from Dover
Florida: Mayport NAVSTA
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,442
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,013
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: 10 miles from Jacksonville
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Georgia: Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning)
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,305
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 46,785
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 5 miles from Columbus
Hawaii: Schofield Barracks
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,057
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 34,022
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 20 miles from Honolulu
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Idaho: Mountain Home AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,387
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 7,171
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 50 miles from Boise
Illinois: Naval Station Great Lakes
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,726
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,875
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: 30 miles from Chicago
Indiana: DFAS Indianapolis Center
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 149
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 450
> Service branch: DoD
> Location: 14 miles from Indianapolis
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Iowa: No base with over 100 troops
> Active-duty personnel stationed in state: 271
Kansas: Fort Riley
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,214
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 33,295
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 50 miles from Topeka
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Kentucky: Fort Campbell
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,824
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,977
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 50 miles from Nashville
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Louisiana: Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk)
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 7,783
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 17,384
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 60 miles from Alexandria
Maine: Brunswick NAS
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 404
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 1,011
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: 31 miles from Portland
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Maryland: Fort George G. Meade
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,140
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,041
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 15 miles from Baltimore
Massachusetts: Hanscom AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 833
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 1,957
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 20 miles from Boston
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Michigan: Detroit Arsenal
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 127
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 480
> Service branch: Army
> Location: Warren
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Minnesota: Fort Snelling
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 262
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 799
> Service branch: Army
> Location: Minneapolis
Mississippi: Keesler AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 5,162
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 9,587
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: Biloxi
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Missouri: Fort Leonard Wood
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 12,218
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 23,479
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 85 miles from Springfield
Montana: Malmstrom AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,242
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 6,792
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 2 miles from Great Falls
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Nebraska: Offutt AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 6,012
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 14,379
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 8 miles from Omaha
Nevada: Nellis AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,168
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,937
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 8 miles from Las Vegas
New Hampshire: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 959
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 2,064
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: Portsmouth
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New Jersey: McGuire AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 4,510
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 9,755
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 18 miles from Trenton
New Mexico: Cannon AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 4,633
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 8,986
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 7 miles from Clovis
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New York: Fort Drum
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,195
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 32,011
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 8 miles from Watertown
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North Carolina: Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg)
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 45,055
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 109,101
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 10 miles from Fayetteville
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North Dakota: Minot AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 5,625
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 11,031
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 13 miles from Minot
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Ohio: Wright-Patterson AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 5,401
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 13,914
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 10 miles from Dayton
Oklahoma: Fort Sill
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 13,310
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,189
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 90 miles from Oklahoma City
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Oregon: No base with over 100 troops
> Active-duty personnel stationed in state: 1,579
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Pennsylvania: Carlisle Barracks
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 503
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 1,903
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 18 miles from Harrisburg
Rhode Island: Naval Station Newport
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,269
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 7,191
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: Newport
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South Carolina: Fort Jackson
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,545
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 20,589
> Service branch: Army
> Location: Columbia
South Dakota: Ellsworth AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,348
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 7,118
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 3 miles from Rapid City
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Tennessee: Naval Support Activity Mid-South
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 676
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 2,014
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: 22 miles from Memphis
Texas: Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood)
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 36,697
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 83,815
> Service branch: Army
> Location: Killeen
Utah: Hill AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 4,201
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 9,985
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 6 miles from Ogden
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Vermont: Burlington IAP-AGS
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 113
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 266
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: 151 miles from Albany
Virginia: Norfolk Naval Base
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 47,368
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 100,893
> Service branch: Navy
> Location: Norfolk
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Washington: Fort Lewis
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,512
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,831
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 12 miles from Tacoma
West Virginia: No base with over 100 troops
> Active-duty personnel stationed in state: 174
Wisconsin: Fort McCoy
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 290
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 1,072
> Service branch: Army
> Location: 43 miles from La Crosse
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Wyoming: Francis E Warren AFB
> Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 3,066
> All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 6,716
> Service branch: Air Force
> Location: Cheyenne
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