Special Report

The Biggest Military Bases in the United States

DanielBendjy / E+ via Getty Images

With an estimated 750 bases across six continents — and troops deployed in 159 countries — the U.S. has a massive, global military footprint. Internationally, American military bases are used to project power, deter adversaries, and reassure allies. (This is the country with the most people in the military.)

Still, the bulk of American military power is concentrated within the United States. Across the 50 states and Washington D.C., there are hundreds of military bases home to nearly 1.2 million active-duty service members and their families, according to the Department of Defense’s report Demographics Profile of the Military Community. Used for training and maintaining troop readiness, many of these bases have populations comparable to a mid-size city. (This is the county in every state with the most people in the military.)

Using DoD military demographics data for 2019 — the most recent year of comprehensive base-level — 24/7 Wall St. identified America’s largest military bases. For the purposes of this story, only bases housing active-duty military personnel for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and DoD were considered.

Each of the 26 bases on this list are home to at least 10,000 active-duty military personnel. Including dependents and military families, some of these bases have over 100,000 people. The largest branch of the U.S. military by headcount, the Army controls most of these bases. The Air Force and Marine Corps each have only two bases on this list, while the Navy has five.  

These bases include those used as basic training sites for these four military branches.

Here are America’s largest military bases.

26. Nellis AFB, Nevada

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,168 (89.2% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,937
  • Service branch: Air Force
  • Location: 8 miles from Las Vegas

25. Naval Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,222 (21.5% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,697
  • Service branch: Navy
  • Location: 6 miles from Honolulu

24. Mayport NAVSTA, Florida

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,442 (15.7% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,013
  • Service branch: Navy
  • Location: 10 miles from Jacksonville

23. Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 10,721 (8.8% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,655
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: San Antonio

22. Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,140 (39.8% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,041
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 15 miles from Baltimore

21. Fort Gordon, Georgia

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,220 (16.5% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 25,636
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 12 miles from Augusta

20. Fort Jackson, South Carolina

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 11,545 (28.4% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 20,589
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: Columbia

19. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 12,218 (72.3% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 23,479
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 85 miles from Springfield

18. Fort Sill, Oklahoma

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 13,310 (59.2% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 26,189
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 90 miles from Oklahoma City

17. Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,057 (31.7% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 34,022
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 20 miles from Honolulu

16. Fort Drum, New York

John Moore / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,195 (74.7% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 32,011
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 8 miles from Watertown

15. Fort Riley, Kansas

wellesenterprises / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,214 (69.8% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 33,295
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 50 miles from Topeka

14. Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 15,726 (72.8% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 21,875
  • Service branch: Navy
  • Location: 30 miles from Chicago

13. Fort Stewart, Georgia

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 19,476 (28.6% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 45,302
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 35 miles from Savannah

12. Lackland AFB, Texas

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 22,220 (18.2% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 42,521
  • Service branch: Air Force
  • Location: 5 miles from San Antonio

11. Fort Moore, Georgia

Jessica McGowan / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,305 (35.7% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 46,785
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 5 miles from Columbus

10. Fort Carson, Colorado

Chmiel / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 24,520 (68.4% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 57,473
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 6 miles from Colorado Springs

9. Fort Bliss, Texas

Bobbie DeHerrera / Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,100 (21.3% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 60,307
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: El Paso

8. Fort Lewis, Washington

  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,512 (44.6% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,831
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 12 miles from Tacoma

7. Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Luke Sharrett / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 26,824 (83.1% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 62,977
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 50 miles from Nashville

6. San Diego NAVSTA, California

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 32,983 (20.0% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 66,557
  • Service branch: Navy
  • Location: San Diego

5. Fort Cavazos, Texas

Joe Raedle / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 36,697 (30.0% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 83,815
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: Killeen

4. Camp Lejeune MCB, North Carolina

marine_corps / Flickr
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 38,706 (37.1% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 72,106
  • Service branch: Marine Corps
  • Location: 3 miles from Jacksonville

3. Camp Pendleton, California

Althom / iStock via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 39,690 (24.0% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 70,700
  • Service branch: Marine Corps
  • Location: 35 miles from San Diego

2. Fort Liberty, North Carolina

Melissa Sue Gerrits / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 45,055 (43.2% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 109,101
  • Service branch: Army
  • Location: 10 miles from Fayetteville

1. Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia

usnavy / Flickr
  • Active-duty personnel stationed at base: 47,368 (37.5% of mil. personnel in state)
  • All personnel assigned to base, incl. military family members: 100,893
  • Service branch: Navy
  • Location: Norfolk

The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)

Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.

A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.

 

Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!

By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.