The US defense budget – by far the largest of any country in the world – is the subject of regular controversy. But while multi-billion-dollar weapons-development programs that blow budgets and deadlines will always be subject to political scrutiny, much of America’s annual military spending is less controversial. Almost a quarter of the $718 billion in US military spending in fiscal 2021 went on military salaries and pensions. (Here’s a look at the failed weapons the US has wasted the most money on.)
Although thousands of active-duty US service members are stationed abroad and on ships at sea, the vast majority of American troops are stationed at bases within the United States. There are hundreds of military bases across the country, collectively home to over 1 million active duty military personnel and their families. These domestic military installations vary widely in personnel capacity, and many of them have a population equivalent to that of a medium-sized city.
According to the US Department of Defense’s Demographics Profile of the Military Community report for 2019—the most recent year with comprehensive data by base—Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located 10 miles from Dayton, ranks as Ohio’s largest military base by force .
Operated by the Air Force, the base is home to 5,401 active duty personnel. Including military family members and other dependents, there are a total of 13,914 people at the base.
| Federal State | largest base | service branch | Next bigger city | Total number of troops on active duty | All employees, including dependents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Fort Rucker | army | Dothan | 3,860 | 9,805 |
| Alaska | Fort Jonathan Wainwright | army | Fairbanks | 6.117 | 13.112 |
| Arizona | Davis Monthan AFB | air force | Tucson | 5,995 | 12,919 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock AFB | air force | Small stone | 3,536 | 8.108 |
| California | Camp Pendleton | marine corps | San Diego | 39,690 | 70,700 |
| Colorado | Fort Carson | army | Colorado Springs | 24,520 | 57,473 |
| Connecticut | NEW LONDON NAVSUBBASE | marine | Hartford | 6,385 | 13,856 |
| Delaware | Dover AFB | air force | dover | 3,484 | 7,718 |
| Florida | Mayport NAVSTA | marine | Jacksonville | 10,442 | 25.013 |
| Georgia | Fort Benning | army | Columbus | 24,305 | 46,785 |
| Hawaii | Schofield Barracks | army | Honolulu | 15,057 | 34,022 |
| Idaho | Mountain Home AFB | air force | boise | 3,387 | 7.171 |
| Illinois | Great Lakes Naval Station | marine | Chicago | 15,726 | 21,875 |
| Indiana | DFAS Indianapolis Center | DoD | Indianapolis | 149 | 450 |
| Iowa | No base with over 100 soldiers | N / A | N / A | N / A | N / A |
| Kansas | Fort Riley | army | Topeka | 15,214 | 33,295 |
| Kentucky | Fort Campbell | army | Nashville | 26,824 | 62,977 |
| Louisiana | Fort Polk | army | Alexandria | 7,783 | 17,384 |
| Maine | Brunswick NAS | marine | Portland | 404 | 1,011 |
| Maryland | Fort George G Meade | army | Baltimore | 11,140 | 26,041 |
| Massachusetts | Hanscom AFB | air force | Boston | 833 | 1,957 |
| Michigan | Detroit Arsenal | army | labyrinth | 127 | 480 |
| Minnesota | Fort Swifting | army | Minneapolis | 262 | 799 |
| Mississippi | Keesler AFB | air force | Biloxi | 5.162 | 9,587 |
| Missouri | Fort Leonard Wood | army | jumping field | 12.218 | 23,479 |
| Montana | Malmstrom AFB | air force | Big Falls | 3,242 | 6,792 |
| Nebraska | Offutt AFB | air force | omaha | 6.012 | 14,379 |
| Nevada | Nellis AFB | air force | Las Vegas | 10.168 | 21,937 |
| New Hampshire | Portsmouth Naval Dockyard | marine | Portsmouth | 959 | 2,064 |
| New Jersey | McGuire AFB | air force | Trenton | 4,510 | 9,755 |
| New Mexico | Cannon AFB | air force | Clovis | 4,633 | 8,986 |
| new York | fort drum | army | water town | 15,195 | 32.011 |
| North Carolina | Fort Bragg | army | Fayetteville | 45,055 | 109.101 |
| North Dakota | Minot AFB | air force | minot | 5,625 | 11.031 |
| Ohio | Wright-Patterson AFB | air force | Dayton | 5.401 | 13,914 |
| Oklahoma | Fort Sill | army | Oklahoma City | 13,310 | 26,189 |
| Oregon | No base with over 100 soldiers | N / A | N / A | N / A | N / A |
| Pennsylvania | Carlisle Barracks | army | Harrisburg | 503 | 1,903 |
| Rhode Island | Naval Station Newport | marine | Newport | 3,269 | 7.191 |
| South Carolina | Fort Jackson | army | Columbia | 11,545 | 20,589 |
| South Dakota | Ellsworth AFB | air force | fast city | 3,348 | 7.118 |
| Tennessee | Naval Support Activity Mid-South | marine | memphis | 676 | 2.014 |
| Texas | Fort Hood | army | killeen | 36,697 | 83,815 |
| Utah | Hill AFB | air force | ogden | 4.201 | 9,985 |
| Vermont | Burlington IAP AGS | air force | Albania | 113 | 266 |
| Virginia | Naval Base Norfolk | marine | Norfolk | 47,368 | 100,893 |
| Washington | Fort Lewis | army | Tacoma | 26,512 | 62,831 |
| West Virginia | No base with over 100 soldiers | N / A | N / A | N / A | N / A |
| Wisconsin | Fort McCoy | army | LaCrosse | 290 | 1,072 |
| Wyoming | Francis E Warren AFB | air force | cheyenne | 3,066 | 6,716 |
