Veterans across the states
Texas has more veterans than any other state, 1.4 million in 2025, but Alaska has the highest share: 9.7%1 of its civilian adults have served. Beneath the rankings are two different veteran populations, one concentrated in states where most veterans served after September 2001 and one in states where Vietnam-era veterans remain a larger group than in the nation as a whole.
Data as of October 29, 2026 (newest release used on this page).
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21001; Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files. Darker states are higher; DC is the dot. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Veterans, share of civilian adults |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 9.7% |
| Virginia | 9.0% |
| Montana | 8.6% |
| Wyoming | 8.2% |
| South Carolina | 8.0% |
| New Mexico | 7.8% |
| South Dakota | 7.8% |
| Hawaii | 7.7% |
| Maine | 7.6% |
| Oklahoma | 7.6% |
| Alabama | 7.5% |
| Arizona | 7.5% |
| West Virginia | 7.5% |
| Arkansas | 7.4% |
| Idaho | 7.4% |
| North Carolina | 7.4% |
| Nevada | 7.2% |
| Colorado | 7.0% |
| Florida | 7.0% |
| New Hampshire | 7.0% |
| Delaware | 6.9% |
| Washington | 6.9% |
| Georgia | 6.8% |
| Missouri | 6.8% |
| Maryland | 6.6% |
| Mississippi | 6.6% |
| Kentucky | 6.5% |
| Tennessee | 6.5% |
| North Dakota | 6.4% |
| Oregon | 6.4% |
| Kansas | 6.3% |
| Nebraska | 6.3% |
| Louisiana | 6.1% |
| Vermont | 6.1% |
| Iowa | 6.0% |
| Ohio | 6.0% |
| Texas | 6.0% |
| Indiana | 5.8% |
| Wisconsin | 5.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 5.6% |
| Michigan | 5.4% |
| Minnesota | 5.3% |
| Rhode Island | 4.6% |
| Connecticut | 4.5% |
| Illinois | 4.5% |
| Utah | 4.4% |
| California | 4.0% |
| Massachusetts | 3.8% |
| District of Columbia | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 3.4% |
| New York | 3.3% |
Most veterans and highest share: two different leaders
The 2025 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates 15,746,228 (±85,315) civilian veterans aged 18 and older, not statistically different from 15,701,246 in 2024. Texas has the largest number, 1,446,930 (±27,633), followed by Florida (1,318,557) and California (1,254,746). North Carolina (646,491) and Virginia (623,047) come next. At the other end, the District of Columbia has 19,902 veterans, and Vermont's 33,009 is the lowest of any state (the District of Columbia is lower)1.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21001. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Veterans (civilians 18 and older) | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,446,930 | ±27,633 |
| Florida | 1,318,557 | ±26,118 |
| California | 1,254,746 | ±19,955 |
| North Carolina | 646,491 | ±13,461 |
| Virginia | 623,047 | ±12,315 |
| Georgia | 596,611 | ±15,407 |
| Pennsylvania | 588,783 | ±12,604 |
| Ohio | 561,908 | ±14,109 |
| New York | 524,170 | ±10,699 |
| Illinois | 450,893 | ±9,624 |
Counts follow population size. The share of civilian adults who are veterans, the per capita measure, gives a different map. Alaska leads at 9.7% (±0.7 percentage points), 3.8 percentage points above the US figure (5.9%), ahead of Virginia (9.0%) and Montana (8.6%). The lowest shares are in New York (3.3%), New Jersey (3.4%) and the District of Columbia (3.5%). Texas, first by number, has a share not statistically different from the US figure (5.9%); New York is 9th highest1 by number but last by share.
The national share is 5.9%. 31 states are significantly above it and 13, counting DC, significantly below it. Because several of the most populous states sit near the bottom, the median state (6.6%1) is higher than the national figure. The full ranked list, with margins of error and rank ranges, is on the veterans by state ranking.
Four kinds of veteran state
The survey also records when each veteran served. Nationally, 31.4% (±0.2 percentage points) of veterans served at some point since September 2001 and 30.9% (±0.1 percentage points3) served during the Vietnam era. A person who served in both periods is counted in both, so the shares overlap and cannot be added.
Setting each state's veteran share beside its mix of service eras, and keeping only differences from the national figures that pass the Census Bureau's significance test, sorts most states into four groups.
High share, recent service. Alaska and Virginia combine the highest veteran shares with the most recent service. In Alaska 43.5% of veterans served after September 2001, 12.1 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%); in Virginia 43.7%, 12.3 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%). Hawaii (37.0%), Colorado (37.7%), Oklahoma (35.4%) and Alabama (34.7%), as well as Georgia, North Carolina and Washington, are above the US on both the veteran share and the post-2001 share. So is Maryland, where veterans are 6.6%1 of adults and the post-2001 share is 40.9%, 9.5 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%)3.
High share, older service. Montana, Maine, West Virginia, Arizona, Idaho, New Hampshire, Delaware and Missouri have veteran shares above the US and Vietnam-era shares above it too. New Hampshire's Vietnam-era share is 37.8%, 6.9 percentage points above the US figure (30.9%); Maine's is 35.2% and Montana's 33.6%. Oregon belongs here as well: its veteran share is 0.5 percentage points above the US figure (5.9%)1 and its Vietnam-era share 38.5%, 7.6 percentage points above the US figure (30.9%)3.
Low share, recent service. Utah is the only state in this group. Veterans make up 4.4% of its adults, 1.5 percentage points below the US figure (5.9%)1, yet 42.6% of them served after September 2001, 11.2 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%). Only 15.6% of Utah's veterans served solely in peacetime, against 21.6%3 nationally.
Low share, older service. Most of the Northeast and the upper Midwest fall here: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Rhode Island's Vietnam-era share, 39.3%, is 8.4 percentage points above the US figure (30.9%); Wisconsin's post-2001 share, 23.2%, is 8.2 percentage points below the US figure (31.4%)3.
Some large states do not fit. California's veteran share is 1.9 percentage points below the US figure (5.9%), but neither its post-2001 share (31.3%) nor its Vietnam-era share (31.4%) differs significantly from the national one. Texas is the reverse: its veteran share is not statistically different from the US figure (5.9%)1, while its post-2001 share, 39.8%, is 8.4 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%)3.
| Alaska | 9.7% ±0.7 | 43.5% ±3.7 | 21.4% ±2.4 | 15.2% ±2.6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 9.0% ±0.2 | 43.7% ±1.4 | 24.4% ±0.7 | 16.1% ±1.0 |
| Montana | 8.6% ±0.5 | 31.2% ±3.4 | 33.6% ±1.8 | 11.4% ±1.9 |
| Wyoming | 8.2% ±0.7 | 31.9% ±5.0 | 33.4% ±3.6 | 10.3% ±2.6 |
| South Carolina | 8.0% ±0.2 | 32.3% ±1.7 | 29.9% ±1.4 | 13.4% ±1.0 |
| New Mexico | 7.8% ±0.4 | 28.7% ±2.8 | 31.6% ±1.7 | 12.6% ±1.8 |
| South Dakota | 7.8% ±0.5 | 31.9% ±4.0 | 31.0% ±2.4 | 9.0% ±2.1 |
| Hawaii | 7.7% ±0.4 | 37.0% ±3.2 | 31.7% ±2.4 | 13.9% ±2.1 |
| Maine | 7.6% ±0.4 | 25.7% ±3.0 | 35.2% ±2.0 | 9.1% ±1.7 |
| Oklahoma | 7.6% ±0.2 | 35.4% ±1.8 | 28.9% ±1.5 | 11.7% ±1.4 |
| Alabama | 7.5% ±0.2 | 34.7% ±1.8 | 28.1% ±1.2 | 12.0% ±1.3 |
| Arizona | 7.5% ±0.2 | 29.5% ±1.6 | 33.5% ±1.0 | 10.9% ±1.0 |
| West Virginia | 7.5% ±0.4 | 26.4% ±2.8 | 33.9% ±1.0 | 9.6% ±2.2 |
| Arkansas | 7.4% ±0.3 | 32.5% ±2.8 | 30.1% ±1.6 | 11.2% ±1.5 |
| Idaho | 7.4% ±0.4 | 31.4% ±2.7 | 32.6% ±1.5 | 9.2% ±1.4 |
| North Carolina | 7.4% ±0.2 | 33.7% ±1.3 | 28.3% ±0.9 | 12.6% ±1.0 |
| Nevada | 7.2% ±0.3 | 33.3% ±2.8 | 31.4% ±1.7 | 10.9% ±1.4 |
| Colorado | 7.0% ±0.2 | 37.7% ±1.8 | 27.5% ±1.2 | 13.3% ±1.1 |
| Florida | 7.0% ±0.1 | 29.9% ±1.2 | 30.8% ±0.6 | 12.1% ±0.6 |
| New Hampshire | 7.0% ±0.4 | 25.3% ±3.4 | 37.8% ±2.5 | 8.5% ±1.8 |
| Delaware | 6.9% ±0.5 | 25.5% ±3.9 | 36.0% ±3.2 | 9.5% ±2.3 |
| Washington | 6.9% ±0.2 | 33.7% ±1.3 | 31.3% ±1.1 | 11.6% ±0.8 |
| Georgia | 6.8% ±0.2 | 33.9% ±1.2 | 27.7% ±0.8 | 15.0% ±1.0 |
| Missouri | 6.8% ±0.2 | 28.5% ±1.6 | 32.5% ±0.9 | 9.8% ±0.9 |
| Maryland | 6.6% ±0.2 | 40.9% ±2.0 | 25.2% ±1.2 | 17.5% ±1.2 |
| Mississippi | 6.6% ±0.3 | 31.1% ±2.4 | 26.9% ±1.6 | 13.2% ±1.7 |
| Kentucky | 6.5% ±0.2 | 30.2% ±1.8 | 31.5% ±1.2 | 9.2% ±1.1 |
| Tennessee | 6.5% ±0.2 | 31.9% ±1.6 | 31.1% ±1.4 | 10.9% ±1.0 |
| North Dakota | 6.4% ±0.5 | 37.9% ±6.0 | 30.2% ±2.8 | 12.0% ±4.7 |
| Oregon | 6.4% ±0.2 | 25.8% ±1.8 | 38.5% ±1.2 | 9.6% ±1.1 |
| Kansas | 6.3% ±0.2 | 33.1% ±2.5 | 31.2% ±1.3 | 9.7% ±1.2 |
| Nebraska | 6.3% ±0.3 | 31.2% ±2.8 | 32.0% ±1.7 | 10.8% ±1.9 |
| Louisiana | 6.1% ±0.2 | 30.9% ±2.4 | 30.5% ±1.5 | 10.6% ±1.6 |
| Vermont | 6.1% ±0.5 | 25.5% ±4.8 | 36.0% ±3.0 | 10.6% ±3.3 |
| Iowa | 6.0% ±0.2 | 22.9% ±1.8 | 35.4% ±1.1 | 9.5% ±1.3 |
| Ohio | 6.0% ±0.2 | 26.4% ±1.1 | 32.6% ±0.8 | 9.3% ±0.7 |
| Texas | 6.0% ±0.1 | 39.8% ±1.0 | 25.5% ±0.5 | 13.3% ±0.6 |
| Indiana | 5.8% ±0.2 | 26.3% ±1.5 | 31.7% ±0.9 | 8.4% ±1.0 |
| Wisconsin | 5.7% ±0.2 | 23.2% ±1.4 | 38.2% ±1.2 | 8.6% ±0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | 5.6% ±0.1 | 23.4% ±1.1 | 34.6% ±0.7 | 9.2% ±0.7 |
| Michigan | 5.4% ±0.1 | 23.5% ±1.2 | 34.8% ±0.8 | 8.4% ±0.8 |
| Minnesota | 5.3% ±0.1 | 24.2% ±1.6 | 35.0% ±1.1 | 8.6% ±0.9 |
| Rhode Island | 4.6% ±0.4 | 25.2% ±3.5 | 39.3% ±3.8 | 7.1% ±2.3 |
| Connecticut | 4.5% ±0.2 | 25.5% ±2.8 | 35.0% ±1.6 | 10.0% ±1.8 |
| Illinois | 4.5% ±0.1 | 27.1% ±1.5 | 33.7% ±1.0 | 10.2% ±1.0 |
| Utah | 4.4% ±0.2 | 42.6% ±3.2 | 30.3% ±1.8 | 10.1% ±1.9 |
| California | 4.0% ±0.1 | 31.3% ±1.0 | 31.4% ±0.7 | 10.8% ±0.6 |
| Massachusetts | 3.8% ±0.2 | 26.4% ±2.2 | 34.7% ±1.4 | 9.2% ±1.1 |
| District of Columbia | 3.5% ±0.5 | 35.1% ±6.6 | 24.5% ±7.5 | 13.7% ±4.1 |
| New Jersey | 3.4% ±0.1 | 27.2% ±2.0 | 35.0% ±1.3 | 8.4% ±1.2 |
| New York | 3.3% ±0.1 | 24.4% ±1.2 | 35.1% ±0.9 | 8.5% ±0.7 |
| United States | 5.9% | 31.4% ±0.2 | 30.9% ±0.1 | 11.4% ±0.1 |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21001; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21002. ± is the 90% margin of error.
The share of veterans who are women follows the recent-service states. Women are 11.4% of veterans nationally, up from 11.1% in 2024. Maryland (17.5%, 6.1 percentage points above the US figure (11.4%)), Virginia (16.1%), Alaska (15.2%) and Georgia (15.0%) are all significantly above that. Rhode Island, at 7.1%, is 4.3 percentage points below the US figure (11.4%)1.
The 1990s Gulf War era and the oldest veterans
Between the Vietnam era and September 2001 lies the 1990s Gulf War era, from August 1990 to August 2001. Veterans with service in those years are 25.6% of the national total. Alaska (37.3%) and Virginia (36.6%) are far above that, and a band of Southern states follows: Mississippi (31.7%), Alabama (31.7%), South Carolina (31.6%) and Georgia (30.4%) are each significantly above the US, as is Wyoming (31.5%). New Jersey (16.2%, 9.4 percentage points below the US figure (25.6%)), Massachusetts (16.9%) and New York (17.5%3) have the smallest point estimates.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21002. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Served in the 1990s Gulf War era, share of veterans | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 37.3% | ±4.1 |
| Virginia | 36.6% | ±1.3 |
| Alabama | 31.7% | ±1.7 |
| Mississippi | 31.7% | ±2.4 |
| South Carolina | 31.6% | ±1.6 |
| Wyoming | 31.5% | ±4.9 |
| Georgia | 30.4% | ±1.3 |
| Texas | 29.8% | ±0.8 |
| Maryland | 29.5% | ±1.7 |
| Louisiana | 28.9% | ±1.9 |
| Oklahoma | 28.9% | ±1.6 |
| Nebraska | 28.6% | ±2.7 |
| New Mexico | 27.9% | ±2.5 |
| Arkansas | 27.8% | ±2.3 |
| Florida | 27.6% | ±0.9 |
| United States | 25.6% | ±0.2 |
Veterans of the Korean War or World War II are now 2.6% of the total, down from 3.3% in 2024. North Dakota stands out at both ends of the age range. Its share of Korean War or World War II veterans, 5.0%, is 2.4 percentage points above the US figure (2.6%), and its post-2001 share, 37.9%, is 6.5 percentage points above the US figure (31.4%). The group in between is small: 16.7% of North Dakota's veterans served only in peacetime, 4.9 percentage points below the US figure (21.6%). Minnesota (4.6%3) is also significantly above the national share of the oldest veterans.
VA health care, state by state
A separate ACS question asks whether people are covered by VA health care. The measure covers everyone in the civilian noninstitutionalized population, of all ages, not only veterans. Nationally, 1.7% (±0.1 percentage points4) of people have it.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table S2704. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | VA health care | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 3.2% | ±0.4 |
| Alaska | 3.1% | ±0.4 |
| South Dakota | 3.0% | ±0.3 |
| Montana | 2.9% | ±0.3 |
| West Virginia | 2.8% | ±0.2 |
| Arkansas | 2.6% | ±0.2 |
| Maine | 2.6% | ±0.2 |
| South Carolina | 2.6% | ±0.1 |
| Oklahoma | 2.5% | ±0.1 |
| Nevada | 2.4% | ±0.2 |
| New Mexico | 2.4% | ±0.2 |
| North Carolina | 2.4% | ±0.1 |
| Alabama | 2.3% | ±0.1 |
| Florida | 2.3% | ±0.1 |
| Nebraska | 2.3% | ±0.2 |
| United States | 1.7% | ±0.1 |
Wyoming has the largest point estimate: its 3.2% is 1.5 percentage points above the US figure (1.7%), followed by Alaska (3.1%), South Dakota (3.0%), Montana (2.9%) and West Virginia (2.8%). The lowest are in New Jersey (0.7%, 1.0 percentage points below the US figure (1.7%)), New York (0.8%) and the District of Columbia (0.9%4).
Coverage does not simply track the veteran share. Virginia's veteran share is 3.1 percentage points above the US figure (5.9%), while its VA health care share is 0.6 percentage points above the US figure (1.7%). In West Virginia the two figures are 1.6 percentage points above the US figure (5.9%)1 and 1.1 percentage points above the US figure (1.7%)4. The survey tables used here do not show why: they do not cross VA coverage with veteran status, age or service era by state.
What changed in 2025, and the VA's outlook
Nationally, the veteran share of adults was unchanged from 5.9% in 20241. The mix moved, though. The post-2001 share went up from 29.9% in 2024 and the Vietnam-era share down from 31.3% in 20243.
Ten states had changes in the number of veterans larger than the survey's margin of error. Counts rose in North Carolina (up from 621,063 in 2024), Virginia (up from 602,994 in 2024), Kentucky (up from 220,537 in 2024), Arkansas (up from 165,049 in 2024), Mississippi (up from 141,422 in 2024) and Utah (up from 109,467 in 2024). They fell in New York (down from 550,582 in 2024), Washington (down from 455,376 in 2024), Tennessee (down from 400,477 in 2024) and Oregon (down from 233,276 in 20241). A one-year survey change can reflect sampling as well as real movement; the margins of error are in the ranking table.
The Department of Veterans Affairs models the veteran population separately. Its VetPop2023 model put the national total at 18.3 million on September 30, 2023 and projects 17.3 million for September 30, 2026. The 2026 projection is lower than the 2023 figure in every state, from Texas (1,538,000 to 1,509,000) and California (1,475,000 to 1,338,000) down to Wyoming (45,000 to 44,0005). These are projections, not counts.
| Texas | 1,446,930 ±27,633 | 1,538,000 | 1,509,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1,318,557 ±26,118 | 1,413,000 | 1,361,000 |
| California | 1,254,746 ±19,955 | 1,475,000 | 1,338,000 |
| North Carolina | 646,491 ±13,461 | 689,000 | 669,000 |
| Virginia | 623,047 ±12,315 | 686,000 | 663,000 |
| Georgia | 596,611 ±15,407 | 662,000 | 645,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 588,783 ±12,604 | 688,000 | 627,000 |
| Ohio | 561,908 ±14,109 | 669,000 | 626,000 |
| New York | 524,170 ±10,699 | 662,000 | 591,000 |
| Illinois | 450,893 ±9,624 | 621,000 | 572,000 |
| Arizona | 449,601 ±12,187 | 473,000 | 463,000 |
| Washington | 434,198 ±12,552 | 510,000 | 487,000 |
| Michigan | 433,589 ±9,966 | 500,000 | 461,000 |
| Tennessee | 375,004 ±10,155 | 435,000 | 421,000 |
| South Carolina | 350,835 ±9,964 | 390,000 | 382,000 |
| Missouri | 334,269 ±8,929 | 392,000 | 371,000 |
| Colorado | 331,110 ±9,726 | 368,000 | 353,000 |
| Maryland | 321,975 ±9,965 | 360,000 | 337,000 |
| Indiana | 315,178 ±10,467 | 371,000 | 349,000 |
| Alabama | 304,284 ±9,425 | 343,000 | 332,000 |
| Wisconsin | 271,392 ±7,984 | 327,000 | 304,000 |
| New Jersey | 254,840 ±10,809 | 308,000 | 274,000 |
| Minnesota | 240,553 ±6,594 | 296,000 | 270,000 |
| Oklahoma | 237,887 ±6,476 | 282,000 | 271,000 |
| Kentucky | 234,003 ±7,132 | 262,000 | 250,000 |
| Massachusetts | 222,521 ±9,510 | 274,000 | 247,000 |
| Oregon | 222,002 ±8,601 | 266,000 | 249,000 |
| Louisiana | 215,419 ±8,628 | 257,000 | 242,000 |
| Nevada | 186,734 ±8,185 | 209,000 | 205,000 |
| Arkansas | 178,260 ±7,847 | 203,000 | 194,000 |
| Mississippi | 151,386 ±7,164 | 182,000 | 175,000 |
| Iowa | 151,216 ±5,897 | 182,000 | 168,000 |
| Kansas | 143,511 ±5,692 | 181,000 | 171,000 |
| Connecticut | 134,586 ±6,890 | 152,000 | 136,000 |
| New Mexico | 130,350 ±6,797 | 153,000 | 146,000 |
| Utah | 116,210 ±4,381 | 130,000 | 125,000 |
| Idaho | 115,297 ±5,503 | 122,000 | 121,000 |
| West Virginia | 107,341 ±5,722 | 124,000 | 115,000 |
| Nebraska | 96,241 ±4,567 | 120,000 | 112,000 |
| Maine | 89,159 ±4,573 | 107,000 | 100,000 |
| Hawaii | 85,223 ±4,379 | 111,000 | 103,000 |
| New Hampshire | 82,036 ±4,577 | 93,000 | 87,000 |
| Montana | 78,530 ±4,682 | 89,000 | 85,000 |
| Delaware | 58,649 ±4,147 | 63,000 | 61,000 |
| South Dakota | 55,558 ±3,526 | 64,000 | 62,000 |
| Alaska | 53,052 ±3,567 | 71,000 | 68,000 |
| Rhode Island | 42,095 ±3,724 | 55,000 | 50,000 |
| North Dakota | 39,118 ±3,153 | 49,000 | 45,000 |
| Wyoming | 37,969 ±3,451 | 45,000 | 44,000 |
| Vermont | 33,009 ±2,802 | 39,000 | 35,000 |
| District of Columbia | 19,902 ±2,898 | 28,000 | 26,000 |
| United States | 15,746,228 ±85,315 | 18,267,000 | 17,260,000 |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21001; Department of Veterans Affairs (NCVAS; now Office of Actuarial Services), VetPop2023 Table 6L. ± is the 90% margin of error.
Veterans experiencing homelessness
HUD's point-in-time count found 32,495 veterans experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2025. California counted 8,686, Florida 2,141, Texas 1,907, Washington 1,757 and Oregon 1,6356. This is an administrative count made by local agencies, with methods for counting unsheltered people that vary by place and year, so it should not be divided by the survey's veteran totals. State figures for all homeless people are on the homelessness ranking.
Survey estimate or VA model: reconciling the numbers
Two federal sources publish veteran numbers for every state, and the VA figure is the larger of the two in every state.
- American Community Survey, Census Bureau (2025). People report their own service. The Census Bureau's veterans glossary defines veterans as people who have served on active duty, even briefly, but are not serving now; members of the National Guard or Reserves count only if they were ever called or ordered to active duty, not counting initial training or yearly summer camps. The figures here cover civilians 18 and older and carry 90% margins of error. Every ranking on this site uses them.
- VetPop2023, Department of Veterans Affairs. A model of the living veteran population, projected year by year from September 30, 2023. The VA asks that its figures be reported to the nearest thousand, and they have no margin of error. Details are on the VA's veteran population page.
The two sources also refer to different dates: calendar 2025 for the survey, September 30 of each year for the model. Use the survey to compare states, eras and shares; when quoting the VA model, label its figures as projections.
Reading these figures
- Count or share. "Most veterans" has two answers. Use the share of adults to compare states of different sizes.
- Eras overlap. The service-era shares add up to more than the whole, because veterans who served in more than one period appear in each.
- Close states cannot be ranked. Many states in the middle of the share ranking have overlapping rank ranges; Wyoming, fourth by point estimate, ranks between 3rd and 14th1.
- Civilians only. People on active duty today are not counted as veterans in the survey.
- States only. This site covers the 50 states and DC, not counties or cities.
Questions about the veteran population by state
What state has the most veterans?
Texas, with 1,446,930 (±27,633) civilian veterans aged 18 and older in the 2025 American Community Survey. Florida (1,318,557) and California (1,254,746) are the only other states above one million. Relative to its adult population, though, Texas is not statistically different from the US figure (5.9%)1.
Which states have the most veterans per capita?
Alaska (9.7% of civilian adults), Virginia (9.0%) and Montana (8.6%). Their margins of error overlap, so the order among the three is not certain: Alaska ranks between 1st and 2nd, Virginia between 1st and 3rd and Montana between 2nd and 4th1.
How many veterans live in the United States?
The Census Bureau's survey estimates 15.7 million civilian veterans in 2025, 5.9%1 of civilian adults. The Department of Veterans Affairs projects 17.3 million5 for September 30, 2026 from its own population model. The two are built differently and should not be compared as if one were a correction of the other.
Rankings on this topic
Sources
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21001; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files; table cb_2024_us_state_20m; 2024; released April 10, 2025. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B21002; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table S2704; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Department of Veterans Affairs (NCVAS; now Office of Actuarial Services), VetPop2023 Table 6L; VetPop2023 model; base 2023-09-30, projections to 2053. www.va.gov
- HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, 2025 AHAR; Point-in-Time count, one night in the last 10 days of January 2025. www.huduser.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.