Of the 40 states and the District of Columbia where we are licensed, Alaska has the largest share of veterans: about 10.7 of every 100 civilians aged 18 and over. Virginia, at about 9.4, and Montana, at about 9.0, come next. The District of Columbia, at about 3.5, and New Jersey, at about 3.7, have the smallest shares, with California and Massachusetts next at about 4.3. The national figure is about 6.2.
I put this table together for veterans and service members who are thinking about a home, and for anyone who wants to know how common veterans are where they live. A VA loan is a mortgage for eligible veterans, service members, Reserve and National Guard members and certain surviving spouses, made by a lender and partly backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The table: 40 states and the District of Columbia
“Per 100” means out of every 100 civilians aged 18 and over in the state. The margin of error is the Census Bureau’s, at 90 in 100 confidence. The last column shows how many of every 100 veterans in the state are aged 65 and over.
| State | Veterans per 100 civilians aged 18 and over | Margin of error, per 100 | Veterans | Veterans aged 65 and over, per 100 veterans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 10.7 | 0.3 | 57,477 | 37.5 |
| Virginia | 9.4 | 0.1 | 629,500 | 38.9 |
| Montana | 9.0 | 0.2 | 79,357 | 49.8 |
| South Carolina | 8.3 | 0.1 | 343,824 | 47.6 |
| Hawaii | 8.0 | 0.2 | 87,697 | 50.0 |
| Idaho | 8.0 | 0.2 | 116,723 | 48.4 |
| New Mexico | 7.9 | 0.2 | 130,343 | 52.1 |
| Oklahoma | 7.9 | 0.1 | 240,929 | 47.7 |
| Nevada | 7.9 | 0.1 | 196,013 | 47.9 |
| Arizona | 7.9 | 0.1 | 452,729 | 52.4 |
| Washington | 7.8 | 0.1 | 473,124 | 46.7 |
| Alabama | 7.7 | 0.1 | 303,253 | 46.0 |
| New Hampshire | 7.6 | 0.2 | 86,727 | 52.9 |
| Colorado | 7.5 | 0.1 | 342,276 | 43.0 |
| North Carolina | 7.4 | 0.1 | 615,509 | 45.4 |
| Arkansas | 7.4 | 0.1 | 173,377 | 49.7 |
| Delaware | 7.4 | 0.2 | 59,557 | 54.2 |
| Florida | 7.4 | 0.1 | 1,327,071 | 52.4 |
| Tennessee | 7.3 | 0.1 | 399,814 | 47.4 |
| Oregon | 7.2 | 0.1 | 246,300 | 53.8 |
| Georgia | 7.2 | 0.1 | 601,304 | 41.4 |
| Maryland | 6.8 | 0.1 | 327,493 | 43.3 |
| Kansas | 6.8 | 0.1 | 151,597 | 50.1 |
| Mississippi | 6.8 | 0.1 | 151,757 | 46.2 |
| Ohio | 6.6 | 0.1 | 605,840 | 51.0 |
| Kentucky | 6.5 | 0.1 | 228,692 | 47.5 |
| Iowa | 6.5 | 0.1 | 160,571 | 53.1 |
| Indiana | 6.3 | 0.1 | 328,414 | 50.3 |
| Texas | 6.2 | 0.1 | 1,402,357 | 40.7 |
| Wisconsin | 6.2 | 0.1 | 288,078 | 54.4 |
| Pennsylvania | 6.1 | 0.1 | 632,183 | 55.5 |
| Louisiana | 6.1 | 0.1 | 212,834 | 48.0 |
| Minnesota | 5.9 | 0.1 | 259,988 | 57.1 |
| Michigan | 5.8 | 0.1 | 460,783 | 54.8 |
| Illinois | 4.8 | 0.1 | 478,196 | 52.1 |
| Connecticut | 4.7 | 0.1 | 134,265 | 58.3 |
| Utah | 4.6 | 0.1 | 111,760 | 49.2 |
| Massachusetts | 4.3 | 0.1 | 243,596 | 57.5 |
| California | 4.3 | under 0.1 | 1,305,453 | 50.9 |
| New Jersey | 3.7 | 0.1 | 273,031 | 57.5 |
| District of Columbia | 3.5 | 0.2 | 19,465 | 44.5 |
| United States, national figure | 6.2 | under 0.1 | 16,185,883 | 49.2 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table B21001, read from data.census.gov on November 6, 2026. Shares and margins worked out by Fidelity Residential.
How the figures were worked out
- Per 100: veterans divided by all civilians aged 18 and over, times 100.
- Aged 65 and over: male and female veterans aged 65 to 74 and 75 and over, added together and divided by all veterans, times 100. Margins for this column are not shown.
- Margins of error: from the Census Bureau’s own margins and its formulas for sums and proportions, so they are approximations.
What counts as a veteran, and what the table cannot tell you
- The Census definition. A veteran is a person who served, even for a short time, but is not now serving, on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard. Reserve and National Guard members count if they were ever called to active duty, not counting initial training or yearly summer camps.
- Civilians. The table counts civilians, so people now on active duty are not in it.
- Self-reported. The Census notes that some people may report active duty service they did not have.
- Five-year averages. These estimates pool 2020 to 2024, not today.
- Not a loan test. Being counted as a veteran by the Census is not the same as being eligible for a VA loan. VA, not the lender, decides eligibility.
What the table shows
- Six places are at about 8 in 100 or more. Alaska, Virginia, Montana, South Carolina, Hawaii and Idaho.
- Seven are below 5 in 100. Illinois, Connecticut, Utah, Massachusetts, California, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
- Above and below the nation. Twenty-seven of the 41 are above the national figure of about 6.2 by more than their margins of error, and 11 are below it. Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin are within their margins of it.
- Counted in veterans, Texas has the most (about 1.40 million), then Florida (about 1.33 million) and California (about 1.31 million), of about 16.19 million in the country.
- Age. Nationally about 49.2 in every 100 veterans are aged 65 and over. Connecticut has the largest share of the 41 on the estimates, about 58.3, and Alaska the smallest, about 37.5.
- New Jersey is 40th of the 41 at about 3.7 in 100, about 273,000 veterans, below the national figure by more than the margins. About 57.5 in 100 of them are aged 65 and over.
What it means if you served and are buying or owning
If you served and are thinking about buying or refinancing, our page on VA loans explains who is eligible, what the Certificate of Eligibility is and what documents to gather. New Jersey readers can also read our page on VA loans in New Jersey.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the table show 40 states and the District of Columbia?
Fidelity Residential is licensed in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and the table covers those. The national figure covers the whole country.
Who does the Census count as a veteran?
People who served, even for a short time, but are not now serving, on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard. Reserve and National Guard members count if they were ever called to active duty, not counting initial training or yearly summer camps.
Does being counted as a veteran mean I am eligible for a VA loan?
No. The Census count comes from survey answers. VA, not the lender, decides eligibility, through the Certificate of Eligibility, which we can usually request from VA for you.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table B21001, Sex by Age by Veteran Status for the Civilian Population 18 Years and Over, states (opens in a new tab), accessed November 6, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table B21001, Sex by Age by Veteran Status for the Civilian Population 18 Years and Over, United States (opens in a new tab), accessed November 6, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Understanding and Using American Community Survey Data: What All Data Users Need to Know (chapter on margins of error for derived estimates) (opens in a new tab), accessed November 6, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and Puerto Rico Community Survey 2024 Subject Definitions (Veteran Status) (opens in a new tab), accessed November 6, 2026.
Facts from these sources are stated in our own words. Last reviewed .
Follow our articles in Google Search:
(opens in a new tab)