Largest veteran population, US metro areas · 2020
US metro areas home to the most civilian veterans 18 and over, as of the 2020 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of veterans, not the veteran share. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ leads at 484,604. 918 metro areas qualify in total. California carries 4 of the top 25 entries.
UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS
Frequently asked
Which metro area has the highest veteran population?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ranks #1 with 484,604 (2020 Decennial Census).
What are the top 5 metro areas by veteran population?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
How many metro areas are in this ranking?
918 metro areas qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 Decennial Census data.
How is veteran population measured?
Number of civilian veterans 18 and over (ACS B21001). The raw-count companion to the veteran share. Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.