More Than 17 Million Veterans Live Across America — A Powerful Voice in American Elections
America's veterans remain one of the nation's most important communities, with millions of men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces now living and working in communities across all 50 states.
New FY2026 projections from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs illustrate the enormous size of that community.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, the Veteran Population by State: FY2026 dataset, updated March 31, 2026 and based on the VetPop2023 projection model, puts the combined veteran population of the 50 states at approximately 17.1 million people.
For organizations such as Veterans for America First (VFAF), those numbers underscore why veterans can remain an influential grassroots force in American politics.
America's Veteran Population by State
The FY2026 projected veteran population includes:
Alabama — 331,961
Alaska — 68,029
Arizona — 463,470
Arkansas — 193,543
California — 1,337,852
Colorado — 352,988
Connecticut — 136,383
Delaware — 60,931
Florida — 1,361,421
Georgia — 644,866
Hawaii — 103,303
Idaho — 120,745
Illinois — 571,640
Indiana — 349,393
Iowa — 168,367
Kansas — 170,731
Kentucky — 249,678
Louisiana — 241,952
Maine — 100,177
Maryland — 336,942
Massachusetts — 246,626
Michigan — 460,603
Minnesota — 269,517
Mississippi — 175,116
Missouri — 370,844
Montana — 84,570
Nebraska — 112,341
Nevada — 205,463
New Hampshire — 86,721
New Jersey — 273,960
New Mexico — 145,991
New York — 591,307
North Carolina — 668,631
North Dakota — 45,500
Ohio — 626,106
Oklahoma — 270,767
Oregon — 248,971
Pennsylvania — 627,423
Rhode Island — 50,013
South Carolina — 381,958
South Dakota — 61,844
Tennessee — 421,272
Texas — 1,508,987
Utah — 124,531
Vermont — 35,275
Virginia — 663,482
Washington — 486,753
West Virginia — 115,054
Wisconsin — 303,714
Wyoming — 43,608
Total across the 50 states: approximately 17,071,320 veterans.
Texas, Florida and California Lead the Nation
The scale becomes even clearer when looking at individual states.
Texas has more than 1.5 million veterans, while Florida has approximately 1.36 million and California approximately 1.34 million.
North Carolina has approximately 668,631 veterans, Virginia approximately 663,482, Georgia approximately 644,866, Pennsylvania approximately 627,423 and Ohio approximately 626,106.
Those numbers put substantial veteran communities in states that regularly play important roles in congressional, statewide and presidential politics.
But political influence is about more than population.
Veterans bring leadership experience, organizational skills and established relationships within their communities. Veterans and law-enforcement officers can become campaign volunteers, organizers and trusted advocates who encourage their families, friends and neighbors to participate in elections.
Veterans for America First Has Organized Veterans Since the Beginning of the Trump Movement
Veterans for America First traces its history to the Veterans for Trump grassroots movement formed during Donald J. Trump's first presidential campaign in 2015.
Retired Rear Admiral Charles “Chuck” Kubic became a prominent early leader of the movement and today serves as National Spokesman for Veterans for America First.
Kubic, a former U.S. Navy Seabee commander, also served as a national-security and foreign-policy adviser during Trump's 2016 campaign.
General Michael Flynn has publicly recounted meeting Admiral Kubic during that period and discussed the development of the veterans movement that grew alongside Trump's campaign.
The organization subsequently evolved into Veterans for America First, expanding its focus into an ongoing grassroots effort supporting veterans, first responders, national defense, border security and America First candidates.
The VFAF Endorsement
Candidate endorsements have become a major component of Veterans for America First's political work.
VFAF has backed candidates at the federal, state and local levels while providing candidates opportunities to communicate with veterans and America First voters through interviews, digital media and grassroots networks.
The organization was active during Donald Trump's campaign for the 47th presidency, and Trump shared VFAF's 2024 presidential endorsement on his Truth Social platform.
VFAF has continued its endorsement program into the 2026 election cycle, supporting candidates around the country, including military veterans seeking elected office.
For America First Republican candidates, the organization views the VFAF endorsement as carrying particular significance because of its direct historical connection to the original Veterans for Trump movement.
Veterans Can Make the Difference in Close Elections
An election does not have to be decided by millions of votes for an organized constituency to matter.
Congressional primaries, state legislative races and local Republican contests can be decided by comparatively small margins. In those races, motivated grassroots organizations can have an outsized impact through voter contact, volunteer activity, candidate advocacy and turnout.
With approximately 17.1 million veterans living across the 50 states, America's veteran population represents an extraordinary reservoir of leadership and civic experience.
Veterans for America First seeks to channel that experience into political participation.
The organization's message is straightforward: veterans and first responders have already demonstrated their willingness to serve their country and communities. Their leadership can continue through civic engagement and participation in the political process.
Join the Veterans for America First Movement
Veterans, first responders and supporters of the America First agenda can learn more about the organization at VFAF.US.
Supporters can also subscribe to the Veterans for America First Substack newsletter for candidate endorsements, interviews, organizational news and updates from the movement.
WATCH: General Michael Flynn discusses meeting Admiral Charles Kubic and the growth of the veterans movement.
Veterans for America First | VFAF.US
