Alaska has the highest percentage of veterans in the country, according to new economic data from the state Department of Labor. Roughly 59,000 residents are veterans, making up 8% of the state’s population. The national average is 5%.
State economist Dan Robinson said the military brings many service members to the state. He said many of them make Alaska home after they retire.
“A lot of people see Alaska and because there's something about us that they like, they choose to stay here or come back here when their service is done. We also have a relatively high percentage of our population that enlists in the military,” he said.
The study describes a veteran as someone 18 or older who has served on active duty in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard, or in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II. Those who’ve served in the National Guard or reserves are only considered veterans if they were called or ordered to active duty, the study says.
Alaska has long had a higher share of veterans than any other state. More than 35% of veterans in the state are over the age of 65, according to the data. Almost a third are between 35 and 54 years old.
Montana, Wyoming and Maine also have large shares of veterans, while New York and New Jersey have the lowest rates. The data suggests there’s a lifestyle preference among veterans for a certain quality of life, Robinson said.
“Alaska would share a lot of those things with all three of those states: rural, hunting and fishing, natural beauty,” Robinson said.
“You look at the states at the other end, and you confirm that a little bit.”
Alaska’s veterans most commonly live in Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Fairbanks area.
