As a percentage of population, the Hinesville Metropolitan Statistical Area is the most concentrated military area in the United States, according to a study done by the financial news and opinion company 24/7 Wall Street.
The list-compiling company published “America’s Military Cities” earlier this month, ranking the top 25 metropolitan areas in the U.S. based on their percentage of active-duty population. The Hinesville MSA, which includes Fort Stewart, ranked No. 1 at 23.9 percent of military personnel among the total 79,977 population using 2018 population numbers.
That percentage is almost 9 percent more than the second-place area, Manhattan, KS, where the Army personnel at Fort Riley make up an estimated 15.4 percent of the population.
The numbers do not include military dependents (26,510 or more than 33 percent in the Hinesville MSA) nor veterans (11,900 or 14.9 percent). The study also did not include civilians who work on post. There are 3,482 of them, according to the 2018 Fort Stewart Command Data Summary.
Liberty County Development Authority CEO Ron Tolley said the military is highly valued and supported in the Hinesville community and contributes socially and economically to the area, as well as always being prepared when called to defend the country and its ideals.
“The Army contributes so much to Liberty County,” Tolley said, “making it much more vibrant, inclusive, and proud of the role it plays in supporting our military.”
The article indicated there are approximately 1.3 million active-duty military personnel in the U.S. with about 1.4 million dependents.
“While only 0.4 percent of the total U.S. population are active-duty military, in the cities on this list, active duty personnel account for anywhere from 2.5 percent to nearly 24 percent,” the article read.
Other communities in Georgia that made the list included Columbus with Fort Benning (6.6 percent) and Valdosta with Moody Air Force Base (3.1 percent).
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, also made the list with Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot (5.1 percent).
You can find the article at https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/12/03/americas-military-cities-2/