Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), North Carolina, hosts the greatest number of active-duty U.S. military personnel. Recent data places it ahead of other bases with around 57,000 service members from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and other units. This massive installation spans over 160,000 acres, serving as a key hub for training and rapid deployment.

Active-Duty Numbers

Precise counts vary by source and year, but Fort Liberty consistently leads:

  • ~57,000 active-duty troops per official estimates, outpacing runners-up.
  • Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), Texas, follows with about 36,000–35,000 active-duty.
  • Fort Bliss, Texas, reports around 25,000 active-duty.

These figures focus strictly on active-duty, excluding families or civilians, where total populations can exceed 100,000 per base.

Why Fort Liberty Tops the List

Established in World War II, it supports elite airborne and special operations forces, driving its high personnel count. Unlike land-size giants like White Sands Missile Range (over 3,000 sq mi but minimal permanent staff), Fort Liberty prioritizes troop housing and ops. Recent renamings (e.g., Fort Bragg to Liberty in 2023) haven't changed its dominance as of 2025 data.

Trending Discussions & Context

Online forums like Reddit highlight global U.S. base sprawl but affirm domestic leaders like Liberty. No major 2025 shifts noted; personnel levels stable amid President Trump's reelection focus on readiness. Speculation in milspouse communities eyes future growth at joint bases, but Liberty remains #1.

Base| Location| Active-Duty Personnel| Key Units 35
---|---|---|---
Fort Liberty| NC| ~57,000| 82nd Airborne
Fort Cavazos| TX| ~36,000| 1st Cavalry Div.
Fort Bliss| TX| ~25,000| Air Defense Artillery
Fort Campbell| KY/TN| ~26,000| 101st Airborne

TL;DR: Fort Liberty leads with ~57,000 active-duty personnel, per latest public data—no close challengers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.