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Kelly Hancock
Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Kelly Hancock
Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Kelly Hancock
Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
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economy

Texas Military Installations, 2025 Statewide Overview

Background

Texas is home to 14 military installations that represent three of the six branches of the U.S. Department of Defense, including the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the National Guard, a Reserve component. These bases are spread among 10 of the Texas Comptroller’s 12 economic regions and cover more than 1.4 million acres. They play a vital role in strategic national defense and provide a significant contribution to the Texas economy.

The Department of Defense works with various colleges across Texas to provide associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to military personnel and students who aspire to join the military. Central Texas College in Killeen provides military personnel credits for military education and training.1 Texas A&M University in College Station was established as a military school in 1876, until service became voluntary in 1965.2 In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets commissioned 74 Army second lieutenants, 32 Navy ensigns, 31 Marine Corps second lieutenants, and 69 officers into the Air and Space Forces.3

There are nine U.S. military hospitals and clinics in Texas, each located at a separate base. These are part of the Military Health System, which provides health care services to active duty and reserve personnel as well as military retirees and their families. These sites also invest in medical education and research and development.

Economic Impact

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission collected economic data from each of the state’s 14 U.S. military installations. This data was collected using a survey designed to ensure consistency in determining the total direct and indirect contribution of the bases’ populations to state-level employment, gross domestic product, output and disposable personal income (Exhibit 1).4

In 2025, military bases in Texas supported about 212,541 direct jobs, including more than 124,886 active-duty and full-time National Guard/Reserve military. The Comptroller’s office estimates populations directly affiliated with U.S. military installations in Texas contributed at least $148.8 billion to the Texas economy in 2025.5

Exhibit 1: Estimated Total Contribution of U.S. Military Installations in Texas to the Texas Economy, 2025
Exhibit 1:
Estimated Total Contribution of U.S. Military Installations in Texas to the Texas Economy, 2025
Contribution Value
Total direct employment 212,541
Total employment (direct and indirect) 628,884
Output $148,831,514,000
Gross domestic product $91,445,287,000
Disposable personal income $43,572,128,000

Notes: “Total employment” refers to both direct and indirect employment; “output” refers to the total value of all goods and services (both final and intermediate) produced in Texas; “gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “disposable personal income” refers to post-income-tax income.

Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI)


Exhibit 2: Estimated Individual Contributions of U.S. Military Installations in Texas, 2025
Exhibit 2:
Estimated Individual Contributions of U.S. Military Installations in Texas, 2025
Installation/Command Total Direct Employment Total Employment (Direct & Indirect) Economic Impact Gross Domestic Product Disposable Personal Income
T2COM 827 4,761 $1,047,796,000 $626,904,000 $520,000,000
Corpus Christi Army Depot 2,415 9,900 $2,415,000,000 $1,459,000,000 $676,000,000
Dyess AFB 5,377 14,374 $3,641,206,000 $2,247,634,000 $966,140,000
Ellington Field JRB 1,698 5,371 $1,180,259,000 $706,390,000 $431,563,000
Fort Bliss 41,527 121,220 $29,090,546,000 $17,314,311,000 $8,997,609,000
Fort Hood 53,767 159,692 $37,872,796,000 $22,959,796,000 $10,636,336,000
Goodfellow AFB 6,567 13,726 $3,805,144,000 $2,366,157,000 $1,010,391,000
Joint Base San Antonio 74,713 223,349 $53,513,377,000 $33,945,746,000 $14,551,744,000
Laughlin AFB 3,231 10,021 $2,338,968,000 $1,418,480,000 $696,391,000
NAS Corpus Christi 7,110 20,530 $4,206,032,000 $2,569,609,000 $1,425,494,000
NAS JRB Fort Worth 4,553 21,266 $4,656,000,000 $2,750,000,000 $2,156,000,000
NAS Kingsville 1,731 4,916 $1,016,455,000 $616,941,000 $300,000,000
Red River Army Depot 3,889 6,734 $1,210,455,000 $738,800,000 $232,597,000
Sheppard AFB 5,136 13,024 $2,837,480,000 $1,725,519,000 $971,863,000
Total 212,541 628,884 $148,831,514,000 $91,445,287,000 $43,572,128,000

Sources: Texas Military Preparedness Commission; the various U.S. military bases in Texas; REMI; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts


End Notes

  1. Military Evaluated Credit (Last visited May 6, 2026).
  2. History of Texas A&M (Last visited May 6, 2026).
  3. Texas A&M, 2024-2025 State of the Corps (Last visited May 6, 2026).
  4. Estimate inputs and assumptions include the following: (1) all data submitted are for 2025; (2) input includes full-time, permanent employees and a full-time equivalent (FTE) for any part-time employees; (3) all economic impact is within Texas.
  5. This study represents an analysis of the economic impact of the population and employees directly affiliated with U.S. military bases in Texas. This includes active duty, visiting, and other military personnel, dependents, civilian employees and contractors directly affiliated with the base as reported in documents emailed to B. Keith Graf, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, and additional clarification interviews.