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.
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
| 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)
| 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