Long Beach is the winner of the Most Patriotic City of Mississippi Award for the second year in a row. With Memorial Day around the corner, Insurify is recognizing the communities that are home to the most veterans and active service members in each state.
This award goes to the most patriotic communities across America, from small villages to large metropoles, each with the greatest share of citizens who have risked their lives in service of our nation.
From the founding of the United States to the present, our nation has benefited from the protection of millions of service members. Currently, 20.33 million veterans live in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as do 1.34 million active service members, according to the Pew Research Center.
Since the Cold War era, the number of active service members has been in decline. And with the last draft occurring in 1973, enlistment and Americans with family ties to the military have diminished in some areas. Yet in others, whose military tradition has persisted, enlistment remains consistent or has grown.
In order to recognize those who have risked their lives in service of our country, the data scientists at Insurify, an insurance quotes comparison website, identified one city in each state with the highest percentage of active service members and veterans. Some of the cities on this list may surprise you, while others, located near military bases, may not. However, all deserve to be saluted for their contributions to the national defense.
To honor the most patriotic community in each state, Insurify’s data science and research team identified the communities with the highest share of military personnel. They referred to Insurify’s database of over 2 million car insurance applications. When applying for coverage, drivers indicate whether they or any other driver on their policy are an active service member or a veteran, as well as their city and state of legal residence. From this, Insurify’s data scientists found the community in each state with the greatest proportion of citizens with military service.
Alabama: Ozark
Alaska: Anchorage
Arizona: Sun City West
Arkansas: Cabot
California: Twentynine Palms
Colorado: Peyton
Connecticut: Groton
Delaware: Dover
Florida: Atlantic Beach
Georgia: Hinesville
Hawaii: Kapolei
Idaho: Mountain Home
Illinois: Belleville
Indiana: Greenfield
Iowa: Ankeny
Kansas: Junction City
Kentucky: Oak Grove
Louisiana: Bossier City
Maine: Bangor
Maryland: Lexington Park
Massachusetts: Haverhill
Michigan: Owosso
Minnesota: Anoka
Mississippi: Long Beach
Missouri: Warrensburg
Montana: Great Falls
Nebraska: Bellevue
Nevada: Fernley
New Hampshire: Nashua
New Jersey: Toms River
New Mexico: Alamogordo
New York: Schenectady
North Carolina: Jacksonville
North Dakota: Minot
Ohio: Grove City
Oklahoma: Lawton
Oregon: Central Point
Pennsylvania: McKeesport
Rhode Island: Bristol
South Carolina: Beaufort
South Dakota: Box Elder
Tennessee: Clarksville
Texas: Killeen
Utah: Brigham City
Vermont: Burlington
Virginia: Norfolk
Washington: Bremerton
West Virginia: Clarksburg
Wisconsin: Janesville
Wyoming: Cheyenne