The table below shows the total number of active-duty Army recruits, and the number of recruits per 1000 youth population, for fiscal year 2005 and 2006 for each state.  States are ranked according to recruits per 1000 youth.   Youth population numbers are for 2005 and are not yet available for 2006. 

The table below shows the top 100 counties in the U.S. according to active-duty Army recruits per 1000 youth.  The data and statistics are for counties with five or more recruits in fiscal year 2006.  Recruits according to ZIP code were obtained from the Army through a FOIA request submitted by NPP, and were placed into counties using Claritas data purchased by NPP.  Population numbers are from the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Perceived ties are due to rounding.

 
The table below shows the top 100 counties in the U.S. ranked according to the number of active-duty Army recruits in fiscal year 2006.  Recruits according to ZIP code were obtained from the Army through a FOIA request submitted by NPP, and were placed into counties using Claritas data purchased by NPP.

 
The  table below shows the percentage of each state's active-duty Army recruits in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 that held a regular high school diploma or above, otherwise known as 'tier 1' by the Department of Defense.  The Department of Defense has a goal of 90% of new recruits holding a regular high school diploma and 2005 is the first time in at least 20 years that the Army has not met the goal. In 2006, the proportion of new recruits with a regular high school diploma dropped for every state and nationally, with the exception of North Dakota.

These statistics are from an analysis of the recruiting data that was obtained by NPP through a FOIA.

The table below shows the distribution of military recruits according to race and ethnicity for 2005.  Note that Hispanic recruits may be of any race, and a recruit from any race group may also be Hispanic. Recruitment data were obtained from the Department of Defense through a FOIA request submitted by NPP.

Please note that data for Marines includes a very large percentage of enlistees who  "declined to respond."  Thus the numbers for all races and Hispanic ethnicity should not be treated as an accurate representation of the makeup of the Marines.  However, that the Marines does not accurately collect this data should be noted. (The quality of the data varied by recruiting station).

The table below shows all active-duty Army recruits by state according to race and ethnicity for fiscal year 2005.  Note that Hispanics can be of any race group, and a recruit in any race group can also be Hispanic. Army data were obtained from the Army through a FOIA request submitted by NPP.

The chart below indicates the population representation of recruits for each state in the Northeast region.  Each bar represents a ratio of two proportions: the state's share of total active-duty Army recruits over the state's share of the total youth population. A score of one or more means that the state is over-represented in the Army. A score of less than one means that the state is under-represented in the Army for the fiscal year.

The chart below indicates the population representation of recruits for each state in the Southern region.  Each bar represents a ratio of two proportions: the state's share of total active-duty Army recruits over the state's share of the total youth population. A score of one or more means that the state is over-represented in the Army. A score of less than one means that the state is under-represented in the Army for the fiscal year.

Since the South has so many states, this region was broken up into two charts according to Census regions, Atlantic and Central.

The table below shows the top 100 counties in the U.S. according to active-duty Army recruits per 1000 youth.  The data and statistics are for counties with five or more recruits in fiscal year 2005.  Recruits according to ZIP code were obtained from the Army through a FOIA request submitted by NPP, and were placed into counties using Claritas data for 2005 purchased by NPP.  Population numbers are from the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Perceived ties are due to rounding.

The table below shows the top 100 counties in the U.S. according to White active-duty Army recruits per 1000 White youth.  The data and statistics are for counties with five or more recruits in fiscal year 2005.  Recruits according to ZIP code were obtained from the Army through a FOIA request, and were placed into counties using Claritas data for 2005 purchased by NPP.  Population numbers are from the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.  Perceived ties are due to rounding.