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Military

The military is a major driver of the national and state economies, as well as the economy of the Lowcountry region. Home to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), and Naval Support Facility (NSF), Beaufort County ranked fifth in the state in total defense spending and third in total personnel in 2022. The data shows the amount of military spending (personnel and contract) in Beaufort County totaling $508.5 million. Although data is only available for Beaufort County, military personnel and spending affects the economy and culture of the entire region.

Data Notes
Definition	Defense Contract: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) obligations through DoD-funded contracts during each fiscal year (FY) (i.e., October 1 through September 30). All contract data are from USAspending.gov and include prime awards the DoD made to private- and public-sector contractors, as well as sub-awards that prime-award recipients provided to subcontractors. Defense Personnel: The total numbers of active duty, civilian, National Guard, and Reserve personnel in a state or the District of Columbia. The states and counties refer to the duty locations for active duty and civilian personnel. National Guard and Reserve personnel figures are based on assigned locations.
Data Source	U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation
Last Updated	April 2024