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US Army soldiers standing at attention saluting

THE MILITARY COMMUNITY

The Barracks | Marketing to the Military

We can help your brand connect with the military community because we understand the military community beyond the numbers. We know who they are, where they live, and what drives them.  We speak their language. We connect with the military community through authentic messaging in channels where they are, with information relevant to their lives.

The first step in connecting with the military community is understanding the military community.  They’re more than a demographic or set of statistics. What really defines the military community is their shared experiences and bonds forged through service and sacrifice.

THE MILITARY COMMUNITY: BY THE NUMBERS

    • 1.4 million

    • Average age: 28.3 

    • Average personal income: $77,200

    • Total spending power: $80.7 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

    • 1.0 million

    • Average age: 31.7

    • Average personal income: $67,300

    • Total spending power: $64.9 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

    • 1.0 million

    • Average age: 34.3

    • Average personal income: $78,600

    • Total spending power: $63.2 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

    • 3.5 million

    • Average age: 34.6

    • Average personal income: $92,000

    • Total spending power: $207.1 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

    • 15.9 million

    • Average age: 60.4

    • Average personal income: $82,300

    • Total spending power: $799.2 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

    • 2.2 million

    • Average age: 64.7

    • Average personal income: $69,500

    • Total spending power: $126.9 billion

    ​​

    Source: Refuel Military Explorer Study 2022-2023

US Marine standing at attention and saluting at a Washington Nationals game

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES

+Males make up nearly 79% of the military (compared to 48.7% of general population)

The military community skews heavily male 

+More of the military community is from the Boomer generation or earlier (42.4%) than the general population (30.5%) 

The military community is older

+34.5% of military have a college degree (compared to 28.8% of general population)

The military community is more educated

+34.2% of military households have a gross income over $80k (25.3% for general population)

Military households have higher gross income

+51.9% of military households have at least $1k in disposable income (35.0% for general population)

Military households have more disposable income

+32.5% of general population never married (compared to 19.4% of military community)

Military are more likely to get married

    • Male

    Military = 78.9%

    General Population = 48.7%

    • Female

    Military = 21.1%

    General Population = 51.3%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • Pre-Silent Generation (born prior to 1927)

    Military = 0.03%

    General Population = 0.01%

    • Silent Generation (born 1928-1945)

    Military = 8.6%

    General Population = 2.6%

    • Baby Boomer (born 1946-1964)

    Military = 33.8%

    General Population = 28.5%

    • Gen X (born 1965-1981)

    Military = 24.1%

    General Population = 27.4%

    • Millennial (1982-1999)

    Military = 27.7%

    General Population = 31.7%

    • Gen Z (born 2000+)

    Military = 5.8%

    General Population = 9.9%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • Post-graduate

    Military = 13.6%

    General Population = 10.6%

    • 4-year secondary education

    Military = 20.9%

    General Population = 18.2%

    • 2-year secondary education

    Military = 12.4%

    General Population = 9.7%

    • Some college/university

    Military = 23.1%

    General Population = 21.3%

    • High school graduate

    Military = 26.9%

    General Population = 33.0%

    • No high school

    Military = 3.2%

    General Population = 7.3%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • $10,001+

    Military = 4.1%

    General Population = 3.1%

    • $7,501 - $10,000

    Military = 5.1%

    General Population = 2.9%

    • $5,001 - $7,500

    Military = 6.4%

    General Population = 4.4%

    • 2,501 - $5,000

    Military = 11.4%

    General Population = 9.2%

    • $1,001 - $2,500

    Military = 24.9%

    General Population = 15.4%

    • Less than $1,000

    Military = 29.2%

    General Population = 32.9%

    • No disposable income

    Military = 8.8%

    General Population = 13.8%

    • Don't know

    Military = 2.8%​

    General Population = 8.0%

    • Prefer to not say

    Military = 7.4%

    General Population = 10.3%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • $500,000+

    Military = 1.0%

    General Population = 0.7%

    • $350,000 - $499,999

    Military = 1.0%

    General Population = 0.6%

    • $250,000 - $349,999

    Military = 1.1%

    General Population = 1.0%

    • $200,000 - $249,999

    Military = 2.3%

    General Population = 1.7%

    • $150,000 - $199,999

    Military = 4.6%

    General Population = 3.8%

    • $120,000 - $149,999

    Military = 7.3%

    General Population = 5.2%

    • $100,000 - $119,999

    Military = 7.6%

    General Population = 5.6%

    • $80,000 - $99,999

    Military = 9.3%

    General Population = 6.7%

    • $70,000 - $79,999

    Military = 7.1%

    General Population = 5.8%

    • $60,000 - $69,999

    Military = 5.6%

    General Population = 4.9%

    • $50,000 - $59,999

    Military = 7.9%

    General Population = 7.0%

    • $40,000 - $49,999

    Military = 8.4%

    General Population = 7.4%

    • $30,000 - $39,999

    Military = 7.8%

    General Population = 8.3%

    • $20,000 - $29,999

    Military = 7.1%

    General Population = 9.3%

    • $10,000 - $19,999

    Military = 6.2%

    General Population = 8.6%

    • Less than $10,000

    Military = 6.4%

    General Population = 10.4%

    • Don’t know

    Military = 1.7%

    General Population = 3.5%

    • Prefer not to answer

    Military = 7.8%

    General Population = 9.2%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • Married

    Military = 56.2%

    General Population = 40.4%

    • Divorced

    Military = 12.5%

    General Population = 12.5%

    • Widowed

    Military = 4.9%

    General Population = 5.2%

    • Separated

    Military = 2.6%

    General Population = 3.2%

    • Domestic/civil partnership

    Military = 4.5%

    General Population = 6.3%

    • Never married

    Military = 19.4%

    General Population = 32.5%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

    • 5+ children

    Military = 0.4%

    General Population = 0.5%

    • 4 children

    Military = 0.7%

    General Population = 1.0%

    • 3 children

    Military = 3.7%

    General Population = 3.6%

    • 2 children

    Military = 10.2%

    General Population = 9.7%

    • 1 child

    Military = 13.2%

    General Population = 13.7%

    • None in household under 18yo

    Military = 63.0%

    General Population = 59.3%

    • Never had children

    Military = 3.8%

    General Population = 6.4%

    • Don’t know

    Military = 1.9%

    General Population = 1.8%

    • Prefer not to say

    Military = 3.1%

    General Population = 4.0%

    ​

    Source: YouGov (2023)

Military on the back of a transport helicopter in-flight waving to trailing helicopters

ABOUT US

Our team designs and executes marketing and sponsorship campaigns targeting the military community. We deliver results because we understand the audience. We understand the pitfalls to avoid, the vernacular to use, and how to be authentic. If your brand isn't marketing to the military or doesn't have a military marketing strategy, we can help.

We Help Brands Market to the Military Community.

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