The spoils of war.

• Position: REGIONALREPORT - Ranking of countries - Statistical data

Preparing for conflict might be pessimistic, but it's profitable. The military's impact on gross state product in 2013 is estimated at about $48 billion--12% of the total--according to a recent report from the N.C. Department of Commerce. That number casts a wide net, including spillover from other states, so the most direct indicator is Department of Defense spending, and the vast majority of its contracts went to companies in eastern counties during fiscal 2012. In fact, of the top 10 counties in terms of contract value, seven were in eastern North Carolina, which is home of every major military installation in the state.

769,384

Number of military veterans who live in North Carolina

Eastern

Top counties for defense contracts 2012 County Number Value 1 Cumberland 5,066 $1.2 billion 2 Onslow 3,888 835.1 million 3 Craven 2,431 190.4 million 4 Mecklenburg 14,158 144.4 million 5 Guilford 1,252 131.0 million 6 Wake 1,443 130.1 million 7 Wayne 5,358 89.3 million 8...