Jefferson County Fort Drum

Fort Drum

The military installation at Fort Drum is a dominant force in the economy of Northern New York. The base employs 13,249 people: 10,810 military and 2,439 civilian personnel. The presence of Fort Drum infuses the regional economy with capital in several different ways. In FY 2001, $371,313,802 was paid to soldiers and civilian employees at the installation. The military payroll has boosted aggregate income and buying power dramatically. The base also spends significant amounts of money on medical and dental services, housing, and service and supply contracts. The presence of military children in local school districts also brings in substantial Federal Impact aid. According to the annual Fort Drum Economic Impact Statement, the direct impact on the local economy in FY 2001 was $470,834,691, and since FY 1988, the direct impact has totaled $5.3 billion.

In 1999, the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization commissioned an analysis of indirect and induced economic impacts on the tri-County region. This analysis demonstrates the full extent of Fort Drum's economic contributions to the area. When indirect and induced "spin-off" impacts are considered with the direct impacts noted above, the analysis concluded that the annual gross economic output resulting from the base was over $700 million.