Top 5 Overall Cities Identified As Best For Veterans To Buy A House
The List Just Keeps Growing
Servicemembers and their families deserve added support and resources to help them through the significant life change of transitioning to civilian life. To aid in this effort, we released our Best Cities After Service 2022 list in partnership with the nonprofit organization, The Mission Continues.
In expanding the Best Cities listfirst established in 2018 and revisited in 2020we found that a global pandemic, inflation, evolving needs and social trends have impacted the locations best suited for transitioning servicemembers and their families.
In celebration of the fifth year of the Best Of lists, Navy Federal has made this list the biggest resource yet! Different from the last 2 iterations, this list also features 3 sublistsBest Cities for Families With Children, Best Cities for Retired Vets and Best Cities to Buy a House.
The expanded version of this years report emphasizes the diversity of cities across the U.S. that can meet the needs of transitioning servicemembers, said Clay Stackhouse, a retired Marine Corps colonel and regional outreach manager at Navy Federal.
This population of individuals is unique, and with todays economic challenges, its more important than ever that we support servicemembers and their families as they approach this pivotal, often challenging, moment.
The Best Cities After Service 2022 list showcases a diverse set of locations across the country so that every servicemember can find the right fit for their home.
The 10 Best Cities For Veterans To Live And Work
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that nearly 200,000 service members leave the military every year. For many of them, the transition back to civilian life can be difficult.
While 91% of veterans say the military did a good job preparing them for life in the service, according to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, just over half say the experience prepared them to return to civilian life. But location can play a major role in the available career opportunities, quality of life and sense of community that can ease the transition.
SmartAsset, a personal finance company, analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to find out where veterans are thriving most after returning home. The ranking takes into account six metrics: Number of residents who are veterans, veteran unemployment rate, veteran labor force participation rate, veteran poverty rate, median veteran income and rent as a percentage of income for veterans.
The state of Virginia, which is home to the Department of Defense headquarters, made a strong showing with three Virginia cities taking the top spots: Chesapeake, Arlington and Virginia Beach.
Chesapeake took the top spot due to its above-average share of veteran residents participating in the labor force. Veterans there earn a median annual income of nearly $57,000, and they can generally keep their housing costs to a quarter of their earnings.
Here are the top 10 best cities for veterans to live and work:
Also Check: Social Security Office In Tampa
How We Developed Our List Of The Best States For Veterans
VA Claims Insider used five key qualitative and quantitative measures to calculate the Best Overall States for Veterans, including Veteran Property Tax Exemptions, Veteran Income Tax Waivers, Education Benefits for Veterans, Free Drivers Licenses for Veterans, and Free Hunting/Fishing Licenses for Veterans.
Property tax exemptions are the crème-de-la-crème state benefit for veterans, so we assigned it a 50% weighting with a 100 point maximum score.
Income tax waivers are also critically important to veterans, and thus, we assigned it a 30% weighting with a 100 point maximum score.
Education benefits for veterans was assigned a 10% weighting while free drivers licenses and reduced rates for hunting and fishing licenses were assigned a 5% weighting each. All weighted averages were also based on a 100 point maximum score.
The final step was to sum the weighted average scores across each of the five metrics to get a total Veteran Benefits Quality Score.
Best Cities For Veterans In 2022
While the U.S. is supposed to guarantee military members housing, healthcare and educational support when they return from service, the quality of care and security can differ from state to state and city to city.
Nearly 20 million veterans live in the U.S., with over 30,000 who experienced homelessness, according to the Veterans Association. While there has been an 11% decrease in homeless veterans since 2020, there is still more work that needs to be done, says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at WalletHub, a personal finance management resource. WalletHub recently ranked 100 cities in the U.S., scoring each location out of 100 points based on factors like veteran homelessness, housing affordability, healthcare access and available military discounts.
Read more:Why this organization is recruiting veterans into the funeral service industry
“Veterans often have to face a number of challenges when re-entering civilian lives the results of the report show the best places in which they can settle down,” says Gonzalez. “Although all cities should prioritize taking care of veterans’ needs, some dedicate more resources to this than others. Sadly, homelessness and poverty are ongoing issues for veterans and not all cities are able to provide assistance for them.”
Here are the 10 best cities for veterans to live in, according to WalletHub.
Read Also: Can You Get Disability For Mental Illness
Best States For Veterans This Year
I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.
If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, to speak with a VA claim expert for free.
Today, Im going to break down the 5 Best States for Veterans using a weighted average statistical analysis.
VA Claims Insider compared metrics across five key financial measures that matter most to veterans.
If youre a U.S. military veteran, deciding where to live after leaving the military is a very important decision for you and your family.
So, you might be wondering: What are the top states for veterans?
Well, heres the deal: Some states are more veteran friendly than others, and thus, selecting where to put down roots could save you thousands of dollars per year!
Texas and Florida are far-and-away the two best states for veterans to live, each offering an expansive array of fantastic benefits for veterans and their dependents.
Lets jump into VA Claims Insiders list of the Top 5 Best States to Live In for Veterans!
You Might Also Like the Following Blog Posts:
Navy Federal Credit Unions List
According to Navy Federal Credit Union, these are the best cities for military Veterans after service:
Navy Federal ranked the cities based on a variety of factors, including the local Veteran community and cost of living. Based on those variables, each city was given a score. These scores were then compiled once all factors had been looked at. With these final numbers, Navy Federal could determine which cities are best for those who are transitioning into civilian life.
Due to the recent pandemic, priorities have shifted for many Veterans and their families, leading to a much different list than you may have seen from Navy Federal before.
You May Like: Disability For Veterans With Ptsd
North Carolina Texas And Florida Among The Best States For Veterans
Topping the list is Raleigh, North Carolina, which earned the best overall score in terms of employment, economy, health, and quality of life for veterans. Specifically, the East Coast city with roughly 480,000 residents boasts the fourth-best economy for veterans and fifth-best job market. Raleigh also has the third-fewest number of homeless veterans per the citys overall veteran population behind only Virginia Beach, Virginia and Toledo, Ohio.
Two Texas cities round out the top three, Austin and Laredo . Veterans in Austin enjoy top-10 marks in terms of the local job market and quality of life. Meanwhile, Laredo ranked first in the country in terms of the economic climate for vets. Laredo also finished in the top four for veteran income growth, behind only Hialeah and Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia.
Rounding out the top 10 best cities for veterans are Madison, Wisconsin , Tampa, Florida , Orlando, Florida , Boise, Idaho , Lincoln, Nebraska , Irvine, California , and Colorado Springs, Colorado .
Just missing out on the top 10 was Virginia Beach, which the study found has the biggest veteran population but the fewest number of homeless residents. Interestingly, New York has the fifth-fewest number of veterans living in the city, despite having a population of more than 8.4 million people.
Veterans Day 202: Here Are The Best Places To Live After Retiring From The Military
WASHINGTON As the United States honors the men and women who have served their country, a new study has found the cities which are doing the most for their veterans.
Overall, more than 18.5 million veterans currently live in the U.S., according to the Veterans Association. While many are able to rejoin the civilian population without any issues, other struggle to find work, housing, and even healthcare after serving in the military. In fact, over 37,000 veterans were homeless before the COVID-19 pandemic and record inflation even took place.
A new WalletHub survey found 71 percent of military members think the U.S. does not take care of its veterans financially. More than half think that poor financial literacy among military personnel is a threat to national security.
Additionally, seven in 10 think military families experience more financial stress than the average family. Two in three veterans think they should be exempt from paying bills while on active duty.
Luckily, some areas are doing a better job than others when it comes to taking care of those who serve. The team at WalletHub looked at the 100 largest U.S. cities and compared them across 20 key measures of livability, affordability, and veteran-friendliness. The results suggest that veterans will find the best living conditions where the weather is nice and warm!
You May Like: What Is Ptsd In Veterans
The 20 Best Places For Retired Military To Live
Each year, thousands of servicemen and women retire from the military. Some are over 55 years old and happy to play out their retirement in comfort others are looking forward to starting a second career. Either way, there are dozens of affordable cities and towns across the country that offer a high quality of life and plenty of vet-friendly perks. Whether were taking Alaska or Alabama, Kansas or Kentucky, youll find no shortage of places to settle into civilian life. But which of those rank as the best? Find out as we count down the 20 best places for retired military to live.
What Factors Should A Veteran Consider When Choosing What City To Live In
As with many questions, the answer to this depends on the status of the veteran at the time of their separation and their former rank when in the military. Typically, retirees, and especially retired officers, can choose to live almost anywhere, says David T. Vacchi, Ph.D., an associate professor of Professional Military Education at the U.S. Naval War College, in a statement.
The challenge is more for those separating from the military without the extra income that comes with being retired. I would recommend those veterans seek small to medium-sized cities with an array of job opportunities and perhaps in the suburbs of those areas to keep housing costs a little more in check. The bottom line, separating from the military and moving to an area with a shrinking economy is a recipe for failure.
Don’t Miss: Is Major Depressive Disorder A Disability
The Best And Worst Places In 2022 For Veterans To Live
According to the Veterans Association, there aremore than 18.5 million veteranscurrently living in the US. These veterans often face a variety of challenges as they return to civilian life. Despite Uncle Sam’s promises to provide medical assistance, as well as housing, employment, and educational assistance upon return from service, some are unable to secure healthcare, jobs, or shelter.
Fortunately, the unemployment rate for veterans is very low.2,7%, compared to 3.4% for the general population. However, veteran homelessness is still a huge problem and is long gone.37.000homeless veterans before the financial difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation. However, some states offer better conditions for those who have served our country.
To help military veterans find the best places to settle down, WalletHub compared the top 100 US cities on 20 key indicators of quality of life, affordability, and veteran-friendliness. They range from the proportion of jobs related to military skills, to veterans’ income growth and the availability of VA health facilities.
Index
What Are The Best Cities For Military Retirees
For the military members who are coming close to their retirement from service, you might want to start considering where you want to spend your civilian life. In addition to your experiences while being stationed at different bases across the country, the following lists of best cities for military Veterans are a great place to start!
Its important to note that there are, on average, 250,000 military members who finish their service each year. Therefore, its important to consider the many variables that allow Veterans to have an easy transition to civilian life. One of the most important is where they decide to put roots once military service is over for them.
There are two lists from reliable sites, Navy Federal Credit Union and WalletHub, that were recently compiled and released. From these lists, we can compare and determine where the best cities for Veterans are at.
Recommended Reading: Does Foot Drop Qualify For Disability
How All 50 States Rank For Military Retirees
Across the country, many states have programs and services available to specifically support veterans as they transition to retired civilian life that go beyond straightforward senior discounts. Multiple states provide education and job support, free or discounted hunting and fishing licenses and property tax discounts.
Find out how your current state of residence ranks for military retirees in the United States.
Economy Total Points: 25
- Housing Affordability: Full Weight Note: This composite metric comprises the following calculations: Median Home Price / Median Annual Veterans Income and Median Annual Rent Price / Median Annual Veterans Income.
- Veteran Income Growth: Full Weight Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of veteran income growth between the years 2015 and 2020.
- Educational Opportunities: Half Weight Note: This metric is based on U.S. News & World Reports Best Colleges for Veterans ranking.
- Median Veteran Income: Double Weight Note: This metric was adjusted for the local cost of living.
- Homeless Veterans per 1,000 Veterans: Double Weight
Also Check: How Do You Apply For Short Term Disability
Best Places For Veterans To Live In North Carolina
Leaving the military presents a huge number of opportunities, not least of which finally having some control over the place you call home.
That said, the choice can be somewhat overwhelming, and for many veterans, its important to find somewhere right first time, to avoid revisiting that oh-so-familiar feeling of packing your stuff and swapping locations again.
If youve got your sights set on North Carolina, were here to talk you through the states best locationsand why theyll appeal if youre a veteran.
Does Va Disability Change From State To State
While your VA disability rating doesnt change from state to state, the benefits you may receive at the state level can change! Each state has its advantages and has set out parameters for receiving benefits. The department of veterans affairs website is a great place to look at different financial benefits by state.
Don’t Miss: Emdr Therapy For Complex Ptsd
Top 5 Overall Cities Identified As Best For Retired Veterans