The 3 best cities in America for veterans — and the 3 worst

Ben Kesslen
·2-min read
Photo: MoMo Productions (Getty Images)
Photo: MoMo Productions (Getty Images)

There are almost 18 million veterans currently living in the U.S., a group that often faces unique challenges when re-adjusting to civilian life.

Many former service members struggle to find work and housing, and can’t get the mental health care they need following their services. There are currently more than 35,000 homeless veterans in the U.S., according to WalletHub. But it’s not all bad news either. Veterans currently have a lower unemployment rate than the general population.

WalletHub looked at the 100 most-populated cities to see which are the best suited for veterans looking to move. It factored in a city’s share of military skill-related jobs, veteran unemployment rate, job growth, and veteran-owned businesses per veteran population. It also included the median veteran income, the share of veterans living in poverty, and the projected veteran population growth.

“When veterans return home from serving our nation, it’s important for them to live in a place that provides good education and employment opportunities, along with access to quality care for their physical and mental health,” Chip Lupo a WalletHub analyst said in a statement.

“The best cities for veterans have all these characteristics, plus added bonuses like large veteran populations for community support, plus many restaurants and entertainment venues that offer veteran discounts,” Lupo added.

Check out the 3 best — and 3 worst — cities for veterans to live, according to WalletHub.

3rd Best: Raleigh, North Carolina

Photo: Chuck Liddy (AP)
Photo: Chuck Liddy (AP)

Raleigh got the third highest spot in WalletHub’s ranking thanks to having one of the lowest veteran unemployment rankings in the country, strong median annual income for veterans, and good educational opportunities for veterans as well.

2nd Best: Orlando, Florida

Photo: Phelan M. Ebenhack (AP)
Photo: Phelan M. Ebenhack (AP)

Orlando snagged the second spot due to its rising income expectations for veterans. Veterans salaries there increase an average of 9% year-over-year, according to WalletHub. Orlando also has arts and entertainment that offer several military discounts and the 4th-most VA health facilities per capita.

Best: Austin, Texas

Photo: Kirby Lee (AP)
Photo: Kirby Lee (AP)

WalletHub declared Austin the best place for veterans, with the best colleges for veterans, high annual median income, and the fourth-best job growth rate in the country.

3rd Worst: Memphis, Tennessee

Photo: John Coletti (Getty Images)
Photo: John Coletti (Getty Images)

Memphis got low marks for veterans, with low employment and quality of life rankings.

2nd Worst: Detroit, Michigan

Photo: Paul Sancya (AP)
Photo: Paul Sancya (AP)

Detroit was named the second-worst city for veterans, with low marks across the board, but particularly for quality of life.

Worst: Newark, New Jersey

Photo: Howard Kingsnorth (Getty Images)
Photo: Howard Kingsnorth (Getty Images)

Newark, New Jersey came in last place, due to high unemployment, low access to health care, and a bad mark for quality of life.

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