Austin ranked 2nd best city for Veterans & Military

Republished with permission from WalletHub

According to the Veterans Association, there are over 19 million veterans currently living in the U.S. These veterans often face a host of challenges when re-entering civilian life. Despite Uncle Sam’s promises to provide health care as well as housing, employment and educational assistance upon their return from service, some cannot secure healthcare, jobs or shelter.

Although unemployment and homelessness declined nationally for veterans in recent years, the unemployment rate did rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, the unemployment rate for veterans has now fallen to 3.9%, compared to 4.8% for the overall population. On the other hand, veteran homelessness is still a big problem, and there were already over 37,000 homeless veterans even before the pandemic. Some states offer better conditions for those who have served our country, though.

To help military veterans find the best places in which to settle down, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 20 key indicators of livability, affordability and veteran-friendliness. They range from share of military skill-related jobs to veteran income growth to availability of VA health facilities.

 

Best Cities for Veterans to Live

 

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Employment	Economy	Quality of Life	Health
1	Tampa, FL	71.38	6	21	3	21
2	Austin, TX	71.20	5	25	11	12
3	Scottsdale, AZ	69.85	7	13	4	69
4	Raleigh, NC	69.82	14	6	9	37
5	Gilbert, AZ	68.37	2	7	16	69
6	Lincoln, NE	67.66	3	2	34	63
7	Madison, WI	66.72	10	20	17	26
8	Virginia Beach, VA	66.68	49	1	12	68
9	Orlando, FL	65.85	58	45	2	22
10	Boise, ID	65.78	4	28	5	85
11	Colorado Springs, CO	65.11	27	10	18	52
12	Durham, NC	64.68	1	31	35	39
13	St. Petersburg, FL	64.50	35	42	19	18
14	Laredo, TX	64.49	18	5	57	8
15	Irvine, CA	64.43	11	74	30	5
16	Minneapolis, MN	64.05	16	34	20	34
17	Chandler, AZ	63.70	12	22	23	69
18	Plano, TX	63.69	38	58	21	17
19	Denver, CO	63.01	26	49	7	55
20	Jacksonville, FL	62.25	32	18	39	25
21	Fort Worth, TX	62.05	54	4	42	40
22	Oklahoma City, OK	61.77	8	9	24	83
23	San Diego, CA	61.57	71	65	1	51
24	Seattle, WA	61.10	21	79	14	28
25	San Antonio, TX	60.67	57	15	25	50
26	Columbus, OH	60.63	39	16	28	65
27	Charlotte, NC	60.42	22	36	33	58
28	Chesapeake, VA	59.17	30	3	41	92
29	Lexington-Fayette, KY	59.03	53	26	37	43
30	Omaha, NE	58.71	13	12	50	67
31	Fremont, CA	58.18	9	93	51	2
32	San Francisco, CA	57.42	43	99	8	13
33	Tucson, AZ	57.41	33	30	36	66
34	El Paso, TX	57.04	55	8	61	42
35	Pittsburgh, PA	56.97	88	50	27	30
36	Dallas, TX	56.79	42	59	52	36
37	Mesa, AZ	56.65	28	43	45	69
38	Arlington, TX	56.64	24	17	75	47
39	Henderson, NV	56.43	25	37	40	94
40	Nashville, TN	55.72	19	68	38	82
41	Tulsa, OK	55.49	48	24	60	57
42	Sacramento, CA	55.07	76	83	29	19
43	Washington, DC	54.90	45	80	13	76
44	Irving, TX	54.37	29	44	77	41
45	Albuquerque, NM	54.24	36	23	56	78
46	Aurora, CO	54.16	60	41	67	31
47	Buffalo, NY	53.72	89	47	72	10
48	Anchorage, AK	53.71	56	14	69	59
49	San Jose, CA	53.60	44	96	55	1
50	Kansas City, MO	53.18	23	39	58	88
51	Miami, FL	53.15	91	86	44	9
52	St. Louis, MO	53.15	59	64	43	64
53	Las Vegas, NV	53.03	77	62	10	93
54	Greensboro, NC	52.96	17	35	84	62
55	Cincinnati, OH	52.69	92	72	32	44
56	New Orleans, LA	52.43	86	66	49	29
57	Riverside, CA	52.29	68	69	66	16
58	Reno, NV	52.20	66	67	26	87
59	Chula Vista, CA	52.13	87	57	63	15
60	Garland, TX	51.95	40	70	78	27
61	St. Paul, MN	51.83	75	56	47	79
62	Winston-Salem, NC	51.80	31	38	82	61
63	Houston, TX	51.56	73	33	68	53
64	Fort Wayne, IN	51.53	15	27	71	97
65	Louisville, KY	51.45	78	32	48	75
66	Portland, OR	51.43	69	91	22	54
67	Glendale, AZ	51.42	51	51	74	69
68	Birmingham, AL	51.03	64	29	62	74
69	Honolulu, HI	50.99	47	100	6	81
70	Long Beach, CA	50.90	72	94	46	11
71	Milwaukee, WI	50.62	37	46	89	56
72	Phoenix, AZ	50.53	34	52	54	96
73	Lubbock, TX	49.42	50	55	81	60
74	Hialeah, FL	49.22	82	76	90	4
75	Los Angeles, CA	49.22	83	95	31	38
76	Anaheim, CA	49.08	84	87	64	5
77	New York, NY	49.07	85	85	53	33
78	Atlanta, GA	48.98	65	81	15	99
79	Santa Ana, CA	48.75	52	90	87	5
80	Boston, MA	48.59	20	98	65	23
81	Wichita, KS	47.85	46	11	93	89
82	Corpus Christi, TX	47.82	80	53	80	45
83	Stockton, CA	47.62	62	71	97	14
84	Norfolk, VA	46.90	74	40	76	84
85	Bakersfield, CA	46.71	95	61	79	35
86	Oakland, CA	46.16	61	97	85	2
87	Baton Rouge, LA	45.95	94	60	59	77
88	Chicago, IL	45.86	67	77	70	80
89	Indianapolis, IN	45.55	41	63	91	91
90	Fresno, CA	44.49	70	88	83	49
91	Philadelphia, PA	44.10	79	75	73	86
92	North Las Vegas, NV	43.97	81	54	88	94
93	Cleveland, OH	43.83	97	73	92	32
94	San Bernardino, CA	43.69	63	78	98	20
95	Toledo, OH	43.08	93	19	95	90
96	Jersey City, NJ	40.80	99	84	86	24
97	Baltimore, MD	40.21	90	89	96	48
98	Memphis, TN	38.25	96	48	94	100
99	Newark, NJ	31.95	100	82	100	46
100	Detroit, MI	28.05	98	92	99	98

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.