As Veterans Day approaches and the veteran unemployment rate stands at 3.6%, the personal-finance company WalletHub has released its report on 2026’s Best & Worst Places for Veterans to Live. WalletHub’s analysis ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 19 key measures, including the availability of jobs that use military skills, housing affordability and access to VA health facilities.
One California city was in the top 10; two California cities ranked in the bottom 10.
Best Cities for Veterans
Austin, Texas was rated as the best city for veterans in the country, followed by Madison, WI; Scottsdale, AZ; Plano, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Virginia Beach, VA; Gilbert AZ; Raleigh, NC; Pittsburgh, PA and, at number 10, Irvine, California.
Worst Cities for Veterans
Cities at the bottom of the list were Chicago, Illinois at number 91, followed by Fresno, CA; Indianapolis, IN; Stockton, CA; Baltimore, MD; Toledo, OH; Memphis, TN; Baton Rouge, LA; Newark, NJ; and, at number 100, Detroit, Michigan.
“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. 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,” said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo. “Austin, Texas, is the best city for veterans, in large part because it has the best colleges for veterans in the country, along with the ninth-highest median annual income for veterans, at over $66,000. It’s also good for veterans to live in a place where they can form a community of support, and Austin has the fourth-smallest projected decrease in veterans between 2024 and 2053. Finally, Austin has the 12th-highest number of restaurants and the 11th-most arts/entertainment establishments per capita that offer military discounts.”
To view the full report, visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-veterans/8156
Expert Commentary
Jason Burke
Asst. VP for Student Experience,
Executive Director of
Veterans and Military Affairs;
Quinnipiac University
What are the biggest issues facing veterans today?
Better transition support into the U.S. workforce.
What factors (financial and other) should a veteran consider when choosing what city to live in?
Cost of Living, tax incentives for purchasing a home, VA healthcare proximity, city/town tax rates, and schools.
How can the government help veterans succeed financially? How can policy and programs help veterans better manage their finances?
VA benefits for disabilities and education are excellent. I’m not aware of post-service financial counseling via VA, non-profits or other government agencies. Veterans volunteered to serve and it’s incumbent on them to ensure they are able to transition into civilian life. If able bodied, they have to ensure they keep up their side of being part of society and doing their due diligence to be a good citizen.
How should governments and non-profits help homeless veterans?
Provide short-term shelter, meals and employment assistance.
How should the VA reform their health care system to better serve the needs of this population? How can a veteran evaluate the quality of their local VA health system?
I receive good healthcare support from West Haven VA. There needs to be a person that can be reached through all the automated-ness of VA healthcare. Time for care is a huge measuring item along with speed of medication via their online refill system (works well in my opinion).
