If you’ve spent enough time in the military, you’re probably used to moving from one duty station to another—not to mention taking some extended trips overseas. But once you’ve moved on from your active duty military career and are finally getting to decide for yourself where to go, which location should you choose?
That’s the question a new report from Military Times attempted to answer. The magazine evaluated over 599 American cities based on: employment and population figures obtained from the 2016 Census; military installation locations documented in a Defense Department report; VA health and benefits information taken from the Veterans Affairs website; FBI crime reports; school ratings and area health data drawn from a variety of sources. After synthesizing all of that information, the publication came up with a list of the six best places for veterans to live.
Colorado Springs, Colorado is one of six best places for veterans to live.The best big cities for veterans
Among the 83 large cities—defined as those with populations exceeding 250,000—that were examined, there were three cited as particular standouts.
Taking the top spot was Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was also just named “the most desirable place to live” by a 2018 U.S. News and World Report. While U.S. News praised the city’s easy access to mountain hiking and nearby resort skiing, Military Times cited the over 10,000 servicemembers and 53,000 veterans living there, as well as the large number of veteran service organizations present.
The sunny waterfront town of Virginia Beach, where veterans make up 17 percent of the population and earn more on average than nonveterans, was next on the list. Rounding out the top three was San Antonio, the historic home of the Alamo and the current home of Joint Base San Antonio. Last year, the populous Texas city actually trademarked itself as “Military City USA.”
The best medium-sized cities for veterans
Service members who don’t love the overwhelming feel of big cities or the slower pace of life in small towns may feel “just right” in the best cities for veterans with populations of at least 100,000 but fewer than 250,000.
Two of the top cities sit across the river from Washington, D.C. – Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia. The former boasts an unemployment rate for veterans and civilians below the national average, while the latter owes its spot to the Pentagon, the Iwo Jima Memorial and a fantastic area health rating.
Another mid-sized highlight is Olathe, Kansas, where veteran growth has outpaced overall growth by 17 percent to 5 percent, driven in part by the convenience of 16 nearby VA health centers.
The best small cities for veterans
With a population of 95,000, Portsmouth, Virginia, may be a small city, but it is located next to the world’s largest naval base, Naval Station Norfolk. It’s also near 11 Veterans Affairs facilities and 10 military installations, and on average, former servicemembers make nearly double the salaries of nonveterans.
The Baltimore suburb of Glen Burnie, Maryland, is another diamond in the rough. The town of 69,500 boasts 26 VA health facilities within 25 miles, and although the unemployment rate is 7 percent higher than the national average, veterans make almost $20,000 more a year than nonveterans do.
New Braunfels, Texas, completes the list, thanks largely to having some of the best-rated schools around. With a population under 80,000, available housing, a good economy and small-town charm to spare, this is a great place to raise a family.
Whether you are looking to settle down in a sleepy little town, experience the bright lights of the big city, or do anything in between, there are plenty of great locales ideally suited to veterans excited to start living their life after the military.
