Transitioning to civilian life after service, for over 19.6 million veterans currently living in the U.S., comes with a host of issues including lack of housing and employment opportunities, as well as the need for educational assistance. WalletHub [1] recently released its comprehensive list of the best places for veterans to settle down in America. WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across the U.S. on the basis of livability, affordability, and veteran-friendliness.
Top 10 Cities
According to the study, Austin, Texas topped the list of the most veteran-friendly city with a total score of 74.02, a ‘jobs’ rank of 9, an economy rank of 17, quality of life at 5, and a health rank of 20. Other cities in the top 10 include Scottsdale, Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Raleigh, North Carolina; Gilbert, Arizona; Plano, Texas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Irvine, California; and Tampa, Florida.
Additional Findings
Digging into the numbers further, the report reveals that the highest percentage of military skill-related jobs exists in Fremont, California; Madison, Wisconsin; Chesapeake, Virginia; Irvine, California; and Seattle, Washington. Irving, Texas; Hialeah, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; and North Las Vegas, Nevada; recorded the lowest percentage of military skill-related jobs.
Lowest veteran employment rates were recorded in cities such as Plano, TX; Madison, Wisconsin; Gilbert, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; and Scottsdale, Arizona. Chula Vista, California; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; San Bernardino, California; Newark, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; and Detroit, Michigan witnessed the highest levels of veteran unemployment, on the other hand.
In order to overcome the difficulties faced by veterans, the study included a panel discussion by experts to help answer some pertinent questions regarding transitioning from service to civil life. The panelists shared their insight on the role of government and nonprofits in ensuring the financial success of veterans, reforms in the health care system to provide better quality local healthcare, and the importance of policy and programs to help veterans manage their finances.
You can read the full report here [2].