Posted by: Richie Bernardo

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, many are denied disability benefits while others cannot secure jobs or shelter.

Where veterans live can contribute to the problem. Although unemployment and homelessness have declined nationally for this group, such issues are simply worse in certain parts of America. In addition, veterans in many cities continue to suffer from long delays in mental-health treatment despite a $10 billion effort to expand veterans’ access to such care. In Phoenix, for instance, a veteran traumatized by the horrors of war must wait an average of 115 days before seeing a mental-health professional. Thousands lost their GI Bill education benefits in 2016 as a result of for-profit school closures.

To help military veterans find the best places in which to put down roots based on their status, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 17 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. Read on for our findings, expert commentary from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/8156/geochart-veteran.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2hK0cD9;  

Best Places for Veterans to Live

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Jobs’ Rank	‘Economy’ Rank	‘Quality of Life’ Rank	‘Health’ Rank
1	Austin, TX	73.81	4	5	8	24
2	Colorado Springs, CO	72.29	16	6	1	44
3	Virginia Beach, VA	68.36	38	1	2	52
4	Raleigh, NC	67.86	10	3	5	69
5	Plano, TX	67.58	8	61	7	24
6	Tampa, FL	67.47	9	14	18	22
7	Fremont, CA	65.20	1	73	70	1
8	Seattle, WA	64.75	2	45	15	67
9	San Diego, CA	64.52	45	65	9	19
10	Boise, ID	64.42	3	21	4	86
11	Fort Worth, TX	64.07	35	2	39	24
12	Scottsdale, AZ	62.98	67	15	3	56
13	Oklahoma City, OK	62.52	21	13	11	64
14	Charlotte, NC	62.32	7	29	19	69
15	St. Petersburg, FL	62.09	55	56	20	15
16	Chesapeake, VA	62.09	65	4	12	52
17	Madison, WI	61.99	6	31	10	80
18	San Antonio, TX	61.40	56	7	23	39
19	Gilbert, AZ	61.33	43	8	21	56
20	Sacramento, CA	61.31	49	68	38	12
21	Jacksonville, FL	60.78	74	28	29	15
22	Chandler, AZ	60.67	40	10	24	56
23	Columbus, OH	60.57	11	9	26	79
24	Lincoln, NE	60.16	18	23	17	91
25	Irvine, CA	59.52	68	57	47	1
26	Honolulu, HI	58.44	12	98	6	36
27	Denver, CO	57.54	50	39	13	61
28	Durham, NC	57.31	60	11	30	46
29	Arlington, TX	57.18	46	16	75	24
30	Tulsa, OK	57.10	44	12	48	48
31	El Paso, TX	57.08	82	20	27	38
32	Irving, TX	57.07	20	38	78	24
33	Minneapolis, MN	56.83	30	37	16	83
34	Anchorage, AK	56.78	41	24	53	40
35	Orlando, FL	56.63	91	52	22	20
36	Aurora, CO	56.60	42	30	44	44
37	Corpus Christi, TX	55.92	48	17	72	24
38	Cincinnati, OH	55.77	13	48	37	74
39	Riverside, CA	55.41	27	70	87	1
40	Greensboro, NC	55.05	51	18	45	69
41	Dallas, TX	54.91	37	46	52	41
42	San Jose, CA	54.60	31	94	66	1
43	Winston-Salem, NC	54.45	24	60	51	69
44	Garland, TX	54.34	26	50	82	24
45	Bakersfield, CA	54.25	72	42	86	1
46	Omaha, NE	54.05	28	44	31	85
47	Pittsburgh, PA	53.98	100	27	14	34
48	Chula Vista, CA	53.97	84	79	60	1
49	Louisville, KY	53.80	32	26	40	82
50	San Francisco, CA	53.48	33	100	28	14
51	Norfolk, VA	53.45	70	59	33	52
52	Miami, FL	53.26	79	66	73	18
53	Santa Ana, CA	53.05	5	84	98	1
54	Stockton, CA	52.90	63	32	93	1
55	Los Angeles, CA	52.27	58	91	54	23
56	New Orleans, LA	52.08	54	43	55	55
57	St. Paul, MN	51.94	34	35	34	98
58	Mesa, AZ	51.33	57	58	57	56
59	Houston, TX	51.32	83	54	63	33
60	Oakland, CA	51.10	19	89	94	1
61	Tucson, AZ	51.05	62	49	46	66
62	Nashville, TN	50.99	14	76	42	93
63	Kansas City, MO	50.96	64	51	50	63
64	Fort Wayne, IN	50.88	17	34	59	92
65	New York, NY	50.59	52	85	56	42
66	St. Louis, MO	50.57	29	63	65	68
67	Glendale, AZ	50.27	22	74	80	56
68	Buffalo, NY	49.97	80	64	74	35
69	Chicago, IL	49.47	53	75	43	78
70	Milwaukee, WI	49.23	25	40	77	84
71	Washington, DC	49.08	47	88	62	43
72	Henderson, NV	49.02	69	55	25	99
73	Anaheim, CA	48.80	71	87	91	1
74	Laredo, TX	48.50	86	67	76	24
75	Albuquerque, NM	48.43	23	22	79	90
76	Phoenix, AZ	48.38	76	25	58	81
77	Jersey City, NJ	48.33	15	86	84	50
78	Long Beach, CA	48.23	36	99	88	13
79	Lexington-Fayette, KY	47.97	94	36	41	65
80	Baton Rouge, LA	47.70	75	77	67	62
81	Lubbock, TX	47.63	95	47	64	24
82	Philadelphia, PA	46.89	66	80	69	73
83	Portland, OR	46.38	59	90	32	87
84	Wichita, KS	45.95	90	19	68	76
85	Reno, NV	45.83	78	41	36	96
86	Boston, MA	44.92	73	92	61	49
87	Fresno, CA	43.45	87	82	95	21
88	Las Vegas, NV	43.44	81	71	35	97
89	Indianapolis, IN	42.65	39	78	85	89
90	Atlanta, GA	41.03	85	97	49	75
91	Cleveland, OH	40.94	93	81	83	47
92	San Bernardino, CA	40.82	96	83	97	1
93	Toledo, OH	40.44	88	33	89	88
94	North Las Vegas, NV	40.32	77	53	81	99
95	Birmingham, AL	40.11	98	62	71	77
96	Memphis, TN	39.65	61	69	90	94
97	Hialeah, FL	37.36	92	96	92	15
98	Baltimore, MD	34.12	97	95	96	37
99	Newark, NJ	31.74	99	72	100	50
100	Detroit, MI	26.94	89	93	99	95

Ask the Experts

Transitioning from active military duty to ordinary life can be difficult for many veterans. For advice on overcoming certain issues faced by veterans undergoing this process, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the biggest issues facing veterans today?
2. What factors, financial or otherwise, should a veteran consider when choosing a city in which to live?
3. How can government help veterans succeed financially? How can policy and programs help veterans better manage their finances?
4. How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans?
5. How should the VA reform their health care system to better serve the needs of this population? How can veterans evaluate the quality of their local VA health system?

< >

• Rachael Dietkus Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Nick Armstrong Senior Director of Research & Policy in the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
• James Petrovich Associate Professor and Department Chair of Social Work in the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Texas Christian University
• Jacob N. Hyde Clinical Assistant Professor and Faculty Director of Sturm Specialty in Military Psychology at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology
• Everette Brooks III United States Army Veteran and Executive Director of Military and Veteran Services at Azusa Pacific University
• Ann Burgess and Erin Flaherty Professor in the Connell School of Nursing, and Project Director for the BC College Warrior Athlete Program, respectively, at Boston College

Rachael Dietkus Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign What are the biggest issues facing veterans today? Veterans are such a diverse population that there typically is not a one-size-fits-all approach to all their needs. And so, it really depends on which specific era of Veteran we’re talking about: WWII, Korean Conflict, Vietnam Era, Gulf War. When I narrow down the list of the biggest issues facing today’s Veterans, it easily comes down to post-deployment reintegration, access to adequate and appropriate health care (including behavioral/mental health), post-service career services and opportunities, suicide prevention, and support for safe, affordable housing. What factors (financial and other) should a veteran consider when choosing what city to live in? Cost of living, access to education, and employment opportunities are the top three things Veterans should consider when thinking about where to live. Also, think about the quality of life you want to have for you and your family and the unemployment rates in areas on your short list of locations. There are many major companies opening offices in great mid-sized metropolitan areas that have special Veteran hiring initiatives and offer the best of a slower-paced life, coupled with bigger city attributes. And give serious thought to whether or not you will be going or returning to school or wanting to be near water and terrain features. How can government help veterans succeed financially? How can policy and programs help veterans better manage their finances? I think one of the best ways for the government to help Veterans succeed financially is to continue providing therapeutic supportive employment services, expand initiatives to support Veteran-owned businesses, and make it easier for Veterans to take risks within the innovation and entrepreneurial spheres. I also have to say, it is a bit unbelievable that a Veteran’s service does not always easily translate to civilian employment opportunities. How do you rewind and translate that civilian life? The experiences that Veterans have are so unique and significant. Expanding the opportunities to translate those experiences to solving problems in various sectors could really be the tipping point to making great ideas happen. How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans? A team-based, whole-person approach is critical to helping Veterans at risk of being homeless or who are experiencing homelessness. From my work in this area, we saw great success in housing previously homeless Veterans when VA, HUD, the local Continuum of Care, and community partners were all actively engaged and focused on the Housing First mission. Homeless Veterans need a range of services from safe, affordable housing to employment support to medical care. Socialization and reunification with family and friends is a big step is housing stability and one’s recovery if there has been a history of substance use. I was so proud of the work that the Health Care for Homeless Veterans did. We had Peer Support Specialists who were Veterans actively in recovery. These Veterans were able to move mountains and such an integral part of this work. On a national level, HUD has definitely been transitioning their model of care to focus much more on permanent supportive housing programs similar to that of Housing & Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH). This program model works, but is costly. You need to have well-trained social workers and teams to adequately address the needs of someone who is homeless. 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? Veteran or not, I think it’s important for everyone to be an active member in their own health care. One of the best ways to do this is to speak up and address your concerns at the lowest level possible. I would never discourage a Veteran from contacting an elected official, but talking directly with your care team or the local Patient Advocate is going to expedite your concerns faster than any member of Congress. Having problems communicating with your primary care provider? Talk with them directly about your concerns. Experiencing difficulty to making your appointments? Talk with your social worker about transportation resources. Need to be seen more quickly than when your appointment was scheduled? Many VAs actually provide same-day care for a wide range of services. Nick Armstrong Senior Director of Research & Policy in the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University What are the biggest issues facing veterans today? Beyond general access to VA health care, one of the biggest issues facing veterans today is the access and navigation of available benefits and services in their communities. With more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations serving this population, above and beyond other human and social service organizations that serve everyone, knowing where to turn is repeatedly noted as a top concern. In addition, although the employment situation for veterans has improved in recent years, certain segments of the population -- younger veterans under the age of 30, women veterans, and some racial and ethnic minorities -- still experience somewhat higher rates of unemployment compared to their civilian peers. What factors (financial and other) should a veteran consider when choosing what city to live in? Aside from cost of living, housing, and other personal and household financial matters, veterans should also think long-term and consider the overall economic health of the area, especially the industry in which they are transitioning to or are already working. How can government help veterans succeed financially? How can policy and programs help veterans better manage their finances? Smart financial decision-making behaviors start early in life. So, from a government perspective, financial literacy is a broader issue for all Americans and is a challenge to be addressed in partnership with educators. For veterans, financial success really begins while in service. Just recently, the Department of Defense has created an Office of Financial Literacy to set policy, coordinate with federal partners like the Federal Trade Commission to develop financial readiness tools, and work with the services, for example the Army’s Financial Readiness Program, on curriculum development and accessible “micro-learning” and training. We know from various studies that financial readiness upon military transition has been cited as a concern for some, so we’re hopeful that these recent moves will begin to generate some positive outcomes for veterans before they take off the uniform. How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans? Veteran homelessness, while still prevalent, has gone down remarkably in recent years. But much like financial literacy, homelessness is really an American challenge, of which veterans are a subset who are easier to “shine the light on.” Homelessness is also a complicated matter, often brought on by any combination of personal challenges, such as physical or mental health or social factors, like job and family stability, among others. So, given this complexity, government agencies and other nonprofit health and human service organizations should work to partner alongside housing organizations to provide veterans greater access to a comprehensive set of care and support in their communities. James Petrovich Associate Professor and Department Chair of Social Work in the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Texas Christian University How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans? On this question, the obvious answer is to make sure we are doing whatever we can to reduce the flow of veterans into homelessness, and help veterans escape homelessness as quickly as possible. To reduce the flow, we need to continue to pay attention to how veterans reintegrate into civilian life and how they function as civilians. I know the military makes efforts to help veterans understand available resources as they discharge and the VA works to provide supportive services, but veterans continue to fall through the cracks and become homeless. This is where continued outreach by the VA and local nonprofits are critical to identify veterans and link them with resources as soon as possible. Services we might refer a veteran to include assistance with employment, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, other financial assistance, short- and long-term housing, and more. One place where the government and nonprofits have done well is to prioritize housing. Through the HUD-VASH (Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing Program), thousands of veterans have been able to escape homelessness and secure stable housing. Some of these veterans had been homeless for years, so this, combined with a supply of housing for newly homeless veterans or veterans at risk for homelessness, has allowed some communities to effectively end veteran homelessness. Granted, this does not mean there are not any veterans becoming homeless, but some communities have been able to locate and place most currently homeless veterans in housing and link them with supportive services. One fairly recent development supporting this success is the adoption of the Housing First model of supportive housing, an approach that seeks to place long-term homeless veterans in housing first (get it?), instead of asking them to demonstrate housing readiness by going to treatment, getting a job, etc. What the research has found is that when individuals are linked with safe and stable housing first and supportive services are available, veterans are actually more likely to engage in treatment and rehabilitative services and they experience better outcomes. For HUD and the VA to see the value of this approach and adopt it as a guiding strategy is a credit to their commitment to end veteran homelessness. It is important to note that while these services are available, veterans often encounter impersonal and bureaucratic systems that are very difficult to navigate. This has been a critique of the VA for some time and, while I think they have done much to address these issues, my research indicates that veterans still encounter rigid systems that are not always responsive to their individual needs. If we are to make progress with this issue and see individual veterans avoid and escape homelessness, we have to do better to work collaboratively with veterans and provide individualized services. On a side note, an important study done several years ago identified that homelessness for many veterans is not always the result of their experiences as veterans, but it is often an artifact of the poverty that drove them to join the military in the first place. Consequently, when they leave the military and rejoin civilian life, they are again faced with socioeconomic challenges that may lead to homelessness. To help avoid this outcome, it is important that we support veterans as they reintegrate into civilian life, and help them take advantage of available educational and employment opportunities. Jacob N. Hyde Clinical Assistant Professor and Faculty Director of Sturm Specialty in Military Psychology at the University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology What are the biggest issues facing veterans today? Psychological health/brain injury/physical injuries/chronic pain/overweight & obesity -- in no particular order. Most veterans struggle with a complex mix of these issues that requires multiple kinds of treatment, different kinds of management, and quite a lot of time to address. Veterans who have taken part in the Global War on Terror (since 9/11/2001) face many issues with their psychological and physical health. Many of these warfighters are millennials and are struggling with multiple health conditions and illness that severely affects their social and occupational functioning, and has a direct relationship with their quality of life. 76 percent of Veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars are overweight; this is an issue that needs to be addressed now, and will have huge consequences for health as they age. Educational opportunities. Many veterans qualify for educational benefits from both state and federal governments. However, for a variety of reasons, many veterans either do not utilize their benefits or are unaware of how to best utilize them. One big issue in higher education is with veterans completing a program of study. Many veterans begin an educational program (with or without benefits), but many drop out before completion for myriad reasons. Higher education is having a hard time holding onto veteran students and assisting them with finishing a degree program. Many veterans drop out for family reasons, others get good jobs that don’t require a degree, and some drop out for mental health/physical health reasons. One big issue we are seeing is veterans struggling in the classroom because of previously undiagnosed learning disabilities, current mental health symptoms causing disruptions in their ability to focus, concentrate, and retain information, and a general difficulty in connecting with their classmates (likely due to differing life experiences, age, motivation to learn, and mental health). What factors (financial and other) should a veteran consider when choosing what city to live in? Access to quality health care, good nonprofit educational institutes with strong veteran support, and a place with a diversity of recreation opportunities. 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? A few ideas for VA:

• Expand their Academic PACT (Patient Aligned Care Team) program; this is typically a team of trainees that are becoming physicians, psychologists, pharmacists and nurse practitioners. These teams typically work within the primary care setting; interprofessional clinical training is key for young doctors of all types in order to better understand and treat the complex needs in the veteran population.

• Expand the Veterans Choice program or create a program like it, where veterans can receive care through many options and have the choice to decide where and by whom they are treated for certain conditions. Many larger universities, academic medical centers, and private health care systems have great health outcomes and have been carefully monitoring metrics and outcomes for years. Veterans should be able to choose the best doctors, clinics, and treatments available.

The VA just created a new website where (in theory) veterans can see the quality of every VA facility rated on multiple metrics and outcomes. Everette Brooks III United States Army Veteran and Executive Director of Military and Veteran Services at Azusa Pacific University What factors (financial and other) should a veteran consider when choosing what city to live in? There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a city to reside in, depending if they are attending school or not. When we are attending school, you receive Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) which is actually based on the zip code your school is in. Los Angeles BAH is $2,615, but you will only receive BAH once you are a veteran and if you are attending school full-time. However, a lot of veterans just go back to the city they came from originally, but everyone has their own individual factors to why they choose a city to live in. How can government help veterans succeed financially? How can policy and programs help veterans better manage their finances? When veterans are processing out of the military, they have to take a series of classes, many of which help with finances and resume building. The military tries to set you up for success after separating from your individual branch. After separating, the VA still offers help to the veterans in financial counseling. How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans? The VA actually has multiple programs that help with veteran homelessness. The programs will actually connect them to the state to try and get them housing and potential job opportunities. Many of the homeless veteran population is actually receiving disability money from getting hurt during their time serving, or simply many veterans are unaware of all the programs instilled to get them get off the streets. 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? The VA really depends on demographics -- some locations are great and some aren't so much. The VA could do a better job separating their funds evenly through all demographics. Veterans can evaluate their quality of care by comparing it to other large health care providers, the VA also offers outpatient care. Ann Burgess and Erin Flaherty Professor in the Connell School of Nursing, and Project Director for the BC College Warrior Athlete Program, respectively, at Boston College How should governments and nonprofits help homeless veterans? Many agencies state the need to end veteran homelessness, including the following:

• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans;

• Disabled American Veterans;

• United States Veteran Initiative;

• American Veterans.

How should the VA reform their health care system to better serve the needs of this population? We know that the VHA provides quality service to veterans with combat-related, multi-trauma and service-related conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The VA should continue to invest in the research needed to improve those services. However, if a veteran can receive better care at a non-VA facility, especially for non-service-related issues, the VA should facilitate access to those services. The VA has made important improvements in access to non-VA care through the Veterans Choice Program; however, there is still work to be done facilitating timely access to non-VA care. A word needs to be said about nursing’s contributions to veteran health needs. Academic nursing can contribute to help veterans transitioning to civilian life, especially wounded veterans deployed to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The Boston College Connell School of Nursing has already contributed to the knowledge base and community resources for veterans through their Collegiate Warrior Athlete Initiative program, CWAI. Each semester, CWAI pairs a student athlete with a veteran for a twice-a-week exercise and strength wellness program, with workouts under the direction of a certified trainer at the school’s athletic center. The workout is followed by a healthy lunch and class on veteran wellness. This nurse-led program has led to over 200 pounds of weight loss and a strengthened sense of community for their 52 veteran participants. We hope to extend the program to other universities.

Methodology

In order to determine the best places for veterans to live, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across four key dimensions: 1) Employment, 2) Economy, 3) Quality of Life and 4) Health.

We evaluated those dimensions using 17 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for veterans. (Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only.)

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its total score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the “city proper” in each case, excluding surrounding cities in the metro area.

Employment – Total Points: 25

• Share of Military Skill-Related Jobs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Veteran Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Job Growth: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of job growth between years 2012 and 2016.
• Veteran-Owned Businesses per Veteran Population: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Economy – Total Points: 25

• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Veteran Income Growth: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of veteran income growth between years 2011 and 2016.
• Share of Veterans Living Below Poverty Level: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
• Educational Opportunities: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)Note: This metric is based on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges for Veterans” ranking.
• Median Veteran Income: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the local cost of living.
• Homeless Veterans per 1,000 Veterans: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Quality of Life – Total Points: 25

• Veteran Population: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: “Veteran Population” refers to the number of veterans per 1,000 residents.
• Projected Veteran Population Growth: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: This metric measures the projected increase in the veteran population between years 2016 and 2045.
• Family-Friendliness: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family” ranking.
• Retiree-Friendliness: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Retire” ranking.

Health – Total Points: 25

• VA Benefits Administration Facilities per Veteran Population*: Full Weight (~5.00Points)Note: The square root of the veteran population was used to calculate its size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
• VA Health Facilities per Veteran Population*: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)Note: The square root of the veteran population was used to calculate its size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
• Quality of VA Health Facilities: Triple Weight (~15.00Points)Note: This composite metric includes:
  • “Patients’ Willingness to Recommend the Veteran Hospitals” score from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ “Hospital Report Card”
  • VA hospital performance star rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ “Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning” (SAIL) performance improvement tool
  • VA hospital and nursing-home beds data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ database of inpatient beds by facility

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. News & World Report and WalletHub research.

from Wallet HubWallet Hub


via Finance Xpress