Posted by: Adam McCann

According to the Veterans Association, there are over 19.6 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.

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. Throughout the U.S., 40,000 veterans still find themselves without a home. However, there is some good news on the healthcare front. 71 percent of V.A. hospitals have improved their conditions over the past year. Plus, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently ruled that chronic pain without a clear medical diagnosis still qualifies veterans for disability benefits. This will provide over 11,000 veterans previously denied coverage with some much-needed assistance.

To help military veterans find the best places in which to settle down roots based on their status, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 18 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="https://ift.tt/2SMYKkz>  

Best Cities for Veterans to Live

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Jobs’ Rank	‘Economy’ Rank	‘Quality of Life’ Rank	‘Health’ Rank
1	Austin, TX	74.02	9	17	5	20
2	Scottsdale, AZ	72.79	8	19	2	56
3	Colorado Springs, CO	72.27	35	6	1	46
4	Raleigh, NC	71.87	4	4	15	68
5	Gilbert, AZ	69.44	18	5	10	56
6	Plano, TX	68.37	19	61	6	20
7	Virginia Beach, VA	67.18	69	2	7	64
8	Irvine, CA	67.09	1	82	36	1
9	Tampa, FL	66.09	21	57	11	18
10	Orlando, FL	65.69	7	71	21	30
11	Columbus, OH	64.94	26	9	28	36
12	Fort Worth, TX	64.65	71	1	32	20
13	Madison, WI	64.57	12	13	12	49
14	Boise, ID	64.44	16	23	3	86
15	Minneapolis, MN	64.35	10	43	18	41
16	Chesapeake, VA	63.84	59	3	16	64
17	Chandler, AZ	63.55	55	18	14	56
18	Pittsburgh, PA	63.33	49	39	19	29
19	San Diego, CA	62.90	38	74	4	35
20	St. Petersburg, FL	62.82	73	27	24	13
21	Oklahoma City, OK	61.96	30	7	9	77
22	Jacksonville, FL	61.51	64	29	33	13
23	Seattle, WA	61.48	2	81	25	74
24	Lincoln, NE	61.45	60	8	20	92
25	Fremont, CA	60.85	14	84	47	1
26	Charlotte, NC	60.81	13	49	42	68
27	Denver, CO	60.55	6	51	23	81
28	San Antonio, TX	60.35	33	14	27	53
29	Omaha, NE	59.94	29	32	39	42
30	Mesa, AZ	59.28	45	40	35	56
31	Arlington, TX	58.87	39	16	66	20
32	Durham, NC	58.67	25	47	40	43
33	Dallas, TX	58.61	17	30	52	40
34	San Francisco, CA	57.89	3	99	26	32
35	Miami, FL	57.57	23	78	68	12
36	Henderson, NV	57.46	61	44	13	99
37	Hialeah, FL	56.90	43	21	79	13
38	El Paso, TX	56.69	84	12	29	63
39	Kansas City, MO	56.58	31	22	44	82
40	Cincinnati, OH	56.49	32	67	37	44
41	Irving, TX	56.34	62	11	74	20
42	Portland, OR	56.30	5	86	30	79
43	Nashville, TN	56.25	11	56	41	97
44	Sacramento, CA	55.89	87	63	34	17
45	San Jose, CA	55.60	27	96	48	1
46	Reno, NV	55.32	46	31	22	91
47	Glendale, AZ	55.24	36	41	63	56
48	Lexington-Fayette, KY	54.62	47	60	56	39
49	St. Paul, MN	54.62	37	66	31	98
50	Aurora, CO	54.46	67	34	60	46
51	Laredo, TX	54.19	40	68	71	20
52	Atlanta, GA	54.18	20	85	43	51
53	Lubbock, TX	53.98	57	59	65	20
54	Anchorage, AK	53.93	86	20	38	61
55	Tulsa, OK	53.82	65	26	69	45
56	Houston, TX	53.79	51	33	75	37
57	Riverside, CA	53.79	53	69	82	1
58	Phoenix, AZ	52.65	22	25	49	93
59	New Orleans, LA	52.41	66	65	54	50
60	Boston, MA	51.78	15	90	85	19
61	Chula Vista, CA	51.36	99	62	50	1
62	Garland, TX	51.28	79	73	59	20
63	Las Vegas, NV	51.16	63	50	17	96
64	Honolulu, HI	50.96	44	98	8	72
65	Los Angeles, CA	50.88	28	97	53	34
66	Louisville, KY	50.84	54	53	51	83
67	Santa Ana, CA	50.81	24	83	95	1
68	Washington, DC	50.73	34	80	45	80
69	Birmingham, AL	50.68	83	10	55	76
70	Anaheim, CA	50.65	48	91	83	1
71	Tucson, AZ	50.11	90	42	46	62
72	Winston-Salem, NC	50.03	58	54	81	68
73	Stockton, CA	49.81	78	37	96	1
74	Greensboro, NC	49.69	77	46	73	68
75	Buffalo, NY	49.67	91	35	77	33
76	Milwaukee, WI	49.62	52	48	84	48
77	St. Louis, MO	48.78	68	58	62	75
78	Albuquerque, NM	48.73	70	38	58	88
79	Bakersfield, CA	48.10	96	52	80	1
80	Corpus Christi, TX	47.97	85	64	76	20
81	Norfolk, VA	47.92	82	72	57	64
82	Oakland, CA	47.36	56	93	91	1
83	Long Beach, CA	46.57	50	100	70	16
84	Indianapolis, IN	46.29	42	36	89	89
85	Fort Wayne, IN	45.78	72	45	78	87
86	Chicago, IL	45.03	76	70	67	84
87	North Las Vegas, NV	45.02	92	24	61	99
88	Wichita, KS	44.94	81	15	87	85
89	New York, NY	44.88	41	87	86	73
90	Jersey City, NJ	44.00	75	75	90	54
91	Philadelphia, PA	43.81	80	79	72	78
92	Cleveland, OH	43.20	98	77	88	31
93	Baton Rouge, LA	42.76	88	92	64	67
94	San Bernardino, CA	40.55	97	76	97	1
95	Toledo, OH	40.00	94	28	94	90
96	Baltimore, MD	39.41	74	94	99	38
97	Fresno, CA	39.09	89	89	93	52
98	Memphis, TN	36.05	93	55	92	95
99	Newark, NJ	28.53	100	88	100	54
100	Detroit, MI	28.29	95	95	98	94

 

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?

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• Jack Tsai Associate Professor Term; Director, Yale Division of Mental Health Services and Treatment Outcomes Research, Yale University
• Coby Dillard Director, Veteran and Military Services, University of California Santa Barbara

Methodology

In order to determine the best places for veterans to live, WalletHub 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 18 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 overall 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 (~4.55 Points)
• Veteran Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~9.09 Points)
• Job Growth: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of job growth between years 2013 and 2017.
• Presence of Veteran Job Fairs: Half Weight (~2.27 Points)Note: This binary metric measures the presence or absence of a Veteran Job Fair in every city.
• Veteran-Owned Businesses per Veteran Population: Full Weight (~4.55 Points)

Economy – Total Points: 25

• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This composite metric comprises the following calculations: Median Home Price / Median Annual Household Income and Median Annual Rent Price / Median Annual Household Income.
• Veteran Income Growth: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of veteran income growth between years 2012 and 2017.
• 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 2017.
• 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 (~5.00 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.
• 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 (~15.00 Points)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

 Videos for News Use:

• YouTube (for web embedding National)
• YouTube (for web embedding Austin, TX)
• Raw files (for editing into clips)

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

Image: Evgeniy Kalinovskiy / Shutterstock.com

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