We evaluated 577 places on veteran culture and services, economic indicators and livability factors, including 79 large cities, with populations of 200,000 or more. The top 25 finishers are listed below.
Best large cities: 200,000 people or more |
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| Rank | City | Overall adult population | Veteran population | Military population | Median home price | Median monthly rent | Nonveteran median income | Veteran median income | Civilian unemployment rate | Veteran unemployment rate | Number of installations within 25 miles (nearest) | 2015 crime reports per 1,000 people | GreatSchools rating | Area health | Best for Vets organizations within 25 miles | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | 1,089,544 | 109,089 | 7,615 | $126,600 | $901 | $24,833 | $40,188 | 6.1% | 4.6% | 3 (Fort Sam Houston) | 56.2 | 5.1 |  |
CE F | |||||
| 2 | Virginia Beach, Va. | 324,634 | 54,995 | 25,969 | $262,900 | $1,258 | $32,608 | $48,432 | 5.6% | 5.1% | 9 (Oceana NAS) | 23.6 | 6.8 |  |
C T F | |||||
| 3 | Colorado Springs, Colo. | 338,690 | 49,291 | 9,951 | $228,600 | $985 | $29,064 | $42,806 | 6.7% | 4.8% | 4 (Peterson AFB) | 40.9 | 5.7 |  |
CE F | |||||
| 4 | San Diego | 1,083,611 | 92,489 | 26,489 | $526,900 | $1,444 | $31,583 | $48,772 | 6.9% | 5.7% | 9 (Naval Medical Center San Diego) | 24.8 | 6.7 | |
C F | |||||
| 5 | Lincoln, Neb. | 213,474 | 14,694 | 529 | $155,100 | $770 | $27,256 | $46,199 | 3.1% | 1.3% | 0 | no data | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 6 | Oklahoma City | 463,835 | 41,843 | 3,459 | $148,500 | $814 | $28,273 | $41,955 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 1 (Tinker AFB) | 47.6 | 6.8 | |
C F | |||||
| 7 | Omaha, Neb. | 332,986 | 24,503 | 627 | $143,200 | $813 | $30,243 | $37,302 | 4.1% | 4% | 1 (Offutt AFB) | 41.1 | 5.3 |  |
CE F | |||||
| 8 | Plano, Texas | 217,589 | 11,719 | 98 | $261,800 | $1,223 | $41,474 | $51,310 | 3.6% | 2% | 0 | 19.6 | 8.0 | |
CE F | |||||
| 9 | Honolulu, Hawaii | 289,879 | 23,213 | 6,025 | $641,900 | $1,394 | $30,876 | $41,777 | 3.6% | 2.5% | 8 (Fort Shafter) | no data | 6.0 |  |
F | |||||
| 10 | Irvine, Calif. | 204,129 | 5,532 | 42 | $777,000 | $2,070 | $50,058 | $65,055 | 4.9% | 3.5% | 1 (Seal Beach NAVWEAPSTA) | 15.5 | 7.2 | |
C F | |||||
| 11 | El Paso, Texas | 484,541 | 47,693 | 13,322 | $118,500 | $752 | $21,903 | $40,173 | 6.3% | 6.4% | 1 (Fort Bliss) | no data | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 12 | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 200,384 | 16,798 | 0 | $434,700 | $1,143 | $41,898 | $50,866 | 3.4% | no data | 0 | no data | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 13 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | 208,241 | 20,247 | 388 | $170,000 | $969 | $27,372 | $35,600 | 6.3% | 5.6% | 1 (Macdill AFB) | 63.6 | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 14 | Jacksonville, Fla. | 653,989 | 75,432 | 11,794 | $146,500 | $963 | $27,097 | $40,371 | 7.2% | 4.7% | 3 (Jacksonville NAS) | 43.2 | 4.8 |  |
C F | |||||
| 15 | Kansas City, Mo. | 364,599 | 24,710 | 161 | $138,400 | $833 | $29,560 | $39,135 | 5.2% | 4.7% | 0 | 58.9 | 6.1 | |
C F | |||||
| 16 | Tampa, Fla. | 286,581 | 20,636 | 1,872 | $189,800 | $974 | $25,432 | $33,457 | 8.3% | 2.1% | 1 (Macdill AFB) | 29.3 | 5.2 | |
C F | |||||
| 17 | Anchorage, Alaska | 215,758 | 27,492 | 8,981 | $302,500 | $1,241 | $36,060 | $54,936 | 6.4% | 2.9% | 2 (Fort Richardson) | 49.9 | 6.4 | |
F | |||||
| 18 | Mesa, Ariz. | 360,154 | 31,808 | 112 | $188,100 | $892 | $27,436 | $32,903 | 5.8% | 4.8% | 0 | 29.5 | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 19 | Arlington, Texas | 285,870 | 17,050 | 101 | $144,900 | $964 | $27,836 | $42,381 | 4.3% | 2.3% | 1 (NAS JRB Fort Worth) | 39.5 | 5.7 | |
CE F | |||||
| 20 | Henderson, Nev. | 225,549 | 25,045 | 379 | $273,800 | $1,144 | $33,091 | $44,150 | 6% | 4.3% | 1 (Nellis AFB) | 20.6 | 5.3 |  |
F | |||||
| 21 | Aurora, Colo. | 264,637 | 25,158 | 1,617 | $227,300 | $1,120 | $30,911 | $41,524 | 5.6% | 7% | 1 (Buckley AFB) | 34 | 4.2 |  |
CE F | |||||
| 22 | Austin, Texas | 736,863 | 37,414 | 101 | $282,700 | $1,139 | $34,226 | $44,631 | 4.2% | 5% | 0 | 41.5 | 5.6 | |
F | |||||
| 23 | Lexington-Fayette, Ky. | 248,361 | 16,661 | 132 | $170,200 | $816 | $26,893 | $42,406 | 4.8% | 3.9% | 0 | no data | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 24 | Phoenix | 1,151,463 | 72,388 | 805 | $200,800 | $922 | $27,014 | $34,291 | 6.2% | 6.6% | 1 (Luke AFB) | no data | 5.9 | |
C F | |||||
| 25 | Washington | 550,226 | 25,963 | 4,164 | $551,300 | $1,417 | $42,254 | $51,957 | 7.3% | 4.7% | 14 (Pentagon) | 57.2 | 5.7 | |
CE F | |||||
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