---
title: "These Are The Best (And Worst) Cities For Veterans In 2017"
date: "2017-11-06"
modified: "2017-11-06"
authors:
  - name: "James Clark"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/james-clark/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/best-cities-veterans-2017/"
categories:
  - "News"
---

# These Are The Best (And Worst) Cities For Veterans In 2017

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/19043660-1.jpg>)

Whether you’ve served one or two enlistments or are retiring after a lengthy career, the transition back to civilian life isn’t always easy; and where you live and the current job market in that area can have a big impact.

At least those are the findings of [a new study](<https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-veterans/8156/#methodology>) by WalletHub, which compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities based on 17 factors of livability, affordability, and veteran-friendliness.

The end result? Austin, Texas, is your best bet, followed closely by Colorado Springs, Colorado; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Piano, Texas.

The cities were ranked by employment opportunities, the local economy, and “veteran friendliness,” which took into account the number of vet-run businesses and the expected growth of a city’s veteran population. Finally, the study calculated the number of Veteran Affairs facilities compared to the number of vets, and the quality of care at VA clinics and hospitals.

Related: These States Have The Highest (And Lowest) Enlistment Rates In America »

Based on those same factors, the worst cities for veterans were Detroit, Michigan; Newark, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; Hialeah, Florida; and Memphis, Tennessee. In terms of job’s alone, Newark placed second to last, and Austin placed first — so if you’re on the fence between those two, maybe head down South toward the lone-star state.

Source: [WalletHub](<https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-veterans/8156/>)

For a top-level breakdown of the report, check out the infographic from WalletHub, below.

Infographic via Wallet Hub

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-491.png>)

**WATCH NEXT:**

## Author
James Clark is the editor-in-chief of Task & Purpose. He is a former Marine and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JamesWClark>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jclarkjournalism/>)