American veterans are entitled to federal and state benefits for years following their military service, including avenues for affordable housing and education for themselves and their families.
However, the quality of life for veterans can vary significantly from state to state. Using specific data points, Smart Asset has broken down and ranked which states are the best and worst for veterans.
This ranking considers factors such as veteran unemployment rates, veteran income after housing costs, and the availability of VA facilities.
According to a 2023 report, over 18 million veterans reside in the U.S., with more than 33,000 designated as homeless.
With that in mind, it’s important to consider where veterans can thrive. This blog post aims to provide a comprehensive ranking of the best and worst states for veterans to reside, offering insights into the factors that contribute to these rankings.
Best States for Veterans
To determine the best states for veterans, SmartAsset examined data related to the number of veterans in each state, veteran unemployment rates, median income, and the number of VA facilities available per 10,000 veterans. Here are the top 5 states for veterans:
1. Alaska
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Veteran income after housing: $36,831
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.89
- Note: Alaska has a rich U.S. military history and strategic importance, maintaining nine military bases across 104 million acres, allowing American military forces access to the Arctic and Indo-Pacific regions.
2. South Dakota
- Veteran unemployment rate: 2.43%
- Veteran income after housing: $30,230
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 3.9
3. Wyoming
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.67%
- Veteran income after housing: $31,010
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 4.23
4. Nebraska
- Veteran unemployment rate: 1.91%
- Veteran income after housing: $30,568
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.49
5. North Dakota
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.33%
- Veteran income after housing: $36,534
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.85
6. Maine
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,821
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.99
7. Montana
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.62%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,746
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.83
8. South Carolina
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.45%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,720
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.85
9. Virginia
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.98%
- Veteran income after housing: $36,714
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.78
10. Alabama
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.49%
- Veteran income after housing: $29,025
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.95
11. Delaware
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.81%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,406
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.10
12. New Hampshire
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.09%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,317
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.31
13. New Mexico
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.73%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,726
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.54
14. Vermont
- Veteran unemployment rate: 2.42%
- Veteran income after housing: $22,253
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.82
15. Iowa
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.82%
- Veteran income after housing: $26,814
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.19
16. Maryland
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.96%
- Veteran income after housing: $35,053
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.15
17. Hawaii
- Veteran unemployment rate: 2.41%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,924
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.46
18. West Virginia
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.2%
- Veteran income after housing: $26,361
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 2.03
19. Oklahoma
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.77%
- Veteran income after housing: $28,475
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.10
20. Colorado
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.23%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,797
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.06
21. Kentucky
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,658
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.31
22. Kansas
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.66%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,365
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.55
23. Minnesota
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.41%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,799
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.73
24. North Carolina
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.83%
- Veteran income after housing: $26,446
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.73
25. Arkansas
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.10%
- Veteran income after housing: $23,044
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.24
26. Texas
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.78%
- Veteran income after housing: $29,253
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.79
27. Missouri
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.04%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,586
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.27
28. Utah
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.04%
- Veteran income after housing: $28,837
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.10
29. Washington
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.58%
- Veteran income after housing: $28,495
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.75
30. Louisiana
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.63%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,214
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.14
31. Indiana
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.0%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,922
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.84
32. Idaho
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.44%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,992
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.28
33. Tennessee
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.62%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,479
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.93
34. Mississippi
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.96%
- Veteran income after housing: $23,780
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.18
35. Arizona
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.01%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,401
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.98
36. Nevada
- Veteran unemployment rate: 7.67%
- Veteran income after housing: $27,294
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.77
37. Georgia
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.49%
- Veteran income after housing: $26,359
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.78
38. Connecticut
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.44%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,671
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.88
39. Wisconsin
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.69%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,463
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.03
40. Ohio
- Veteran unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,063
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.74
41. Florida
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.24%
- Veteran income after housing: $23,920
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.79
42. Pennsylvania
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.42%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,171
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.97
43. New York
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.26%
- Veteran income after housing: $23,694
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.25
44. Illinois
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.95%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,807
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.06
45. Oregon
- Veteran unemployment rate: 7.74%
- Veteran income after housing: $22,379
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.06
46. Rhode Island
- Veteran unemployment rate: 3.22%
- Veteran income after housing: $22,668
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.67
47. Massachusetts
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.94%
- Veteran income after housing: $22,813
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 1.00
48. New Jersey
- Veteran unemployment rate: 5.86%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,642
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.96
49. California
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.75%
- Veteran income after housing: $24,987
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.85
Worst State for Veterans
- Michigan
- Veteran unemployment rate: 6.67%
- Veteran income after housing: $25,234
- VA facilities per 10,000 veterans: 0.77
- Key Point: Michigan’s veteran population has decreased over the last decade, from approximately 692,000 in 2010 to about 461,000 in 2022.
- Key Point: From 2021 to 2022, Michigan veterans living below the poverty line increased from 7.6% to 8.6%.
Alicia Richards