The 10 Best and Worst States for Military Retirees

Whether they’ve been out of the service for decades or are newly retired from the military, America's veterans need places to live where they have abundant access to quality health care, opportunities to find work, and low risk of becoming homeless. While some states provide these things to military retirees, others fall flat. A study by WalletHub compares such things as economic environment, quality of life, and health care to rank the states for military retirees looking to settle down. Here's a snapshot of the 10 best and 10 worst. What do you think? Tell us in the comments.

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Military retirees in Connecticut have the best health care benefits in the nation, but that’s not the only bright side to being a veteran in the Constitution State. As long as their military pay is taxable on a federal income tax return, retired service members of the U.S. armed forces who are residents of Connecticut are exempt from paying state income taxes on it.

Related: Veterans Benefits You Don't Want to Miss

South Dakota has the third-lowest percentage of homeless veterans and falls within the top 10 for health care and economic environment categories. Military retirees living in South Dakota also benefit from a property tax exemption.

Related: Awe-Inspiring Memorials and Other Places Honoring Our Vets

With the fourth-highest number of veterans, Maine also offers some of the best health care benefits to military retirees. Plus, the state provides Veteran Emergency Financial Assistance for sufferers of emergencies such as damage to homes not covered by insurance from fire, floods, or hurricanes; illnesses that cause financial hardships; and any other situation that might cause them to go without shelter, food, and safety.

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In terms of quality of life, military retirees in South Carolina rank third from the top based on things such as Veterans Affairs benefits, arts and entertainment establishments per capita, and fewest homeless veterans. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also recently signed a bill into law to eliminate state income taxes on veterans’ retirement pay. The bill will benefit 62,627 residents and could draw more vets to retire there.

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Military retirees in Alaska have the fifth-best economic environment and sixth-best quality of life in the nation. Part of the positive economic environment these veterans enjoy is attributable to the state also having the fourth-highest percentage of veteran-owned businesses with paid employees. Alaska also boasts the highest number of military retirees in the U.S.

The Granite State cracks the top 10 for all three of the key categories making it the best state for military retirees in New England. Not only do veterans enjoy property tax exemptions here, but the state has the highest percentage of veteran-owned businesses with paid employees. 

Quality of life is best for military retirees in Maryland. While the state offers weaker tax exemptions than some on military retirement pay, its legislature is being called on to consider a full exemptions and entice more veterans to come. The state already has the third-highest number of job opportunities for veterans looking to start post-military careers.

With the fifth-highest number of job opportunities for veterans and military retirement income tax exemptions, Minnesota knows how to treat former military to get them to stick around. The state also has the second-best health care for veterans — a category that considers the ratio between the number of veterans and the number of VA hospitals, the quality of those hospitals, as well as the number of federal, state, local, and private hospitals per capita.

Florida is the best overall state for retirees. It also has 21 military bases, making it pretty easy for veterans to get to a VA hospital when they need medical care, and a slew of organizations designed to help military retirees relocate there. Yet one of the biggest benefits is the tax environment: Florida doesn’t charge state income tax, so military retirees don’t have to pay state taxes on their pensions, leaving them with more disposable income.

Virginia boasts the third-highest number of military retirees in the nation, but what leads so many veterans to make the state their permanent home? Virginia not only has the second-highest percentage of veteran-owned businesses with paid employees, but also the fourth-highest amount of job opportunities and second-lowest percentage of homeless vets. 

The Hawkeye State serves about 500 veterans through the Iowa Veterans Home, which was founded in 1887 and covers 150 acres, making it the fifth-largest veterans retirement home in the country. It even has around 900 employees. But the home isn’t enough to make up for low scores on health care, quality of life, and economic environment. 

The reputation of the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol isn’t quite as alluring as the one in Iowa — there are reports that military retirees there are frequently victims of theft. One notable incidents involved a nearly 100-year-old Medal of Honor recipient who was robbed of it months after moving in. The older generation of veterans in the state isn’t the only one suffering: Rhode Island has the third-fewest job opportunities for vets and the lowest number of VA health facilities per veteran in the nation.

Despite cracking the top 10 for quality of life for its military retirees, California’s overall score is dragged down by being second from the bottom in terms of economic environment. Housing affordability for veterans is second-worst, behind only Hawaii. And California has the third-lowest percentage of veteran-owned businesses, the fifth-lowest number of job opportunities for vets, and is tied with four others for having the highest percentage of homeless veterans.

According to World Population Review, Mississippi is the second-most unhealthy state and has the highest percentage of obese residents at 40.8. That makes health care important for military retirees in the Magnolia State, but it ranks second-lowest for veteran health care. 

When military retirees search for somewhere to settle, they often consider the economic environment — and New Mexico’s is pretty bleak, as the fourth-worst in the nation. New Mexico offers the third-lowest amount of job opportunities for military retirees in search of a new career.

Despite running four veterans homes, Washington ranks close to the bottom for health care and economic environment for military retirees. The Evergreen State also has the second-lowest number of job opportunities for veterans looking to begin a new career.

After serving their country and sacrificing some freedoms for the greater good, too many veterans wind up homeless. Oregon is tied with four states for having the highest percentage of homeless vets, and is the fifth-least-affordable in terms of housing for military retirees.

It might be the nation’s capital, but Washington, D.C., has the third-lowest number of veterans per capita. It also has the third-lowest number of VA health facilities per veteran, and its veteran housing is the fourth-least affordable in the country. It’s tied with four states for the highest percentage of homeless veterans.

Las Vegas might be home to a handful of military bases, but Nevada ranks third from bottom in terms of health care for veterans. Military retirees looking to start a new career should steer clear of Nevada, too — the state has the fewest job opportunities for veterans. It’s riddled with homeless veterans.

Ranking dead last for economic environment, Vermont is one of only three states that fully tax military pensions. The issue to tax these pensions is a hot topic of debate; a bill to create an exemption could help convince more military retirees to stay.