Hello, Tampa!
According to a survey by personal finance website WalletHub, Tampa, FL, is ranked the best city in the nation for veterans to live.
2021’s Best & Worst Places for Veterans to Live compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 20 key metrics, ranging from the share of military skill-related jobs, to housing affordability, and the availability of VA health facilities.
“All cities should be quick to take care of veterans’ needs," said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst, "considering how much veterans have sacrificed to serve the country and keep it safe. However, some cities spend an appropriate amount of money on veterans affairs while others do not, either because they lack the funds to do so, or because they do not put a high priority on veterans in the budget."
Rounding out the top 5 best cities for veterans to live in are Austin TX, Scottsdale, AZ, Raleigh, NC, and Gilbert, AZ.
“While cities do have a responsibility to their veterans, so does the federal government," Gonzalez added. "We spend an enormous amount of money on national defense and military operations, yet comparatively little on helping veterans once their service is done. It is distressing that there are tens of thousands of homeless veterans. That number should be reduced to zero."
The survey found that Jersey City, NJ, Baltimore, MD, Memphis, TN, Newark, NJ, and Detroit, MI, were the five worst cities for veterans to live in.
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WalletHub also released the results of its 2021 Military Money Survey, which found that 77% of Americans agree that military families experience more financial stress than the average family.
“The best way to reduce the financial stress on military families," Gonzalez explained, "is by making sure that anyone in a war zone does not have to worry about their family’s basic living expenses while they're fighting for our country. We should also improve financial education for members of the military community."
The survey also found that nearly a third of people think military spending should decrease due to COVID-19. Nearly 2 in 3 think that poor financial literacy among military personnel is a threat to national security, 7% more than in 2020. 76% of Americans don’t think the military does enough to teach financial literacy.
“Military families can undergo a tremendous amount of financial stress, especially when one parent is on the front lines and cannot be involved with managing the family’s finances,” said Gonzalez. “Plus, service members who are in active conflicts put their lives at risk, which risks even more of a financial burden on their family in the event that they die or end up with a disability. The least we can do for our military families is to take care of their basic needs.”
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To help with that, WalletHub’s editors also selected 2021’s Best Military Credit Cards, which provide hundreds of dollars in annual savings potential. It ranked PenFed Power Cash Rewards as the best military credit card of 2021. It gives 2% cashback on all purchases to current and former members of the military (1.5% otherwise) and has a $100 initial bonus. There is no annual fee.
To view the full report and your city’s rank, click here.
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