Navy Federal Credit Union, in partnership with Sperling’s BestPlaces, has released its 2024 Best Cities After Service list.
The report is designed to help military service members, veterans and their families make a smooth transition to civilian life by evaluating the pros and cons of American cities where they may consider settling down.
More than 200,000 service members transition out of active duty each year. Research shows that they face hurdles in achieving their personal financial goals due to high costs of living, inflation and housing burdens. At the same time, financial opportunities motivate many veterans to use the skills they developed during service to start their own businesses, pursue their passions, and earn a comfortable living in the long term.
“When you leave military service, finding a home, starting a new career and making a financial plan are daunting steps,” said Clay Stackhouse, a retired Marine Corps colonel and regional outreach manager at Navy Federal. “This unique population of individuals has diverse needs, so it’s more important than ever for us to provide tools and resources that support them through all aspects of the transition to the civilian world.”
Navy Federal, which serves over two million veteran members, worked with Sperling’s BestPlaces to evaluate and rank 400 cities across the United States based on a number of quality-of-life measures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including veteran success and wellness; affordability; climate, environmental health and national hazard risk; recreational opportunity and proximity to amenities; crime rate; community diversity and population change; proximity to airports; quality of schools and health resources.
“More than ever, choosing the right place to live can be the springboard for success and happiness,” said Bert Sperling, founder and CEO of Sperlling’s BestPlaces. “Tailored for veterans and their families, these rankings are an important resource in finding a new place to call home."
Top 10 Best Cities After Service are: Sarasota, FL; Norwich, CT; Derry, NH; Omaha, NE; Portland, ME; Virginia Beach, VA; Sebastian, FL; Oklahoma City, OK; Duluth, MN and Rapid City, SD
Best Cities for Retired Veterans are: Sarasota, FL; Derry, NH; Tampa, FL; Duluth, MN; and Norwich, CT.
Best Cities for Veterans to Buy a House: Altoona, PA; Abilene, TX; Muncie, IN; El Paso, TX and Mansfield, OH.
Best Cities for Veterans to Start a Business: Coeur d’Alene, ID; Johnson City, TN; Bend, OR; Logan, UT; and Wichita Falls, TX.
Best Small Towns for Veterans: Glens Falls, NY; Ames, IA; Mankato, MN; La Crosse, WI and Manhatten, KS,
The credit union published its original Best Cities After Service list in 2018, followed by an expanded version in 2022 that explored cities for retirement, homebuying and military families.
In honor of Veterans Day, Navy Federal is also donating to The Mission Continues, which aims to empower veterans to apply their skills and leadership abilities in serving their communities. The donation will benefit the nonprofit’s National Service Platoon Program. The donation will benefit the nonprofit’s National Service Platoon Program. More details Navy Federal’s celebrations for Veterans Day can be found here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.