Where to Live (and to Avoid) after Military Life
Retiring from the military is a big decision—and a big adjustment. Whether you served one tour or you made a longer career of it, coming back into civilian life is never easy, and with the pandemic, there are even more challenges to consider. According to a recent report, what’s the best place for retired military members? Among all fifty states and Washington, DC, Virginia came in as the best overall area for military retirees.
Does It Matter Where You Live after Retiring from the Military?
Yes! Finding the right place to live after retiring from military life is crucial to ensuring you have access to whatever resources you need. That could include any or all of the following:
- Health care services, including nearby VA health facilities
- Job opportunities, such as government contracting which is this region economic engine
- Mental health support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), coping with disabilities, and more
- Favorable tax conditions on military benefits
- Support for those struggling with homelessness
- A community of other veterans with which to connect
When you’re choosing a state for post-military life, all these factors should be considered.
How Did the Report Determine the “Best” State?
The WalletHub report took thirty different metrics into consideration when ranking the fifty states and Washington, DC. These individual metrics fell under three main umbrellas:
- Economic environment, including tax-related issues, housing affordability, job opportunities, and more.
- Quality of life, such as veterans per capita and rate of veteran homelessness.
- Health care, including the number of VA health facilities.
Based on all these findings, Virginia came in
- #5 for economic environment,
- #5 for quality of life,
- and #12 for health care.
Additionally, Virginia scored well on all these factors:
- #3 for percent of veteran-owned businesses
- #4 for most job opportunities for veterans
- #2 for lowest percentage of homeless veterans
- #3 for most veterans per capita
Taken cumulatively, this data gave Virginia the best overall ranking.
What Were the Best (and Worst) States?
The top five states for veterans came in as follows:
- Virginia
- South Carolina
- Florida
- South Dakota
- Alaska
The bottom five regions for veterans, listed here worst first, were found to be the following:
51. Oregon
50. Vermont
49. District of Columbia (Washington, DC)
48. Nevada
47. Rhode Island
Red or Blue State?
According to the findings of the study, states typically considered “red” are more favorable for veterans than historically “blue” states. The average rank of a red state was 19.68, whereas the average rank of a blue state was 32.08. (Remember, the lower the number, the closer to the first, or best, position.)
Note, however, that Virginia, coming in as the best overall state, is largely considered blue, so it’s best to look at the individual rankings of any state you’re considering for your post-military life.
Finding the Right Real Estate Partner
You’ve found the perfect state. Now you just need the right real estate agent to make your move a reality!
Active military personnel know the value of partnering with a Realtor who has specific experience working with military families. As relocations can happen quickly and unexpectedly, you want a real estate agent who specializes in quick deals and maximum resale value in the short term.
As a retired veteran, you still benefit from working with a military-friendly agent. This includes helpful knowledge about VA financing, relevant military benefits, BAH rates, VA loan limits, and more. Having an agent who knows the area well can also give you great insight into local access to VA health facilities and other important and relevant region-specific information. Learn more about our military expertise here.
If you’re ready to make Virginia your forever home, contact us today. We thank you for all your service and sacrifice, and we’re standing by and ready to show you real estate as it should be!
