Beyond the Parade: The Cities That Honor Veterans Every Day, Not Just Memorial Day

With Memorial Day quickly approaching, millions of Americans are getting ready to gas up their grills, pull out their favorite Red, White, and Blue attire, and head to their local parades to honor military service members. 

But after the flags stop flowing, the ceremonies end, and everyone packs up for the next patriotic holiday, this question still remains: What does daily life actually look like for veterans?

While major cities like New York City, Washington D.C., and Chicago are known for their grand Memorial Day displays, they aren’t always the most affordable or practical places for veterans to live due to high living costs and other financial pressures. 

So, which cities support veterans not just in ceremony but in everyday life?

To answer that, CardRates.com analyzed  57 U.S. cities with significant military and veteran populations, evaluating how well they support veterans across six key areas: Financial Well-Being, Festive Atmosphere, Environment & Weather, Veteran Population & Economic Stability, Credit & Financial Health, and Safety & Quality of Life. 

While Memorial Day serves as a timely lens for this analysis, the findings highlight a broader trend: the cities where veterans live most comfortably are not always the ones with the most visible celebrations. 

Our study evaluated the day-to-day quality of life, specifically for veterans, in different parts of the country to determine which cities offered the best environment for retired military members based on these six categories:

• Financial Well-Being: This section reflects state income tax on military retirement pay, housing affordability (including median rent, rent burden, and home value-to-income ratio), regional price parity, and poverty rate. 
• Festive Atmosphere: This section tracks the number of community events in the area (per 100K residents) and event diversity across the region.
• Environment & Weather: This section indicates the average temperature and the number of precipitation days in a city. 
• Veteran Population & Economic Stability: This section tracks the veteran population in the area and the unemployed veterans per capita.
• Credit & Financial Health: This section reflects the average credit score by state, consumer debt by state, and credit card delinquency by state.
• Safety & Quality of Life: This section measures a city’s walkability, property crime rate, mean commute time, and violent crime rate.

Our rankings measure financial and logistical factors, not the full picture of veteran wellbeing.

Rank	City	State	Total Score	Festive Atmosphere	Environment & Weather	Financial Well-Being	Veteran Population & Economic Stability	Credit & Financial Health	Safety & Quality of Life
1	Bellevue	NE	64.05	26.4	48.77	90.59	54.43	75.16	58.78
2	Leavenworth	KS	63.98	28.57	51.06	89.63	56.95	63.32	68.09
3	Belleville	IL	61.47	29.59	50.26	91.08	42.27	64.95	64.81
4	Lawton	OK	60.96	25.2	64.09	88.1	46.22	56.72	65.93
5	Oklahoma City	OK	58.26	25.17	62.65	84.37	40.04	56.72	63.91
6	Bossier City	LA	57.91	33.44	61.97	85.33	49.43	46.26	42.77
7	Yuma	AZ	57.86	29.26	96.24	83.42	39.51	35.9	55.3
8	Columbia	MO	57.65	29.64	49.62	81.65	34.67	60.04	78.08
9	New Bern	NC	57.06	23.59	50.91	83.95	51.02	49.51	56.17
10	Biloxi	MS	56.96	32.94	60.08	83.52	50.48	36.75	53.46
11	Cheyenne	WY	56.78	33.49	50.51	65.42	53.31	69.73	59.56
12	Charleston	WV	56.78	28.09	36.05	87.8	35.97	56.74	69.2
13	Fayetteville	NC	56.16	21.41	51.89	82.76	47.99	49.1	59.64
14	Jacksonville	NC	55.34	23.07	52.07	83.27	46.29	49.1	50.68
15	Ogden	UT	55.24	24.55	54.56	75.83	35.45	62.03	69.54
16	Hampton	VA	54.33	32.42	51.35	64.71	54.97	56.48	54.53
17	Columbus	OH	54.18	29.74	34.82	77.75	35.97	61.42	65.01
18	Phoenix	AZ	54.16	29.27	88.47	69.6	37.61	43.95	59.27
19	Roseburg	OR	53.88	24.64	42.82	57.1	54.63	75.57	65.14
20	Fayetteville	AR	53.59	25.39	54.56	76.86	35.13	48.12	70.2
21	Pahrump	NV	53.42	24.87	78.64	60.58	63.52	36.22	55.08
22	Virginia Beach	VA	53.18	29.93	53.1	61.17	54.54	56.48	56.5
23	Suffolk	VA	52.91	27.65	48.47	64.7	56.38	56.48	47.55
24	Fort Walton Beach	FL	52.9	23.99	65.89	61.12	59.27	48.47	52.53
25	Paradise	CA	52.78	25.52	58.97	55.31	65.09	44.26	68.03
26	Chesapeake	VA	52.64	27.65	53.1	62.28	55.17	56.48	49.96
27	Dayton	OH	52.46	15.84	42.74	83.61	37.56	62.35	38.65
28	Las Vegas	NV	52.22	55.34	86.89	53.91	40.99	36.57	53.7
29	Columbia	SC	52.04	28.84	57.64	75.72	40.1	44.53	45.41
30	Charleston	SC	51.98	33.56	63.18	71.29	38.58	42.67	51.28
31	Satellite Beach	FL	51.93	23.99	62.8	63.26	49.6	48.68	58.5
32	Colorado Springs	CO	51.61	28.24	55.82	56.51	51.15	59.24	57.24
33	Temple	TX	51.56	24.32	71.28	66.72	44.41	41	57.32
34	Anchorage	AK	51.26	33.5	36.56	59.43	46	74.41	43.88
35	El Paso	TX	51.17	27.99	79.73	67.9	35.44	41	53.87
36	Melbourne	FL	51.1	33.78	66.51	57.6	47.9	48.68	52.21
37	Norfolk	VA	51.08	25.96	53.1	59.81	49.65	56.48	55.32
38	Jacksonville	FL	50.91	29.33	60.98	58.47	46.26	47.54	64.92
39	Pensacola	FL	50.82	33.27	59.95	62.12	43.47	47.54	53.7
40	Newport News	VA	50.71	27.73	51.35	63.74	46.23	56.48	45.78
41	Killeen	TX	50.51	24.32	69.1	66.12	42.14	41	55.39
42	San Antonio	TX	50.32	26.06	73.81	61.67	42.34	41	59.16
43	Clarksville	TN	50.24	24.25	46.33	66.87	49.21	47.34	49.67
44	Punta Gorda	FL	50.22	23.99	67.53	56.98	53.02	48.68	48.63
45	Columbus	GA	50.16	17.58	59.86	67.53	47.72	44.98	49.85
46	Portsmouth	VA	49.53	27.7	45.94	61.79	48.44	56.48	40.82
47	Salt Lick	KY	49.12	26.91	44.4	60.41	33.33	59.63	69.06
48	Hinesville	GA	47.85	24.55	61.24	66.84	31.31	44.98	49.76
49	Columbia	TN	47.71	27.88	44.45	61.59	37.62	53.38	50.82
50	Lexington Park	MD	47.38	27.92	46.55	60.24	44.29	48.31	43.53
51	Severn	MD	47.08	27.92	44.23	62.76	39.67	48.31	44.55
52	Oceanside	CA	46.75	33.61	74.41	46.55	41.32	45.19	52.57
53	Fairfield	CA	46.47	25.52	66.49	51.71	36.44	44.96	64.49
54	Everett	WA	44.31	22.68	35.26	52	39.48	61.96	45.96
55	San Diego	CA	44.3	30.17	75.69	36.31	40.56	46.12	62.86
56	Tacoma	WA	43.96	28.49	35.43	49.27	43.23	52.1	48.99
57	Bremerton	WA	43.7	22.85	31.29	51.34	45.13	54.34	45.61

Our study found a central theme: Top-ranked cities consistently scored high on financial well-being but low on festive atmosphere, suggesting that long-term affordability and quality of life outweigh celebration alone. 

Conversely, and in some cases, cities with less emphasis on large-scale events often offer more stable and affordable environments for military retirees year-round. Our top three rankings exhibit this pattern clearly. 

1. Bellevue, NE

Scoring a 90.6 in financial well-being, Bellevue, Nebraska, ranks first overall,  supported not only by favorable tax policies but also strong credit health (75.2) and a relatively low poverty rate (7.8%). However, the city’s limited event activity, reflected in a festive atmosphere score of 26.4, suggests fewer opportunities for large-scale community engagement. 

2. Leavenworth, KS

Leavenworth, Kansas, ranks second, driven by a high financial well-being score of 89.6, and one of the largest veteran populations in the study (13.3% of residents). The city also performs well in safety and quality of life (68.1) metrics, reinforcing its appeal as a stable place for military retirees. Its lack of diverse events, however, lowers its festive atmosphere score (28.6), suggesting room for improvement in community engagement. 

3. Belleville, IL

Belleville, Illinois, ranks third overall with a leading financial well-being score of 91.1. In addition to favorable tax policies and housing affordability, the city stands out for having effectively no measurable veteran unemployment in the dataset, pointing to strong economic stability for former service members. Still, its lower event activity, reflected in a festive atmosphere score of 29.6, suggests a quieter community footprint compared to more event-driven cities.

As it happens, every top-ranked city on our list is in a state that does not tax military retirement pay. These tax exemptions translate to higher earnings for veterans, allowing them to retain more of their pay in retirement.  

4. Lawton, OK

Lawton, Oklahoma, ranks fourth in the nation for veterans. Its strong financial well-being score of 88.1 is highlighted by its absence of taxes and a relatively low average consumer debt of $73,192, suggesting less financial strain among residents. 

5. Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, takes the final spot in the top five, with a high financial well-being score of 84.4. Thanks to its tax policies and favorable regional price parity (90.40), the city is able to provide an affordable environment for military retirees to live and pay for their day-to-day needs. 

The table below ranks each city across six key dimensions: Financial Well-Being, Festive Atmosphere, Environment & Weather, Veteran Population & Economic Stability, Credit & Financial Health, and Safety & Quality of Life.

Rank	City	State	Total Score	Section: Festive Atmosphere	Section: Environment & Weather	Section: Financial Well-Being	Section: Veteran Population & Economic Stability	Section: Credit & Financial Health	Section: Safety & Quality of Life	Weekend Events per 100k Residents	Event Category Diversity	Events per 100k Residents	Average Temperature	Days with Precipitation	Median Gross Rent	Rent-Burdened Households (30%+)	Median Home Value / Median Household Income	Regional Price Parity (Overall)	Poverty Rate	States That Don't Tax Military Retirement Pay	Veteran Population	VA Health Care	Veteran Unemployment Rate (not raw)	Credit Score by State	Consumer Debt by State	Credit Card Delinquency Rate (All States)	City Sales Tax Rate (Combined)	Walk Score	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate	Mean Travel Time to Work
1	Bellevue	NE	64.05	26.4	48.77	90.59	54.43	75.16	58.78	0	85	0	51.3	56.6	$1,226.00	3556	$2.89	–	7.80%	1	11.551	7241	0.035	731	$85,744.00	4.24%	5.50%	5	99.197	1132.105	20.766
2	Leavenworth	KS	63.98	28.57	51.06	89.63	56.95	63.32	68.09	0	89.7	0	55.8	63.4	$1,229.00	2472	$2.64	–	11.65%	1	13.277	3893	0.073	722	$80,485.00	4.71%	9.50%	74	495.411	2588.051	19.611
3	Belleville	IL	61.47	29.59	50.26	91.08	42.27	64.95	64.81	0	91.9	0	57.7	70.6	$1,019.00	3297	$2.22	–	14.65%	1	6.571	3645	0	720	$87,090.00	5.11%	6.25%	65	532.007	1812.306	25.063
4	Lawton	OK	60.96	25.2	64.09	88.1	46.22	56.72	65.93	0	82.4	0	62	48.5	$967.00	7508	$2.61	85.941	21.12%	1	10.643	8764	0.132	696	$73,192.00	6.31%	4.50%	71	820.317	2652.729	16.192
5	Oklahoma City	OK	58.26	25.17	62.65	84.37	40.04	56.72	63.91	4.7	80	11	61.4	50.4	$1,130.00	52940	$3.37	90.408	15.13%	1	5.691	60101	0.032	696	$73,192.00	6.31%	4.50%	75	676.011	2893.485	22.208
6	Bossier City	LA	57.91	33.44	61.97	85.33	49.43	46.26	42.77	11.1	96.3	11.1	66.6	66.4	$1,107.00	5949	$3.62	84.766	20.79%	1	9.06	7109	0	690	$77,868.00	7.58%	5%	2	913.147	3679.681	17.966
7	Yuma	AZ	57.86	29.26	96.24	83.42	39.51	35.9	55.3	0	91.2	0	75.9	7.9	$1,114.00	6215	$3.51	92.706	15.54%	1	7.707	11914	0.107	712	$117,978.00	6.02%	13.42%	0	423.575	1247.193	18.401
8	Columbia	MO	57.65	29.64	49.62	81.65	34.67	60.04	78.08	19.8	83.8	30.9	56	67.5	$1,097.00	13125	$4.28	89.438	19.25%	1	3.796	10052	0	714	$81,656.00	5.27%	7.97%	96	347.515	2317.535	16.372
9	New Bern	NC	57.06	23.59	50.91	83.95	51.02	49.51	56.17	3.2	77.8	3.2	62.7	82.8	$1,081.00	2681	$3.93	–	17.25%	1	11.233	5765	0.076	709	$97,645.00	6.67%	–	7	362.541	1616.075	18.819
10	Biloxi	MS	56.96	32.94	60.08	83.52	50.48	36.75	53.46	46.8	79.7	73.3	68.5	76.3	$1,089.00	4416	$3.94	90.006	16.44%	1	9.872	5928	0.02	680	$64,241.00	8.75%	7%	4	250.489	2057.953	21.349
11	Cheyenne	WY	56.78	33.49	50.51	65.42	53.31	69.73	59.56	0	100	3.1	46.9	40.2	$1,118.00	4418	$4.23	96.491	8.74%	0	10.414	8584	0	725	$111,029.00	4.03%	4%	31	328.508	2988.809	16.05
12	Charleston	WV	56.78	28.09	36.05	87.8	35.97	56.74	69.2	26.9	78.9	28.9	54.4	96.4	$908.00	3272	$3.09	88.717	15.76%	1	4.304	6375	0	702	$63,441.00	6.79%	6%	81	542.679	3119.865	16.92
13	Fayetteville	NC	56.16	21.41	51.89	82.76	47.99	49.1	59.64	7.2	71.2	11.5	61.9	78.2	$1,250.00	21476	$3.22	91.978	17.70%	1	11.761	23347	0.165	709	$97,645.00	6.67%	7%	53	660.173	3094.62	19.117
14	Jacksonville	NC	55.34	23.07	52.07	83.27	46.29	49.1	50.68	0	77.8	0	62.5	79.4	$1,321.00	7307	$3.64	92.085	12.67%	1	9.052	4728	0.051	709	$97,645.00	6.67%	7%	1	538.352	2914.4	15.043
15	Ogden	UT	55.24	24.55	54.56	75.83	35.45	62.03	69.54	0	81	0	51.7	43.5	$1,216.00	5734	$4.90	100.349	13.67%	1	4.274	5667	0.007	730	$141,779.00	3.91%	–	78	505.398	1925.325	22.522
16	Hampton	VA	54.33	32.42	51.35	64.71	54.97	56.48	54.53	2.2	97	4.4	59.5	72.9	$1,427.00	13797	$3.53	–	12.72%	0	12.599	17281	0.082	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	22	247.647	2881.97	22.513
17	Columbus	OH	54.18	29.74	34.82	77.75	35.97	61.42	65.01	13.1	86.6	22.2	52.8	95	$1,295.00	97513	$3.83	95.469	18.13%	1	3.825	61282	0.013	716	$74,140.00	5.57%	8%	65	434.87	2653.349	21.535
18	Phoenix	AZ	54.16	29.27	88.47	69.6	37.61	43.95	59.27	8.2	87.5	15.7	72.5	17.6	$1,582.00	127753	$5.17	103.316	13.70%	1	4.019	108146	0.024	712	$117,978.00	6.02%	9.10%	62	799.611	2325.342	25.592
19	Roseburg	OR	53.88	24.64	42.82	57.1	54.63	75.57	65.14	0	81.2	0	56.4	85.3	$1,063.00	2316	$5.37	–	22.40%	0	10.948	3497	0	732	$123,104.00	4.29%	0%	58	217.373	3766.407	15.615
20	Fayetteville	AR	53.59	25.39	54.56	76.86	35.13	48.12	70.2	20	74.6	30.5	58.3	61.7	$1,065.00	10833	$5.58	91.353	20.64%	1	4.485	6544	0.023	695	$74,716.00	7.19%	6.50%	74	423.676	2371.048	18.55
21	Pahrump	NV	53.42	24.87	78.64	60.58	63.52	36.22	55.08	0	81.7	0	62.3	13.6	$1,304.00	1943	$5.00	–	13.72%	0	14.026	8773	0	701	$118,880.00	6.90%	–	41	411.438	2381.838	29.755
22	Virginia Beach	VA	53.18	29.93	53.1	61.17	54.54	56.48	56.5	7.2	89.8	9.8	61.6	74.4	$1,714.00	32210	$4.11	97.941	8.59%	0	11.47	51019	0.057	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	9	92.276	1639.881	23.428
23	Suffolk	VA	52.91	27.65	48.47	64.7	56.38	56.48	47.55	0	87.7	0	59.4	79.7	$1,563.00	5885	$3.75	–	9.39%	0	11.731	10953	0.013	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	0	370.993	1570.923	30.209
24	Fort Walton Beach	FL	52.9	23.99	65.89	61.12	59.27	48.47	52.53	0	79.8	0	76.9	85.2	$1,307.00	1790	$4.70	97.031	13.28%	0	12.601	2796	0	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	7%	7	381.575	1941.718	22.653
25	Paradise	CA	52.78	25.52	58.97	55.31	65.09	44.26	68.03	0	83.1	0	61.5	59.7	$1,241.00	390	$6.15	–	18.18%	0	14.671	2170	0	722	$151,749.00	5.01%	8.75%	51	285.452	693.241	24.311
26	Chesapeake	VA	52.64	27.65	53.1	62.28	55.17	56.48	49.96	0	87.7	0	61.6	74.4	$1,586.00	13119	$3.97	97.941	9.42%	0	11.462	26645	0.03	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	0	339.361	1744.231	25.766
27	Dayton	OH	52.46	15.84	42.74	83.61	37.56	62.35	38.65	6.5	59.3	11.6	53.9	78.6	$918.00	14801	$2.22	92.694	26.93%	1	5.784	12323	0.048	716	$74,140.00	5.57%	7.50%	17	1339.196	4334.221	20.322
28	Las Vegas	NV	52.22	55.34	86.89	53.91	40.99	36.57	53.7	0	75.5	670.1	69.1	12.1	$1,563.00	59476	$5.79	100.215	13.95%	0	6.186	55909	0.037	701	$118,880.00	6.90%	8.38%	26	411.438	2381.838	25.722
29	Columbia	SC	52.04	28.84	57.64	75.72	40.1	44.53	45.41	18.3	82.6	29.3	64.3	70.7	$1,204.00	15993	$4.76	93.662	23.97%	1	5.687	12207	0	700	$94,196.00	6.67%	8%	0	769.928	3232.59	17.677
30	Charleston	SC	51.98	33.56	63.18	71.29	38.58	42.67	51.28	31.3	87.6	48	67.2	65.1	$1,722.00	15658	$5.52	100.962	12.31%	1	5.711	16993	0.03	700	$94,196.00	6.67%	9%	6	357.557	2021.696	24.227
31	Satellite Beach	FL	51.93	23.99	62.8	63.26	49.6	48.68	58.5	0	79.8	0	71.9	79	$1,909.00	310	$4.22	–	4.14%	0	9.198	1224	0	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	–	42	381.575	1941.718	27.535
32	Colorado Springs	CO	51.61	28.24	55.82	56.51	51.15	59.24	57.24	6.5	86.1	11.9	50.4	36.8	$1,648.00	41807	$5.34	100.707	9.05%	0	10.889	46668	0.084	731	$155,204.00	4.71%	2.90%	59	715.602	3448.809	22.654
33	Temple	TX	51.56	24.32	71.28	66.72	44.41	41	57.32	0	80.5	0	68	47.4	$1,231.00	7695	$3.50	91.132	16.02%	0	9.272	9231	0.097	695	$97,767.00	6.69%	8.25%	25	316.946	2362.123	20.984
34	Anchorage	AK	51.26	33.5	36.56	59.43	46	74.41	43.88	1	100	1	37.6	48.8	$1,489.00	17231	$3.83	105.42	8.95%	0	7.933	27241	0.017	722	$117,035.00	4.02%	0%	0	1014.783	2765.91	18.836
35	El Paso	TX	51.17	27.99	79.73	67.9	35.44	41	53.87	6.9	85.6	10.6	66.2	21.7	$1,073.00	48175	$3.09	89.912	18.36%	0	5.96	58627	0.122	695	$97,767.00	6.69%	8.25%	4	278.408	1493.975	23.425
36	Melbourne	FL	51.1	33.78	66.51	57.6	47.9	48.68	52.21	2.4	100	3.5	73.1	73.2	$1,525.00	8081	$4.57	100.005	15.77%	0	9.577	12086	0.054	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	–	6	381.575	1941.718	22.762
37	Norfolk	VA	51.08	25.96	53.1	59.81	49.65	56.48	55.32	15.2	77.4	27	61.6	74.4	$1,321.00	26925	$4.39	97.941	16.50%	0	9.687	21684	0.036	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	47	469.496	3772.455	22.996
38	Jacksonville	FL	50.91	29.33	60.98	58.47	46.26	47.54	64.92	5.2	89.3	7.1	69.3	76.3	$1,465.00	89516	$4.20	99.484	14.54%	0	8.105	82800	0.057	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	7.50%	59	381.575	1941.718	24.087
39	Pensacola	FL	50.82	33.27	59.95	62.12	43.47	47.54	53.7	42.5	81.8	70.3	69.4	79.1	$1,322.00	4388	$4.24	97.717	12.63%	0	9.758	7309	0.135	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	7.50%	10	381.575	1941.718	21.991
40	Newport News	VA	50.71	27.73	51.35	63.74	46.23	56.48	45.78	0.5	87.7	0.5	59.5	72.9	$1,339.00	19286	$3.74	–	14.48%	0	9.381	18461	0.077	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	2	735.987	2416.064	23.139
41	Killeen	TX	50.51	24.32	69.1	66.12	42.14	41	55.39	0	80.5	0	66.6	48.9	$1,208.00	15434	$3.53	91.132	17.44%	0	15.258	12478	0.425	695	$97,767.00	6.69%	8.25%	23	527.628	1382.471	25.456
42	San Antonio	TX	50.32	26.06	73.81	61.67	42.34	41	59.16	7.5	81.1	12.2	69.6	45.6	$1,324.00	134900	$3.62	94.716	17.15%	0	6.258	123129	0.061	695	$97,767.00	6.69%	8.25%	82	594.14	4623.634	24.481
43	Clarksville	TN	50.24	24.25	46.33	66.87	49.21	47.34	49.67	5.4	78.3	6.6	59.2	84.4	$1,307.00	13475	$3.80	90.947	12.33%	0	13.556	14461	0.225	706	$95,389.00	5.91%	9.50%	3	410.037	1632.056	26.986
44	Punta Gorda	FL	50.22	23.99	67.53	56.98	53.02	48.68	48.63	0	79.8	0	74.3	74	$1,410.00	1124	$6.04	100.525	8.28%	0	10.334	6822	0	707	$97,147.00	6.66%	–	3	381.575	1941.718	27.398
45	Columbus	GA	50.16	17.58	59.86	67.53	47.72	44.98	49.85	4.4	64	7.8	66.6	71.6	$1,106.00	18990	$3.34	89.296	19.05%	0	9.991	22056	0.084	695	$94,888.00	7.71%	4%	5	603.797	2235.64	20.891
46	Portsmouth	VA	49.53	27.7	45.94	61.79	48.44	56.48	40.82	0	87.7	1	57.8	81.5	$1,300.00	9428	$4.08	–	17.34%	0	9.318	11014	0.032	723	$126,747.00	5.01%	6%	4	752.398	3860.801	23.651
47	Salt Lick	KY	49.12	26.91	44.4	60.41	33.33	59.63	69.06	0	86.1	0	56.9	82.8	$840.00	7	$2.20	–	41.24%	0	3.457	20	0	705	$71,816.00	5.94%	6%	18	319.551	2122.227	0
48	Hinesville	GA	47.85	24.55	61.24	66.84	31.31	44.98	49.76	0	81	0	67.4	70.4	$1,212.00	3236	$3.27	93.933	13.95%	0	14.5	3211	0.567	695	$94,888.00	7.71%	4%	20	686.505	2431.486	24.87
49	Columbia	TN	47.71	27.88	44.45	61.59	37.62	53.38	50.82	0	88.2	0	58	85.7	$1,197.00	3102	$4.84	–	14.18%	0	4.923	3725	0	706	$95,389.00	5.91%	–	28	573.176	2487.139	28.045
50	Lexington Park	MD	47.38	27.92	46.55	60.24	44.29	48.31	43.53	0	88.3	0	56.5	76.4	$1,755.00	1513	$3.27	100.76	13.78%	0	11.014	815	0.177	715	$128,998.00	5.95%	6%	0	896.771	3045.525	19.757
51	Severn	MD	47.08	27.92	44.23	62.76	39.67	48.31	44.55	0	88.3	0	56.5	82.1	$2,175.00	2801	$3.56	–	5.72%	0	9.458	5531	0.184	715	$128,998.00	5.95%	6%	23	896.771	3045.525	27.763
52	Oceanside	CA	46.75	33.61	74.41	46.55	41.32	45.19	52.57	1.7	100	1.7	61	20.4	$2,303.00	15089	$7.88	–	8.26%	0	6.762	17707	0.034	722	$151,749.00	5.01%	8.25%	21	458.735	1671.951	28.745
53	Fairfield	CA	46.47	25.52	66.49	51.71	36.44	44.96	64.49	0	83.1	0	61.7	41.8	$2,266.00	9268	$6.13	–	10.18%	0	5.921	13300	0.074	722	$151,749.00	5.01%	8.38%	74	498.01	1685.635	30.654
54	Everett	WA	44.31	22.68	35.26	52	39.48	61.96	45.96	18	69.4	28.9	52.1	92	$1,740.00	12178	$6.77	–	12.92%	0	6.089	9317	0.028	735	$151,068.00	3.82%	–	4	265.107	3219.023	26.869
55	San Diego	CA	44.3	30.17	75.69	36.31	40.56	46.12	62.86	12.7	87.9	19.6	61.7	19.2	$2,313.00	146615	$8.39	111.887	11.01%	0	5.078	123235	0.035	722	$151,749.00	5.01%	7.75%	47	412.232	1670.022	23.483
56	Tacoma	WA	43.96	28.49	35.43	49.27	43.23	52.1	48.99	20.1	81.9	24.6	53.7	96	$1,676.00	21661	$5.58	111.133	12.42%	0	7.193	21554	0.025	735	$151,068.00	3.82%	10.40%	84	1063.041	5603.625	28.767
57	Bremerton	WA	43.7	22.85	31.29	51.34	45.13	54.34	45.61	2.3	76.5	2.3	52.3	102.3	$1,641.00	5079	$5.86	105.607	13.78%	0	9.988	4297	0.116	735	$151,068.00	3.82%	9.20%	0	434.037	2814.731	25.269

On the surface, many well-known military hubs may seem like ideal places for service members to settle. But our data tells a different story. Surprisingly, some of these cities are also where veterans face the greatest financial pressure. 

Cities Bremerton, Tacoma, and San Diego are all situated near major military installations and have long-standing ties to the armed forces. Yet despite that proximity, high living costs, housing affordability challenges, and broader financial strain can make them difficult places for veterans to live comfortably long-term. 

Let’s take a closer look at the bottom-ranked cities below: 

57. Bremerton, WA

Bremerton, Washington, ranks last overall, weighed down by weaker financial conditions and limited economic flexibility for veterans. The city posts a financial well-being score of 51.3, well below that of top-ranked cities, and also sees one of the lowest environment scores (31.3), driven in part by more than 102 days of precipitation annually. While not the most expensive city on the list, this combination of moderate affordability and lower overall livability contributes to its last-place finish.

56. Tacoma, WA 

Tacoma, Washington, ranks second-to-last, with financial pressures compounded by safety concerns. While the city performs relatively well in credit health (52.1), it struggles in financial well-being (49.3), reflecting higher housing costs and overall affordability challenges. Tacoma also records one of the highest property crime rates in the dataset, alongside nearly 96 days of precipitation each year, factors that further weigh on the overall quality of life.

55. San Diego, CA

San Diego, California, ranks among the lowest, primarily due to its exceptionally high cost of living. With a financial well-being score of just 36.3, the city has one of the least affordable housing markets in the study, including a home value-to-income ratio above 8.0. While its favorable weather (75.7) and relatively strong safety scores (62.9) offer some advantages, these benefits are often outweighed by the significant financial barriers veterans face in the area. 

While most cities set aside time each year to honor and celebrate veterans, real veteran support doesn’t end with symbolic recognition. It’s in the everyday, mundane aspects of life that people don’t always see. It’s tax policy, affordable housing, and financial stability — lasting economic solutions that help improve quality of life. 

Veterans considering relocation should look at the cities where their retirement pay goes the furthest. The places with veteran-friendly tax policies, low consumer debt, and affordable living costs. After all, those are the cities that honor veterans every day, not only on Memorial Day. 

Media inquiries can contact Catherine@cardrates.com.

The methodology below explains the data inputs, scoring approach, and weighted metric framework used for this ranking.

Overview

This study ranks the best cities for veterans to live and thrive, using Memorial Day as a timely lens for evaluating quality of life, focusing on 57 cities across various metrics. The evaluation considers factors such as festive atmosphere, financial well-being, and safety, providing a broad view of each city’s suitability for veterans. The methodology utilizes diverse data sources to ensure a robust and fair ranking process. Cities were selected based on having a notable military or veteran population.

Data & Sources

Data is sourced from reputable organizations, including Ticketmaster Discovery, NOAA Climate Data, and the U.S. Census Bureau, among others. The study employs a skip rule for missing data, ensuring that all cities are evaluated based on available information. When data is missing for a given metric, that metric is excluded from the city’s score rather than treated as zero, and remaining metrics are reweighted proportionally within the section. Some financial indicators are only available at the state level and are applied uniformly to cities within those states.

Scoring Approach

Cities are scored based on a weighted point system across multiple sections, with each section contributing a specific number of points to the overall score. Metrics are assessed on a raw scale, and directionality is applied individually to each metric, with higher or lower values considered favorable depending on the variable. The final ranking is determined by aggregating scores from all sections, allowing for a comprehensive comparison.

Caveats: No state fallbacks were utilized in this study, ensuring that all metrics reflect direct data from the specified sources. However, the absence of fallback measures means that cities with missing data may have been excluded from certain metrics, potentially impacting their overall scores. It is crucial to consider these limitations when interpreting the results.

Cities Evaluated: 57
Sources Used: 8

Scoring Process: Each metric is normalized using a min-max scaling approach, converting raw values to a standardized 0–100 scale for comparability. Each metric is normalized using a min-max scaling approach within the study sample, converting raw values to a standardized 0–100 scale for comparability. Directionality is applied per metric (higher-is-better or lower-is-better). Optional divide-by metrics are computed as ratio values before normalization. Section scores are calculated as weighted averages of their component metrics. Final scores are computed as weighted averages of section scores using section point allocations.

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau, Official State Tax Authority Sources (state-by-state), Ticketmaster Discovery, NOAA Climate Data, Walk Score, FBI Crime Data, Military.com

Festive Atmosphere (15 pts · 3 metrics)

This section contributes 15 points to the total score and captures one dimension of city performance. Its 3 metrics are combined using metric-level weights, then rolled into the composite score according to the section point allocation.

Weekend Events per 100k Residents

Weekend Events per 100k Residents provides context on community engagement opportunities and overall social activity levels. 

Event Category Diversity

Event Category Diversity assesses the range of activities available, indicating a city’s cultural richness and inclusivity, important for veterans seeking community connection.

Events per 100k Residents

Events per 100k Residents quantifies the frequency of events, reflecting a city’s liveliness and opportunities for veterans to participate in community life.

Environment & Weather (10 pts · 2 metrics)

This section contributes 10 points to the total score and captures one dimension of city performance. Its 2 metrics are combined using metric-level weights, then rolled into the composite score according to the section point allocation.

Average Temperature

Average Temperature provides insight into the climate comfort level, which can significantly impact veterans’ well-being and outdoor activity opportunities.

Days with Precipitation

Days with precipitation indicate the frequency of wet weather, which can affect outdoor activities and overall lifestyle satisfaction for veterans.

Financial Well-Being (30 pts · 6 metrics)

This section contributes 30 points to the total score, the highest allocation in the study, reflecting the outsized role financial conditions play in veterans’ long-term stability and quality of life. Its 6 metrics assess housing costs, affordability pressure, cost of living, and tax treatment of military retirement income.

Median Gross Rent

Median Gross Rent reflects the typical monthly housing cost, a key driver of affordability for veterans.

Rent-Burdened Households (30%+)

This metric measures the share of households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, indicating housing affordability pressure.

Median Home Value / Median Household Income

This ratio assesses housing affordability by comparing home prices to income levels, with lower values indicating more accessible housing markets.

Regional Price Parity (Overall)

Regional Price Parity measures the overall cost of living relative to the national average, with lower values indicating more affordable areas.

Poverty Rate

Poverty Rate reflects the share of residents living below the poverty line, providing insight into broader economic conditions.

States That Don’t Tax Military Retirement Pay

This binary metric reflects whether a state exempts military retirement income from taxation, directly impacting veterans’ financial well-being.

Veteran Population & Economic Stability (20 pts · 3 metrics)

This section contributes 20 points to the total score and captures one dimension of city performance. Its 3 metrics are combined using metric-level weights, then rolled into the composite score according to the section point allocation.

Veteran Population

Veteran Population as a percentage of the total population indicates the community’s size and potential support network for veterans.

VA Health Care

VA Health Care reflects the number of individuals using VA health coverage, serving as a proxy for access to veteran-specific medical services.

Unemployed Veterans Per Capita

Unemployed Veterans Per Capita reflects the concentration of unemployed veterans relative to the overall population, serving as a proxy for economic stability.

Credit & Financial Health (15 pts · 4 metrics)

This section contributes 15 points to the total score and captures one dimension of city performance. Its 4 metrics are combined using metric-level weights, then rolled into the composite score according to the section point allocation.

Credit Score by State

Credit Score by State reflects the overall financial health of residents, influencing veterans’ access to loans and credit.

Consumer Debt by State

Consumer Debt by State measures financial burdens, providing insight into broader financial conditions.

Credit Card Delinquency Rate (All States)

The credit card delinquency rate indicates financial stress levels, which can impact veterans’ financial planning and security.

City Sales Tax Rate (Combined)

City Sales Tax Rate (Combined) affects the cost of living and disposable income for veterans, influencing their financial health.

Safety & Quality of Life (10 pts · 4 metrics)

This section contributes 10 points to the total score and captures one dimension of city performance. Its 4 metrics are combined using metric-level weights, then rolled into the composite score according to the section point allocation.

Walk Score

Walk Score measures urban walkability, impacting veterans’ mobility and access to services, enhancing their quality of life.

Violent Crime Rate

Violent Crime Rate is a critical safety metric, as lower crime rates contribute to a sense of security for veterans and their families.

Property Crime Rate

Property Crime Rate reflects the safety of neighborhoods, influencing veterans’ comfort and willingness to engage in community activities.

Mean Travel Time to Work

Mean Travel Time to Work impacts daily life quality, as shorter commutes can enhance veterans’ work-life balance and overall satisfaction.

Notes: Values are normalized comparatively within this specific study configuration and city set. Changing metrics, weights, section points, filters, tags, or divide-by choices changes the final rankings.