After years of military service, one of the most challenging obstacles veterans face is building a normal life — and some states make that process more possible than others.
Each year approximately 200,000 service members transition from military to civilian life, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Many veterans face major struggles, including PTSD, disability and homelessness, so in an effort to make the changeover as successful as possible, personal finance platform WalletHub ranked some of the best states for them to retire to.
"Transitioning from military to civilian life isn't easy," Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, said in a release. "In addition to providing the conditions necessary for our veterans to thrive financially, [these states] also have ample resources for taking care of military retirees' physical and mental health."
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The states were ranked based on their ability to provide a comfortable military retirement and factored in the number of veterans per capita, job opportunities for veterans and other metrics. South Carolina was found to be the best place for retired military personnel, due to its veteran-specific policies that allow businesses to give preferential hiring to veterans and offer academic credit for military service. The state also has the fourth-best VA hospital network and the sixth best job growth rate in the country.
The south rounded out the remaining top three, with Florida and Virginia ranking second and third, respectively. Florida doesn't tax military pensions, and has the ninth-lowest tax rates overall, making it an affordable option for veterans. Meanwhile, Virginia has the second-highest share of veteran-owned businesses at over 8%, due in part to the fact that the state has the third-highest share of veterans overall.
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See which other states could make suitable homes for veterans transitioning out of military service.
