This week, WalletHub has released its list of the best places to live for veterans in the U.S.
And it turns out that the No. 2 pick is right here in Florida.
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The study looks at the 100 most populated cities in the country, scoring them across factors related to employment, economy, quality of life, and health.
“When veterans return home from serving our nation, it’s important for them to live in a place that provides good education and employment opportunities, along with access to quality care for their physical and mental health,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo wrote.
Overall, the top-ranked city was revealed to be Austin, Texas, which scored particularly high in terms of its quality-of-life features.
But the No. 2 pick went to Tampa, with researchers providing the following explanation:
“Tampa, FL, is the second-best city for veterans, and rising income expectations for veterans are among the top reasons for this. The median annual income for veterans grows by an average of over 6% per year, the 24th-highest percentage in the country. The current median income is also decent, at around $53,000, which ranks 38th out of 100 of the most populous cities.
In addition, Tampa has the 29th-highest number of arts and entertainment establishments that offer military discounts per capita, as well as the eighth-highest number of restaurants offering discounts. This shows that the population appreciates people who have served our country.
When it comes to veterans’ services, Tampa has the 6th-most VA benefits facilities per capita and the 3rd-most VA health facilities per capita. In addition to quantity, the city has quality: Its VA medical facilities are rated as the 2nd-best in the country and also have the 11th-most available beds per capita."
WalletHub, "Best & Worst Places for Veterans to Live (2025)"
However, Tampa’s not the only notable city from the Sunshine State included in this year’s ranking.
Below are some of the other placements for Florida cities:
- No. 1 for Quality of Life: Orlando
- No. 1 for Employment: Hialeah
- No. 1 for Veteran Income Growth: Miami
- No. 5 for Fewest Homeless Veterans per Capita: Jacksonville
- Lowest-Ranked for % of Military Skill-Related Jobs: Miami
- Lowest-Ranked for Veteran Population: Hialeah
Meanwhile, the full list of Florida cities on this year’s ranking is as follows:
| Rank | City | Score | Employment Rank | Economy Rank | Quality of Life Rank | Health Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Tampa | 67.45 | 53 | 32 | 9 | 13 |
| 7 | Orlando | 65.97 | 73 | 19 | 1 | 21 |
| 8 | St. Petersburg | 65.34 | 11 | 53 | 16 | 16 |
| 13 | Miami | 64.22 | 15 | 38 | 36 | 14 |
| 18 | Jacksonville | 62.35 | 48 | 25 | 29 | 16 |
| 40 | Hialeah | 54.60 | 1 | 87 | 75 | 16 |