Veterans United Names Best Places for Veterans to Live in 2026

May 18, 2026

• This year’s top cities stand out for affordability, quality of life and Veteran support
• Florida and Texas claimed five of the Top 10 spots
• Seven of the Top 10 cities in this year’s rankings are new to the list in 2026.

COLUMBIA, Mo., May 18, 2026 — Veterans United Home Loans today released its 2026 Best Places for Veterans to Live list, ranking the top metro areas for Veterans, service members and military families. The list is dominated by fast-growing Sun Belt metros, including three in Florida and two in Texas, that pair large military and Veteran populations with affordable living, strong job markets, quality healthcare access and proximity to major military installations.

The Top 10 metros for Veterans and service members are:

1. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, Va.-N.C.
2. San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
3. Jacksonville, Fla.
4. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.
5. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
6. Oklahoma City
7. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas
8. St. Louis, Mo.-Ill.
9. Salt Lake City-Murray, Utah
10. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

To compile this year’s list, Veterans United analyzed 23 different factors, including those cited as most important to Veterans based on a recent survey, across the 50 most populous metro areas.

Virginia Beach, San Antonio, and Jacksonville, Fla., rose to the top of this year’s list, ranking high for established Veteran support networks, access to VA care and relatively attainable housing compared with many major markets, along with state-level tax benefits for Veterans. The seven new markets that made the list this year are Austin, Dallas, Jacksonville, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. Each also stands out for lifestyle appeal, blending coastal access or outdoor recreation with strong local economies and diverse employment opportunities for Veterans and military families.

“Choosing where to put down roots is one of the biggest decisions Veterans and military families make after service, and this year’s list shows how important it is to look beyond home prices alone, " said Chris Birk, vice president of mortgage insight at Veterans United. “The top metros for 2026 stand out because they combine affordability, strong Veteran communities, access to care, employment opportunity and the kind of quality of life that can support long-term stability. Places like Virginia Beach, San Antonio and Jacksonville reflect what many Veterans are looking for – communities where military service is understood, support networks are already in place and homeownership can feel more attainable.”

What makes a metro a best place to live for Veterans?

Lower cost of living: Affordability remained one of the biggest factors shaping this year’s rankings, especially for Veterans and military families looking to maximize long-term buying power with a VA loan. Among the top 10 large metros, St. Louis offered the lowest median listing price at $237,500, followed by Oklahoma City at $318,450 and San Antonio at $323,950. Jacksonville ($385,000) and Tampa ($400,000) also remained relatively attainable compared with many other major metros, helping balance strong Veteran support networks with more manageable housing costs.

On the higher end of the market, Salt Lake City had the highest median listing price among the top-ranked large metros at $565,500, followed by Nashville at $529,000. Austin ($470,000) and Dallas ($420,000) also ranked among the more expensive markets on the list. While these metros performed well thanks to factors like healthcare access, economic opportunity and overall quality of life, higher housing costs may present additional challenges for Veterans looking to purchase a home.

Across the Top 10, many of the highest-ranked metros shared financial advantages that can help create a more stable path to homeownership and long-term financial security for Veterans. States like Texas, Florida and Oklahoma strengthened their appeal through policies such as no state income tax, no taxes on military retirement income and property tax exemptions for qualifying disabled Veterans.

More Than a Place to Live: Beyond affordability and support networks, this year’s top-ranked metros also stood out for the lifestyles and opportunities they offer outside of work and military life. Coastal destinations like Tampa and Jacksonville paired waterfront living with beaches, boating and year-round outdoor recreation, while Nashville attracted Veterans with its nationally known music scene, healthcare access and growing cultural footprint.

Several metros also distinguished themselves through career opportunities and access to the outdoors. Austin ranks high for Veterans with its expanding tech sector, live music culture and active lifestyle centered around trails, lakes and parks. Salt Lake City stood out for its strong healthcare infrastructure and immediate access to hiking, skiing and mountain recreation, making it especially appealing for Veterans prioritizing outdoor living and year-round activity.

Other top-ranked metros offered a balance of entertainment, culture and everyday livability. Coastal destinations like Virginia Beach, Jacksonville and Tampa combined Veteran-friendly infrastructure with beaches, waterfront recreation and access to entertainment and dining.

Built-In Veteran Communities: For many Veterans, finding a place with an established military presence and strong support network can make the transition into civilian life feel more familiar and connected. Many of this year’s top-ranked metros stood out because military service remains deeply woven into the identity of the community, helping Veterans stay connected to resources, healthcare and other former service members.

Virginia Beach, San Antonio and Jacksonville all ranked high because of their large Veteran populations, proximity to major military installations and access to Veteran-focused services. Dallas had the largest Veteran population among the Top 10, with 325,572 Veterans, while Tampa and San Antonio also ranked among the largest Veteran communities.

Across the Top 10, many of the highest-ranked metros shared a common thread: established military ties that help Veterans stay connected through local support networks, VA healthcare access and communities where military service remains part of everyday life. Whether anchored by Naval Station Norfolk, Joint Base San Antonio, MacDill Air Force Base or Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, these metros continue to stand out for Veterans looking for familiarity, support and long-term stability after service.

Veterans United Best Places for Veterans to Live*

*Scores were weighted to reflect the importance of each factor to Veterans. Higher scores indicate a greater contribution to the composite score. Some shown metrics, such as “Quality of Life Score,” are a combination of multiple variables. “Veteran Community Score” was given extra weight compared with other scores to ensure the list reflects places that are especially relevant to Veterans.

**Median home prices sourced from Realtor.com.

In addition to the Top metros list, Veterans United also ranked the best Small and Midsize markets to give Veterans more options when considering a move to a smaller community.

To view the complete list of cities and methodology, visit https://www.veteransunited.com/education/best-citi...

About Veterans United Home Loans
Veterans United Home Loans, a full-service national direct lender based in Columbia, Missouri, closed more than $26 billion in loans in fiscal 2025 and was the nation’s No. 1 VA purchase lender, according to Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company's mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service.

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