New York State is the 38th best state for military retirees to settle down, a new WalletHub study found.
While military families are used to moving from state to state for work, deciding where to reside after retirement may not come as easily.
According to WalletHub, many factors, like state tax policies on military benefits, the relative friendliness of different job markets and other socioeconomic conditions, could play into the decision-making process for veterans figuring out where to settle down and retire.
“Transitioning from military to civilian life isn’t easy, but the best states for military retirees make that adjustment as smooth as possible,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said. “In addition to providing the conditions necessary for our veterans to thrive financially, they also have ample resources for taking care of military retirees’ physical and mental health.”
To determine the best states for a comfortable military retirement, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 28 metrics, ranging from veterans per capita to the number of VA health facilities to job opportunities for veterans.
Here is what to know about New York’s ranking.
Is New York a good state for military retirees
New York isn’t necessarily the best state for veterans to retire in, but it’s certainly not the worst, according to WalletHub’s study.
The Empire State was ranked No. 38 among the best states for military retirees, with an overall score of 45.72. New York scored the No. 49 spot for the economic and environmental rank, No. 46 for the quality of life rank and No. 3 for the health care rank, indicating the state offers the third-best health care options for veterans.
The WalletHub study found that New York has the most VA facilities per number of veterans out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
However, the Empire State was ranked among the states with the fewest veterans per capita, the least affordable housing and the lowest % of veteran-owned businesses.
WalletHub’s 10 best states for military retirees
WalletHub’s 10 worst states for military retirees
How WalletHub assessed states on military retiree friendliness
To determine the best and worst states for veterans to retire in, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across three dimensions: economic environment, quality of life and health care.
The economic environment category analyzed these factors:
The quality of life category analyzed these factors:
The health care category analyzed these factors:
Data used to create the ranking was collected as of April 20, 2026, and was sourced from multiple entities, including WalletHub research, the U.S. Census Bureau, Military OneSource, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Is New York a good place for military retirees?
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
