Texas may be the best state to retire to, but is that true for all retirees?
Military retirees face unique challenges after they stop wearing the uniform, such as higher likelihoods of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), disability and homelessness. These are further exacerbated by times of economic difficulty such as the one Americans face today.
State tax policies on military benefits, friendliness of job markets and other socioeconomic factors can influence how well military retirees can live after their service. In a recent survey, WalletHub analyzed all 50 U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia for “their ability to provide a comfortable military retirement.” The study included 28 key metrics, from veterans per capita to the number of VA health facilities to job opportunities for veterans.
“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.”
How does the Lone Star State measure up in what it offers to military retirees? Unfortunately, it didn’t rank as high as in the general retirement list.
Texas ranks No. 21 for military retirees
Overall, Texas ranked just above the middle of the pack for military retiree friendliness. However, it did boast the No. 6 spot for the “economic environment” category.
LIST: Best & worst states for military retirees in 2025
States’ rankings tended to vary by category, especially in healthcare. For example, Alabama tied for the best in economic environment, but ranked 38th in healthcare. Wyoming, the other top-ranking state for economic environment, was No. 30 for healthcare.
The inverse was also true: States ranking high for healthcare ranked significantly lower in the other two categories. Massachusetts ranked at the top for healthcare and ninth for economic environment, but had the second-worst ranking for quality of life. And while it came in third for healthcare, New York ranked second-worst for economic environment.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What’s the best, worst US state for military retirees? Here’s where Texas ranks
Reporting by Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
