Home·Best of·Best US cities for veterans and active military Cities near major US military bases or with strong VA infrastructure, ranked by momentum.
Cities here are within commuting distance of a major US military installation or have significant VA healthcare presence.
Veterans often pick by base proximity, VA hospital access, military community, and tax-friendly states for military pensions.
Tax-friendly states for military retirees: TX, FL, TN, WA, NV, WY (no state income tax). Many other states (PA, IL, NY, MS, AL) fully exempt military retirement.
3Chesapeake, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 254,99771RisingVAstate 5Hanford, CAHanford-Corcoran · pop 60,59470RisingCAstate 9Newport News, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 183,05668RisingVAstate 12Lemoore, CAHanford-Corcoran · pop 27,05767RisingCAstate 14Hampton, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 137,59666RisingVAstate 19Portsmouth, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 96,48264RisingVAstate 20Enid, OKEnid · pop 50,51964RisingOKstate 21Norfolk, VAVirginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News · pop 231,10563RisingVAstate 23Bremerton, WABremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard · pop 45,29162RisingWAstate 24Tacoma, WASeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue · pop 228,20261StableWAstate 25Oceanside, CASan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad · pop 170,94161StableCAstate 26Pensacola, FLPensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent · pop 53,89861StableFLstate 27Radcliff, KYElizabethtown-Fort Knox · pop 22,70661StableKYstate 28Lakewood, WASeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue · pop 62,70960StableWAstate 29Tampa, FLTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater · pop 414,54758StableFLstate 30Killeen, TXKilleen-Temple · pop 160,61658StableTXstate 32San Diego, CASan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad · pop 1,404,45256StableCAstate