(The Center Square) – Tennessee ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for military retirees, according to a recent report published by the personal finance website WalletHub.
The report compared all 50 states and the District of Columbus using a set of 28 metrics, including veterans per capita to the number of VA health facilities and job opportunities for vets.
“Veterans should consider the costs of living, safety, friendliness of the population, and the weather when they decide where to retire,” said Abir Mandal, assistant professor of economics at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina. “Income taxes are an immoral burden on the entire economy. Veterans who have already given their lives and well-being to the government should not be subject to further such penalties.”
The Volunteer State ranked 43rd overall, showing poorly in quality of life (48th) and health care (40th). It fared better in economic environment, ranking 16th.
“Tennessee is the ninth worst state for military retirees. It has a low funding amount of contracts from the Department of Defense, at less than $300 per capita,” WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez said. “The state also ranks fourth lowest for quality of life, mainly due to the small number of VA benefits administration facilities per number of veterans. The small number of mental health counselors per capita was another important factor that contributed to Teneessee’s overall low ranking.”
Alaska has the most veterans per capita, followed by Maine and Montana, while New Jersey, New York and Utah have the least.
The report also showed red states ranked about nine places higher than blue states on average. The states were defined based on how each state voted in the 2020 presidential election.
The report ranked Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Minnesota and Connecticut as the best states for retired military personnel. The worst were Oregon, Washington, D.C., Nevada, Mississippi and Vermont.
