Florida Ranks 7th Best State for Military Retirees, Quality of Life a Bright Spot

Florida has secured a spot among the nation's top 10 states for military retirees, finishing seventh in WalletHub's annual Best and Worst States for Military Retirees study — a ranking with direct relevance to the tens of thousands of veterans who have made the Treasure Coast their home after service.

The Sunshine State earned an overall score of 58.02, drawing on 28 metrics that included economic environment, quality of life, and healthcare access. Florida's strongest showing came in quality of life, where it ranked fourth in the nation. The state also placed fifth for Veterans Administration health facilities per capita and sixth for VA benefits facilities per capita — metrics tied directly to the number of veterans living in the state, not raw population.

For retired service members in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — a corridor that has long attracted military retirees drawn by warm weather, no state income tax, and proximity to several VA facilities — the ranking affirms what many already know from lived experience. The region sits within driving distance of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center and multiple VA outpatient clinics serving the Treasure Coast.

Florida was one of only two Southern states to crack the top 10. South Carolina led the entire nation with a score of 64.46. North Dakota ranked second at 60.87, and Wyoming third at 59.67. Florida's weaker scores came in economic environment, where it ranked 20th, and healthcare, where it placed 21st nationally.

"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 the report. "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."

Oregon finished last among all 50 states and the District of Columbia, scoring 35.09. Vermont ranked 50th and Washington, D.C., 49th.

WalletHub published the full rankings this month.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.