Navy Federal Releases Best Cities After Service
November 1, 2018
Oklahoma City tops list of best places to live for both
servicemembers transitioning from active duty and veterans
VIENNA, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In advance of Veteran’s
Day, Navy
Federal Credit Union, in partnership with Sperling’s BestPlaces,
released its Best Cities After Service list – a unique look at
the places best suited for servicemembers to consider living after
leaving the military. According to data
from the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, approximately 250,000 military
members transition out of the service each year.
The ranking was made by considering 11 metrics of veteran success and
wellness, including veteran’s income, unemployment rates, proximity to
VA hospitals and military bases, and then coupling it with a suite of
quality of life measures, which include factors like affordability, the
local economy, access to health resources, colleges and the arts, and
more.
The top 10 cities are: (1) Oklahoma City, Okla. (2) Omaha, Neb. (3)
Colorado Springs, Colo. (4) Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area (5) Grand
Forks, N.D. (6) Austin, Texas (7) San Antonio, Texas (8)
Charlottesville, Va. (9) Rapid City, S.D. (10) Manhattan, Kan.
“Right now, a number of factors make certain areas of the country ideal
for veterans who are moving into civilian life,” said Robert Frick,
corporate economist for Navy Federal. “The key factors are where the
economic expansion is still going full throttle, which is creating new
job and business opportunities for millions of Americans. Personal
success is much easier when the economy around you is healthy, and a
healthy economy is also a major factor in a better quality of life. Best
Cities After Service helps veterans find these pockets of
prosperity.”
In February 2017, Navy Federal’s field of membership expanded to include
veterans and their families; today, about a third of all Navy Federal
members are active duty servicemembers and veterans. In continuing with
the effort to make
our members’ goals our mission, Navy Federal launched Best Cities
After Service in order to make life’s biggest decisions simpler.
“Oklahoma City earns its top ranking with some of the strongest scores
for both veteran-specific metrics and for overall quality of life
measures,” said Bert Sperling, founder of Sperling’s BestPlaces. “OKC
scored particularly well in the categories of high incomes and income
growth for veterans, low unemployment among veterans and the number of
veteran-owned businesses.”
About Navy Federal Credit Union: Navy Federal Credit Union is the
world’s largest credit union, with more than $93 billion in assets, more
than 8 million members, 322 branches and a workforce of over 17,000
employees worldwide. The credit union serves all Department of Defense
and Coast Guard Active Duty, veterans, civilian and contractor
personnel, and their families. For additional information about Navy
Federal, visit navyfederal.org.
Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Opportunity Employer
Contacts
Navy Federal Credit Union
Mike Rudin, 703-206-3378
Corporate
Communications
Mike_Rudin@navyfederal.org