Virginia Beach, Chesapeake rank among best cities for veterans

By Shirleen Guerra
The Center Square

If you’re a veteran living in Virginia Beach or Chesapeake, you’re already in good company.

Both cities rank among the best in the country for veterans, recognized for housing stability, job opportunities and overall quality of life, according to a new report.

The report by WalletHub looked at 100 of the largest U.S. cities and measured 19 indicators tied to veteran well-being, including employment, income growth, health care access and housing costs.

Virginia Beach tied for first in the country for veteran population and ranked first for having the fewest homeless veterans per capita. It also ranked fourth lowest for veterans living in poverty. Chesapeake wasn’t far behind, placing third lowest for veterans in poverty and tying for first in veteran population along with Norfolk.

Detroit ranked at the bottom of the list, and Baltimore, Maryland, had one of the highest veteran poverty rates.

Virginia’s veteran community continues to be one of the largest in the country, with more than 678,000 veterans and over 110,000 women veterans, according to the Virginia Department of Veterans Services.The agency says Virginia ranks No. 1 nationally for caring for its veterans and operates 38 offices statewide to provide benefits and transition support.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said the best cities for veterans share strong education and employment opportunities, along with access to quality health care.

“When veterans return home from serving our nation, it’s important for them to live in a place that provides good education and employment opportunities, along with access to quality care for their physical and mental health,” he said.

The 2025 report notes that these factors, along with community support and veteran-friendly programs, help make cities like Virginia Beach and Chesapeake stand out nationwide.