Baton Rouge ranked as the third worst city for military veterans

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new study has ranked Baton Rouge among the worst cities in the country for veterans.

The WalletHub study compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities using key factors such as livability, affordability, and veteran-friendliness to determine the best and worst cities for veterans.

Baton Rouge ranked as the third worst city for veterans. Here are the statistics.

72nd – Veteran population

30th – Housing affordability

66th – Median veteran income (adjusted for cost of living)

76th – % of veterans in poverty

40th – % of military skill-related jobs

98th – Veteran unemployment rate



Top 10 worst cities for veterans

1. Detroit, MI

2. Newark, NJ

3. Baton Rouge, LA

4. Memphis, TN

5. Toledo, OH

6. Baltimore, MD

7. Stockton, CA

8. Indianapolis, IN

9. Fresno, CA

10. Chicago, IL

“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. The best cities for veterans have all these characteristics, plus added bonuses like large veteran populations for community support, plus many restaurants and entertainment venues that offer veteran discounts,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.

Austin, TX, was ranked as the best city for veterans.

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Austin, TX
Austin, TX, is the best city for veterans, in large part because it has the best colleges for veterans in the country, along with the ninth-highest median annual income for veterans, at over $66,000. In addition, Austin has the seventh-best job growth rate in the country.

It’s also good for veterans to live in a place where they can form a community of support with others who have gone through similar experiences. Austin has the fourth-smallest projected decrease in veterans between 2024 and 2053, so that will certainly help veterans meet each other and forge friendships.

In addition, Austin is great for going out to eat or enjoying entertainment as a veteran. The city has the 12th-highest number of restaurants and the 11th-most arts/entertainment establishments per capita that offer military discounts.

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Employment – Total Points: 25
Share of Military Skill-Related Jobs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Veteran Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Job Growth: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of job growth between the years 2021 and 2025.
Veteran-Owned Businesses per Veteran Population: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Economy – Total Points: 25
Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
Note: This composite metric comprises the following calculations: Median Home Price / Median Annual Veteran’s Income and Median Annual Rent Price / Median Annual Veteran’s Income.
Veteran Income Growth: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
Note: This metric measures the average annual rate of veteran income growth between the years 2019 and 2024.
Share of Veterans Living in Poverty: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
Educational Opportunities: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)
Note: This metric is based on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges for Veterans” ranking.
Median Veteran Income: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the local cost of living.
Homeless Veterans per 1,000 Veterans: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Quality of Life – Total Points: 25
Veteran Population: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: “Veteran Population” refers to the number of veterans per 1,000 residents.
Projected Veteran Population Growth: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: This metric measures the projected increase in the veteran population between the years 2024 and 2053.
Family-Friendliness: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family” ranking.
Retiree-Friendliness: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Retire” ranking.
Restaurants That Offer Military Discounts per Veteran Population*: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)
Arts & Entertainment Establishments That Offer Military Discounts per Veteran Population*: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)

Health – Total Points: 25
VA Benefits Administration Facilities per Veteran Population**: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: The square root of the veteran population was used to calculate its size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
VA Health Facilities per Veteran Population**: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: The square root of the veteran population was used to calculate its size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across states.
Quality of VA Health Facilities: Triple Weight (~15.00 Points)
Note: This composite metric includes:
“Patients’ Willingness to Recommend the Veteran Hospitals” score from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
VA hospital performance star rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ “Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning” (SAIL) performance improvement tool
VA hospital and nursing-home beds data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ database of inpatient beds by facility

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