November 10, 2016
In line with many other East Coast cities, Philadelphia earned itself a not-so-hot spot on a list ranking the best and worst cities for veterans to live.
The list, published Monday by WalletHub just days ahead of Veterans Day, ranked 100 U.S. cities based on "21 key indicators of veteran-friendliness," including the amount of military skill-related jobs in the city, the accessibility to Veterans Affairs health facilities and the number of homeless veterans.
Philadelphia placed at No. 85 on the list, one spot below New York City and one above Toledo, Ohio.
Pittsburgh ranked No. 77, while cities in New Jersey fared much worse. Jersey City came in at No. 95, while Newark was second to last at No. 99, just one spot ahead of Detroit.
Philadelphia has made commendable efforts in the recent past. The city "ended" veteran homelessness last December by finding housing for every veteran in need of a home.
Between 2013 and 2015, almost 1,400 veterans living on the street were housed as part of a collaboration among the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and other city officials.
"You have actually done it. You have effectively ended veteran homelessness," Julián Castro, U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said after the announcement. "The thing is that we can't stop our work until every single veteran has a place to call home in the United States. That means that you have a role to play in teaching other communities how you did it."
Earlier this month, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf also signed a bill that eliminates the state's veterans disability payments from counting as part of their income, which would otherwise make them ineligible for Pennsylvania's Tax Rent/Rebate Program.
“Pennsylvania veterans’ service to our country is invaluable and immeasurable,” Wolf said in a statement. “I am proud to support these strong men and women by helping them qualify for property tax rebates that they previously would not have qualified for.”
Here are WalletHub's top 10 cities for veterans to live:
1. Scottsdale, Arizona
2. Laredo, Texas
3. Irvine, California
4. Plano, Texas
5. Austin, Texas
6. El Paso, Texas
7. Colorado Springs, Colorado
8. San Diego, California
9. Tampa, Florida
10. Orlando, Florida
