veterans day

Fort Worth ranks as 10th best U.S. city for military veterans to live

A veteran having a conversation in his home

The report revealed Fort Worth has massively improved its livability for veterans over the last year.

Fort Worth has improved its livability as the No. 10 best city for military veterans to live in America for 2025.

WalletHub's annual list of the "Best & Worst Places for Veterans to Live" compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities based on 19 relevant metrics, such as veteran unemployment rates, veteran income growth, the quality of each city's VA health facilities, local housing affordability, quality of life, and more.

Austin topped the list for the second year in a row. The U.S. cities that round out the top five best places for veterans are Tampa, Florida (No. 2); Madison, Wisconsin (No.3); Raleigh, North Carolina (No. 4); and Colorado Springs, Colorado (No. 5).

No. 10-ranking Fort Worth made a big leap this year after previously ranking No. 20 in 2024.

Fort Worth received the following rankings across the four major categories in the report:

No. 6 – Economy
No. 8 – Employment
No. 35 – Health
No. 39 – Quality of life

And that's not even getting into the generosity of many Fort Worth restaurants that are offering free meals and deals for veterans on Veterans Day Monday November 11.

Elsewhere in North Texas, Plano ranked just outside the top 10 as the No. 11 best U.S. city for military veterans to live. Other DFW-area cities that earned spots in the report include Dallas (No. 25), Garland (No. 30), Arlington (No. 31), and Irving (No. 39).

Irving received additional nods for having the 5th lowest percentage of its veteran population living in poverty, and it landed in a five-way tie for the lowest veteran unemployment rates nationwide with Fremont, California; Lincoln, Nebraska; Chesapeake, Virginia; and Greensboro, North Carolina.

The report also found Garland boasts the 5th highest veteran income growth in the country.

Austin claims No. 1 nationally for the second time
The report said Austin remained at the top of the list for a second consecutive year because it offers the best colleges and universities for veterans nationwide, 10th highest median annual income for veterans (about $62,000), and the 7th best job growth rate nationally.

"In addition, Austin is great for going out to eat or enjoying entertainment as a veteran," the report's author wrote. "The city has the 12th-highest number of restaurants and the 10th-most arts/entertainment establishments per capita that offer military discounts."

Most importantly, WalletHub says Austin is the perfect fit for former military members who want to find community with other veterans who have had similar experiences during their time in the armed forces.

"Austin has the third-smallest projected decrease in veterans between 2024 and 2053, so that will certainly help veterans meet each other and forge friendships," the report said.

High-ranking cities for veterans in Texas
Other Texas cities that earned spots in the top 50 include Laredo (No. 32), San Antonio (No. 34), and Lubbock (No. 46).

Only three Texas cities lagged behind in the report: Houston (No. 59), El Paso (No. 67), and Corpus Christi (No. 74).

Earlier this year, WalletHub ranked Texas as the No. 21 best state for military retirees in 2025.

The top 10 best U.S. cities for veterans to live are:

No. 1– Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Tampa, Florida
No. 3 – Madison, Wisconsin
No. 4 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 5 – Colorado Springs, Colorado
No. 6 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
No. 7 – Orlando, Florida
No. 8 – St. Petersburg, Florida
No. 9 – Irvine, California
No. 10 – Fort Worth, Texas

At the opposite end of the list, Newark, New Jersey ranked as the worst place for veterans to live in 2025 for another year in a row. Detroit, Michigan (No. 99); Baton Rouge, Louisiana (No. 98), Memphis, Tennessee (No. 97); and Toledo, Ohio (No. 96) all ranked among the bottom five.

veterans day wallethub rankings fort worth

EV News

Arlington planning group seeks public input on transportation in DFW

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EV charger

Transportation nerds will get to offer their 2 cents on topics such as traffic signals and EVs in a public meeting on December 8.

According to a release, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is inviting the public to provide input on recent transportation initiatives, including funding for electric vehicle charging stations and traffic signal improvements.

Hot topics will include:

Air quality. The meeting will feature a staff overview of the end of the 2025 ozone season, which came to an end November 30. The region is failing to meet air quality standards which will increase challenges for projected regional growth.

EV charging stations. The NCTCOG staff will also offer recommendations on funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on public sector property in North Central Texas. In July 2025, NCTCOG opened the North Texas Electric Vehicle Charging Station Call for Projects to award funding to build EV charging stations using funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Community Program.

Traffic signals. Staff will provide an overview of the proposed funding process for the Traffic Signal Program, including evaluation criteria for funding requests and the categorization of traffic signal improvements. The program aims to establish a structured process for evaluating and funding traffic signal initiatives as requests are received.

How to attend
The meeting will be held on December 8 at 12 pm in the Transportation Council Room at the NCTCOG offices 616 Six Flags Dr. in Arlington. Those unable to attend in person can view the meeting online. Residents can also participate by calling 855-925-2801 and entering code 1011. Public comments will be accepted until January 6.

Residents planning to use transit to attend the meeting can take advantage of $6 round-trip rides from the CentrePort/DFW Airport Station to NCTCOG via the Arlington Transportation app. Visit ArlingtonTX.gov/ondemand to download the app.

The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. They work in cooperation with transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area — an area that includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties.

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EV News

Arlington planning group seeks public input on transportation in DFW