Washington is coming up short for military retirees, according to two new national rankings that put the state and several Puget Sound cities near the bottom of the pack. The reports, timed around Memorial Day, spotlight homelessness, steep housing costs and public-safety problems as major headwinds for local veterans.
WalletHub: Washington 48th in Nation for Military Retirees
In a May 18 breakdown from WalletHub, Washington landed at 48th out of 51 jurisdictions, with an overall score of 37.61. The study weighed 28 metrics, including state taxes on military pensions, job prospects for veterans and the share of homeless veterans. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted that "Transitioning from military to civilian life isn't easy," and said that access to jobs and health care is pivotal for retirees figuring out where to land.
CardRates: Bremerton Last, Tacoma Second to Last, Everett Near Bottom
The city-by-city picture is not much prettier. A separate ranking from CardRates looked at 57 U.S. cities and put Everett at No. 54, Tacoma at No. 56 and Bremerton dead last at No. 57. CardRates wrote that Bremerton "ranks last overall, weighed down by weaker financial conditions and limited economic flexibility for veterans," and flagged Tacoma's affordability and property-crime challenges as major drags on its standing.
Local Context: Homelessness, Housing and Safety
Both rankings hammer on similar themes. WalletHub highlighted Washington's relatively large share of homeless veterans, while local reporting has zeroed in on how housing costs and safety concerns shape daily life for former service members. The Tacoma News Tribune pulled the two reports together and noted their pre-Memorial Day release, arguing that the timing underscores whether local services and housing supports are really meeting veterans' needs.
Experts Say Policy Moves Could Help
Advocates are not exactly shocked by the findings and point to familiar levers that could move the rankings: tax treatment of military retirement pay, more affordable housing options, better access to VA services and stronger employment pipelines for veterans. The Military Officers Association of America, in coverage of the WalletHub release, described the rankings as an annual snapshot and urged communities to look hard at how those structural factors influence where veterans decide to live.
For Pierce County and other local governments, the message is blunt. Having military bases nearby does not automatically translate into veteran-friendly towns. With Memorial Day under way, the pressure is on policymakers and service providers to confront homelessness, housing and safety issues for the people who once wore the uniform.
