The Best States for Veterans
Where you retire from service can be worth thousands of dollars a year — and a whole lot more than money. We ranked the best states for veterans by how they treat your retirement pay, your property taxes, and the community that welcomes you home.
What Actually Moves the Needle
The Four Things That Decide Your Best State
Veteran “best of” lists get complicated fast. In practice, four factors do almost all the work.
1. How your retirement pay is taxed
Nine states levy no income tax at all, and 28 more fully exempt military retirement pay. For a retired senior NCO or officer, moving from a state that taxes it to one that doesn’t can be worth thousands of dollars every single year — for life.
2. Property tax relief for disabled veterans
Twenty-two states offer a full property tax exemption for veterans rated 100% permanent and total. In a state like Texas, that can erase the single largest ongoing cost of owning a home.
3. VA access and the veteran community
Proximity to a VA medical center, a base commissary, and neighbors who served changes daily life. States with dense veteran populations simply feel different.
4. Cost of living — and values
A tax break doesn’t help much if housing eats it. The best veteran states pair real benefits with affordable homes and communities that honor service instead of apologizing for it.
The 10 Best States for Veterans
Ranked on tax treatment of retirement pay, property tax relief for disabled veterans, military and VA presence, cost of living, and the culture waiting for you.
1. Texas
The complete package: no state income tax, a total homestead property tax exemption for veterans rated 100% disabled, the largest veteran population in America (roughly 1.4 million), and military communities from San Antonio to Fort Cavazos. Move to Texas
2. Florida
No state income tax and a full homestead exemption for veterans with a permanent and total service-connected disability — plus about 1.3 million veterans already there and bases on both coasts. Move to Florida
3. South Carolina
Fully exempts military retirement pay, and for total and permanent service-connected disability the exemption covers the home plus up to five acres and two vehicles. Home to Parris Island and Fort Jackson, with a top-ten veteran population share. Move to South Carolina
4. Alabama
Military retirement pay is fully exempt, and qualifying 100% disabled veterans are exempt from all ad valorem property taxes on their homestead. Redstone Arsenal anchors one of the strongest defense communities in the South. Move to Alabama
5. Oklahoma
Full exemption on military retirement pay and a homestead exemption covering the full fair cash value for qualifying disabled veterans — with Fort Sill and Tinker AFB, plus some of the lowest living costs in the country. Move to Oklahoma
6. Tennessee
No state income tax at all, property tax relief for qualifying disabled veterans, and the Volunteer State’s culture of service. Add a low cost of living and it’s a favorite of retiring families. Move to Tennessee
7. Wyoming
No income tax, the fourth-highest concentration of veterans in America, and F.E. Warren AFB. Small-town life where service still means something. Move to Wyoming
8. Arizona
Military retirement pay is fully exempt, disabled veterans can qualify for property tax exemptions, and Arizona’s 2.5% flat income tax is the lowest flat rate in the nation. Is Arizona a red state?
9. North Carolina
Fully exempts military retirement pay, and few states carry more active-duty weight — Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, and Cherry Point mean a permanent, deep-rooted military community. Move to North Carolina
10. Montana & Alaska
The highest veteran concentrations in the country. Alaska has no income tax; Montana offers a multi-year exemption on military retirement for new residents. Both reward those who want space and self-reliance. Move to Montana
What the Rankings Don’t Tell You
Benefits change — verify before you buy
State legislatures adjust veteran benefits nearly every session, and exemptions usually carry rating, residency, and filing requirements. Treat this page as your starting map, then confirm current rules with the state’s veterans affairs office before you close on a house.
The biggest tax break isn’t always the best move
A full property tax exemption is worth little if you’re four hours from a VA hospital, or if your spouse can’t find work. We weigh the whole picture with you — benefits, healthcare access, jobs, schools, and community.
Built for Those Who Served
Conservative Move runs Military Vet Move and Law Enforcement Move — because the families who serve this country deserve an agent who understands the mission, not just the paperwork.
Agents who speak your language
VA loans, PCS timelines, base proximity, disability rating paperwork on a homestead exemption — our agents have walked this road, many of them in uniform first.
Find your agentBoth ends of the move
We match you with an agent to sell where you are now and one to buy where you’re headed — coordinated, so you’re never carrying two homes.
Start your moveCommunities that honor service
We help you land where Memorial Day still means something — see our ranking of the most patriotic states in America.
Most patriotic statesFree to you, always
Our agents pay us a referral fee only when your transaction closes. You never pay extra, and your agent’s commission is the same either way.
Compare every stateVeteran Relocation, Answered
Which states don’t tax military retirement pay?
Nine states have no income tax at all — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Another 28 states fully exempt military retirement pay from income tax, and most of the rest offer partial exemptions. California stands alone in fully taxing it as regular income.
Which state has the best property tax break for disabled veterans?
Twenty-two states offer a full exemption for veterans rated 100% permanent and total. Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Alabama, and South Carolina are among the most generous — South Carolina even extends the exemption to two vehicles. Requirements vary, so confirm with the state before you buy.
Do you help active-duty families PCSing, not just retirees?
Absolutely. Our agents handle PCS timelines, VA loans, and base-adjacent housing all the time — and we can coordinate both the sale and the purchase around your report date.
What if I want to stay near a VA medical center?
Tell us — it’s one of the first things we screen for. We’ll steer you toward communities with the healthcare access your family actually needs, not just the best tax headline.
What does this cost me?
Nothing. The service is free to you; our agents pay us a referral fee only when your transaction closes.
You Served. Let’s Get You Home.
Tell us where you are, where you’re headed, and what matters most — we’ll match you with vetted, veteran-friendly conservative agents on both ends of your move.
Match Me With an Agent → Or call 800-277-5487Want to see it in person first? Plan a weekend visit to Texas.
