Texas Metros Rank High for Veteran Entrepreneurs

A PenFed Foundation study ranks four Texas metro areas in the top 20 nationally for veteran entrepreneurs.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Military Jobs

Texas Metros Rank High for Veteran Entrepreneurs

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Would you consider starting a business in San Antonio?

The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes ranked San Antonio-New Braunfels 16th among U.S. metropolitan areas for veteran entrepreneurs in a study of nearly 400 metros. Four Texas metro areas made the top 20, led by Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos in third place.

Why it matters

The ranking highlights where veterans transitioning to civilian life may find strong conditions for starting a business. Texas's concentration of high-ranking metros points to regional advantages for former service members pursuing entrepreneurship.

The study placed four Texas metros among the top 20 of nearly 400 U.S. metro areas assessed. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos ranked third, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington seventh, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands 19th, and San Antonio-New Braunfels 16th.

The players

PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes

A national nonprofit that supports veterans transitioning to civilian life, and which produced the metro-area entrepreneurship ranking through its Veteran Entrepreneur Program.

The details

The rankings considered livability, support for veterans, economic growth, and opportunities to start a business. The study was produced with Polco and the National Research Center as part of the foundation's Veteran Entrepreneur Program.

Article on the ranking published November 7, 2026.

Roadmap

The PenFed Foundation's Veteran Entrepreneur Program produced this ranking of nearly 400 metro areas, placing Texas metros prominently within a national comparison. The study measures livability, veteran support, economic growth, and business-start opportunities across the country's metropolitan areas.

Veterans considering self-employment can use metro-level rankings like this one to compare local conditions before relocating or launching a business. The rankings factor in veteran support and business-start opportunities, which may shape where former service members choose to settle.

The takeaway

Metro location can meaningfully shape a veteran's entrepreneurial opportunities, and this ranking offers one comparative lens for weighing those options. Veterans may benefit from checking several factors, including livability and business-start conditions, before deciding where to launch.