Fort Worth Ranks 5th Best U.S. City for Veterans

WalletHub's 2026 veteran livability report places Fort Worth fifth among the 100 largest U.S. cities, up from 10th in 2025.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military Jobs

Fort Worth Ranks 5th Best U.S. City for Veterans

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WalletHub ranked Fort Worth the fifth-best U.S. city for veterans to live in 2026, after comparing the 100 largest cities across 19 metrics. Austin topped the list as the best city for veterans.

Why it matters

The ranking reflects how Fort Worth performs on veteran-specific factors such as employment, income and housing affordability, which can shape where former service members choose to settle. Fort Worth's climb from 20th in 2024 to fifth in 2026 signals notable gains in veteran livability over that period.

Fort Worth ranks 6th nationwide for veteran employment and 5th for veteran economy among 100 cities, while ranking 25th for health and 38th for veteran quality of life. The source does not explain how the 19 underlying metrics were weighted.

The players

WalletHub

WalletHub is a personal finance website that publishes comparative city rankings across economic and quality-of-life categories.

Austin, Texas

Austin is the state capital of Texas and a major metropolitan area that ranked first among U.S. cities for veterans in this report.

The details

WalletHub analysts compared the 100 largest U.S. cities on factors including military skill-related jobs, veteran income growth, and VA health facility availability. Fort Worth's economy score reflects veteran housing affordability, median income and income growth, educational opportunities, and veteran poverty share.

2024: Fort Worth ranked 20th for veteran livability.
2025: Fort Worth ranked 10th for veteran livability.
2026: WalletHub ranked Fort Worth 5th best U.S. city for veterans.

Roadmap

Fort Worth's steady rise across WalletHub's annual veteran rankings, from 20th in 2024 to 5th in 2026, follows a pattern of gradually improving veteran-focused metrics in Texas metros. The result places Fort Worth among the top-performing large cities for former service members in the series' current edition.

For veterans weighing where to settle, Fort Worth's strong employment ranking and 3.6 percent veteran unemployment rate suggest favorable job prospects compared with the overall population. Housing affordability and median income are among the factors that contributed to the city's placement.

The takeaway

Veteran unemployment in the U.S. stands at 3.6 percent, below the 4.2 percent rate for the overall population. Cities that combine strong veteran employment with affordable housing tend to rank highest for former service members.