Latest news with #VeteransUnitedHomeLoans
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SF ranked 4th in nation for veterans to live
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — According to a study by Veterans United Home Loans, Sioux Falls and Rapid City rank among the Top 10 Metro areas for veterans to live. Aaron Pollard served in the Army for five years. Now he's the deputy secretary for the SD Department of Veterans Affairs. He says that the Sioux Falls metro area is a special place for veterans. Drugs inside the Pen: What a new facility might mean 'Even though it's a larger community, it still has a smaller kind of tight-knit community feel to it,' Deputy Secretary for SD Department of Veterans Affairs, Aaron Pollard, said. In town, you can find a few different resources for people who have served. 'The Military Alliance year to date has brought in almost 50,000 guests. A lot of those, most of those, I should say, our veterans or active duty, duty military come in for their meetings. There's over 90 different veteran organizations around Sioux Falls,' Executive Director SD Military Heritage Alliance, Brian Phelps said. 'There's the DAV, there's the American Legion, there's the VFW. They're just a very large footprint in the Sioux Falls area,' Secretary for SD Department of Veterans Affairs, Jeremiah Schneider, said. But that's not the only reason Sioux Falls is a special area. 'Our people are very veteran-centric. We tend to support the military. We support the mission. We support the United States. Sioux Falls is just a larger picture of the entire state of South Dakota,' Schneider said. With Memorial Day on Monday, you may think that it's the perfect time to thank the men and women who have served in your city. 'I would ask people to shift from thanking a veteran this weekend to remembering those who were killed overseas fighting for our freedoms. While it's always appropriate to thank a veteran this weekend, I think it's more appropriate to remember those who went before us,' Pollard said. 'It's not necessarily a celebratory time. It is a somber time of remembrance to understand the foundation, the price that was paid to allow us to have the opportunity to spend time together in a setting such as Memorial Day,' Schneider said. Out of the over 500 markets evaluated, Sioux Falls was ranked 4th and Rapid City was ranked 9th on the list. The Military Heritage Alliance is hosting a Memorial Day Program Monday morning that starts at 10 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Southern State Was Ranked The Best Place For Veterans To Live In America
The brave men and women who serve in America's armed forces deserve more than just our respect—they also deserve to retire in a supportive environment that caters to their unique needs. Unfortunately, some states provide more resources for veterans than others. In an effort to help members of America's military community choose where to settle down, WalletHub recently conducted a study to determine which states provide the best lives for veterans. Using 28 key metrics—ranging from veterans per capita to the number of VA health facilities—they ranked all 50 states based on their best ability to provide a comfortable military retirement. 'Transitioning from military to civilian life isn't easy, but the best states for military retirees make that adjustment as smooth as possible,' WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a news release. 'In addition to providing the conditions necessary for our veterans to thrive financially, they also have ample resources for taking care of military retirees' physical and mental health.' The U.S. state to come out on top for military retirees is South Carolina, thanks in large part to the numerous policies it has in place to help veterans. 'The state allows businesses to give preferential hiring to veterans, offers academic credit for military service, and has veteran treatment courts, which give services like treatment and mentoring to veterans in the criminal justice system,' WalletHub's report explains. 'South Carolina doesn't tax military pensions, either.' Other South Carolina standouts include having the third-best VA hospitals in the country, and the second-most hospitals per capita. The Palmetto State also boasts the seventh-most veterans per capita and the second-most veteran-owned businesses per capita, which, according to analysts, 'indicates that military retirees have good social and business opportunities' there. According to a new study from Veterans United Home Loans, the largest VA lender in the U.S., South Carolina is also home to the best U.S. city for veteran homebuyers: Myrtle Beach. 'With over 28,000 veterans living in the area, making up nearly 8% of the population, this region offers a strong sense of community and a lifestyle built around support and sunshine,' a news release says. Thank you, South Carolina, for taking care of our heroes. Related: 40 Favorite Veterans Day Quotes To Show Gratitude Read the original article on Southern Living
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Veterans United Names Best Cities for Veterans to Live in 2025
New study ranks Myrtle Beach, S.C., Atlantic City, N.J., and Lawrence, Kan. among top destinations for Veterans and military families COLUMBIA, Mo., May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Veterans United Home Loans, the nation's largest VA lender, released its 2025 Best Cities for Veterans to Live list today. While Midwest metros continue to offer affordability and access, this year's rankings show a noticeable rise in appeal along the coasts. The Top 10 overall markets for Veterans and service members are: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J.; Lawrence, Kan.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Battle Creek, Mich.; Decatur, Ill.; Cleveland, Ohio; Altoona, Pa.; Rapid City, S.D.; and Lawton, Okla. "Our latest analysis is grounded in what Veterans told us matters most, from affordability and health care to community connection and quality of life," said Chris Birk, vice president of mortgage insight at Veterans United Home Loans. "This year's top cities reflect a growing interest in coastal living, but they also offer the stability, support and opportunity that Veterans and their families need to build their next chapter." Each quarter, Veterans United surveys Veterans to learn which factors are most important to them when deciding where to live. The Best Cities to Live list analyzes more than 500 metropolitan markets based on 23 factors, including cost of living, housing affordability, quality of life and a strong Veteran community, which all rank high among Veterans. Cost of living: Affordability continues to be a driving factor for Veterans when deciding where to live. Veterans United measured the cost of living using a composite score, where a higher score indicates a lower cost of living. With a composite score of 192, Decatur, Ill., was the most affordable among the Top 10 cities, followed closely by Lawton, Okla. (180.59), and Lawrence, Kan. (174.71). On the higher-cost end, Altoona, Pa. (158.13), ranked as the most expensive city in the Top 10. Median home price: For many Veterans, buying a home is a major milestone when transitioning to civilian life. Among this year's Top 10, Decatur, Ill., had the lowest median home price at $142,500, followed closely by Altoona, Pa. ($149,900), and Lawton, Okla. ($190,000). Battle Creek, Mich. ($235,000), and Cleveland, Ohio ($249,000), also fell below the national median home price of $403,700, according to the National Association of Realtors. Among the Top 10, Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. had the highest median home price at $550,000. Quality of life: To determine what makes a good place to live, Veterans United looked at a combination of highly rated quality of life factors for Veterans, such as local air quality, proximity to essentials like grocery stores, and local amenities, including outdoor activities and restaurants. Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J., led all Top 10 cities with a quality of life score of 310.81. Atlantic City is known for its historic boardwalk and vibrant beach culture but also provides strong community support, robust amenities and a Veteran-friendly policy landscape. Veteran Community: Veterans often seek communities where they feel connected and supported. To assess the strength of local Veteran communities, Veterans United examined population data, access to services and state-level benefits. Battle Creek, Mich., led all Top 10 cities with a Veteran community score of 165.00. With a large and growing Veteran population, a major VA Medical Center, proximity to Fort Custer Training Center, and a strong network of events and support programs, Battle Creek stands out as a hub for military-connected residents. Veterans United Best Cities for Veterans to Live Rank Metro Cost of LivingScore Median Home Price ** Quality of LifeScore Veteran CommunityScore Total CompositeScore (23 Factors) 1 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, S.C 167.04 $324,900 286.37 131.85 845.21 2 Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. 163.12 $550,000 310.81 132.71 844.61 3 Lawrence, Kan. 174.71 $422,500 250.63 96.89 842.28 4 Sioux Falls, S.D. 170.79 $381,064 253.94 102.03 828.07 5 Battle Creek, Mich. 170.43 $235,000 188.38 165.00 827.16 6 Decatur, Ill. 192.00 $142,500 230.67 101.03 825.32 7 Cleveland, Ohio 170.07 $249,000 260.00 105.25 820.14 8 Altoona, Pa. 158.13 $149,900 254.62 113.91 816.39 9 Rapid City, S.D. 165.62 $429,900 242.15 140.60 814.63 10 Lawton, Okla. 180.59 $190,000 207.01 137.68 812.84 *Scores were weighted to reflect the importance of each factor to Veterans. Higher scores indicate a greater contribution to the composite score. Some shown metrics, such as 'Quality of Life Score,' are a combination of multiple variables.** Median home prices sourced from To view the complete list of cities and methodology, visit About Veterans United Home Loans Based in Columbia, Missouri, the full-service national direct lender financed more than $22.7 billion in loans in Fiscal Year 2024 and is the country's largest VA lender, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company's mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service. | 1-800-884-5560 | 550 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 | Veterans United Home Loans NMLS # 1907 ( A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Licensed in all 50 states. For State Licensing information, please visit Equal Opportunity Lender. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Veterans United Home Loans Sign in to access your portfolio
