For a member of the military returning from the service, the idea of choosing where to live may be a bit novel. To help with the decision, Military Times released a list naming the best small, medium and large cities for veterans in the U.S.
To compile the list, Military Times reported that it considered where the cities finished in its other rankings, including universities, employers, technical colleges and law enforcement agencies. Nearly 600 cities were considered and 75 made the cut, 25 in each of the three categories.
According to the final ranking, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma comprised the top five large cities in the country for veterans.
Some cities are better than others when a veteran is looking for a place to live.
San Diego's educational opportunities were one of the main reasons that it edged out competitors, Military Times reported. Both the University of San Diego and San Diego State University made it on the list of best colleges for vets in 2015.
"It's a very attractive climate. It's a very cosmopolitan city," said Jack Harkins, chairman of the United Veterans Council of San Diego County. "Many, many excellent colleges and universities in the area."
Veterans may also enjoy catching a baseball game in the city. Every Sunday when playing at home, the San Diego Padres wear camouflage uniforms to pay tribute to members of the armed forces, the franchise reported.
For those who favor small-town life, Military Times recommended Glen Burnie, Maryland; Bethesda, Maryland; Ellicott City, Maryland; Camarillo, California and Yorba Linda, California Ellicot and Camarillo both boast veteran unemployment rates of under 4 percent, and in Bethesda the median income for a veteran is $97,472, the list reported.