Top 10 US cities for veteran home buyers

In 2025, 7.1% of homes purchased in the U.S. were financed with VA loans – the highest share since 2020. The VA loan program continues to play a major role in helping veterans and active-duty service members become homeowners, allowing eligible buyers to purchase with no down payment and competitive terms.

While veterans buy homes in markets across the country, their activity isn’t evenly distributed. Some cities consistently stand out for both the volume and share of home purchases backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This ranking highlights the places where veterans are putting down roots today, based on the scale and momentum of VA-financed home sales.

Key takeaways:

• Tampa, Florida, ranks as the top city for veteran home buyers, with over 40% of home purchases financed with VA loans.
• Florida markets dominate the list, with Tampa and Jacksonville both placing in the top four.
• Veteran home buying is strongest in the eastern half of the U.S., with seven of the top 10 cities located east of the Mississippi River.

Finding the best cities for veteran home buying in 2026

Cities were ranked on three primary factors: volume, market share, and momentum. Together, these factors help highlight where veterans are actively buying homes today  and where that activity is growing.

• Volume reflects the total number of mortgaged home sales using VA loans in each city.
• Market share compares the number of mortgaged home sales using VA loans to the total number of home sales in each city.
• Momentum captures how VA loan activity has changed in recent years.

We created volume, market share, and momentum scores for each city and combined them into an overall “veteran home buying score” from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the better the city is for veteran home buyers.

For additional context, we also included income data, unemployment data, and median home sales price, but we didn’t factor this information into the ranking.

1. Tampa, Florida

• Veteran home buying score: 91.9
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 7,466
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 40.3%
• Veteran median income: $51,613
• Veteran unemployment rate: 3.3% (vs. 4.9% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $455,000

Tampa is the top city for veteran home buying in the U.S. The Florida hub ranks first overall by a wide margin thanks to both its strong market activity and growing share of veteran buyers over the last 2 years. From 2023 to 2025, the city averaged over 7,400 VA-financed home purchases annually, one of the highest levels among major cities.

Veterans also make up a substantial portion of Tampa’s overall home buying activity. VA-backed loans accounted for an average of 40.3% of home purchases between 2023 and 2025, up from the mid-30% range in the early 2010s.

The area’s large military presence may help support this demand. Tampa houses  MacDill Air Force Base and is home to nearly 20,000 active-duty service members and just over 133,000 retirees.

Tampa also has a robust veteran economy, which may explain why it’s so popular among that population. Veterans in Tampa have a lower unemployment rate than non-veterans – 3.3% compared with 4.9%, respectively.

2. Warren, Michigan

• Veteran home buying score: 59.3
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 5,536
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 14.4%
• Veteran median income: $45,779
• Veteran unemployment rate: less than 0.1% (vs. 7.2% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $201,500

Warren ranks second due to its long-standing and stable level of veteran home buying activity. Between 2023 and 2025, the city averaged more than 5,500 VA-financed home purchases annually.

While other cities have seen more recent growth, Warren stands out for its consistency. Veteran home buying activity has remained relatively stable over time, with over 5,000 VA-financed homes purchased each year since 2012.

The city’s military presence helps explain this stability. Warren is home to the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Detroit Arsenal, a 100-acre active military installation. The John D. Dingell VA Medical Center is also located in nearby Detroit. Michigan as a whole has the 13th-largest population of veterans in the U.S., too.

3. Atlanta

• Veteran home buying score: 45.9
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 3,126
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 7%
• Veteran median income: $55,707
• Veteran unemployment rate: 7.1% (vs. 5.1% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $378,000

Atlanta has been a major hub for veteran home buying for years, and ranks third today thanks to a higher volume and share of VA-mortgaged home sales. From 2023 to 2025, more than 3,100 home buyers in Atlanta used VA loans each year on average – the third-highest volume in the country after Tampa and Warren.

VA loan share in Atlanta has also grown over time, with 7.5% of buyers using VA loans in 2025, up from 5.8% in 2021. Atlanta’s 2025 VA loan market share trails cities like Las Vegas (11%) and Sacramento, California (14.8%) – both of which didn’t make the top 10 – but Atlanta’s sheer volume of veteran home buyers makes up for its lower share.

4. Jacksonville, Florida

• Veteran home buying score: 42.4
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 1,985
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 16.5%
• Veteran median income: $53,061
• Veteran unemployment rate: 5.9% (vs. 5% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $281,774

In 2025, nearly 1 in 5 home buyers used VA loans in Jacksonville – the second-highest share among the cities on this list. Veteran home buying activity has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels after decreasing in 2020 and 2021.

The military has a particularly strong foothold in Jacksonville, with Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Marine Corps Blount Island Command, and other area military installations located in or near the city. They contribute $9.1 billion to the local economy.

Jacksonville's relatively low cost of living – combined with a median home sales price below the national median – may help explain the city’s appeal for veteran home buyers, though those factors were not included in the ranking.

5. Seattle

• Veteran home buying score: 42
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 2,881
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 10%
• Veteran median income: $64,023
• Veteran unemployment rate: 5.8% (vs. 5.1% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $795,000

Although Seattle has seen a slight decline in veteran home buyers over the past few years, the Emerald City remains one of the top places where former service members are purchasing homes. Its 2,787 VA-financed home purchases in 2025 still rank fifth nationally, even as activity has declined from 4,505 purchases in 2020.

Veterans account for 7.3% of Washington’s population. The area is also home to several military installations, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord just south of Tacoma and Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton.

6. Phoenix

• Veteran home buying score: 39.7
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 3,120
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023–2025): 7.6%
• Veteran median income: $50,557
• Veteran unemployment rate: 3.0% (vs. 4.1% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $450,000

Phoenix makes our list because it continues to attract veteran home buyers. In 2025, 3,187 home sales in Phoenix were financed with VA loans, down from more than 6,000 in 2019 but still the fourth-highest volume in the country.

Phoenix doesn’t have a large veteran population, though, with just under 5% of residents identifying as veterans. Nearby active military bases include Luke Air Force Base in Glendale and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

7. Portland, Oregon

• Veteran home buying score: 39.7
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 383
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 5.2%
• Veteran median income: $56,386
• Veteran unemployment rate: 12.1% (vs. 4.7% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $455,000

Portland is the second city in the Pacific Northwest on our list. While overall veteran home buying volume is lower in Portland compared to some other cities, VA loan usage has grown steadily over time.

In 2011, just four home purchases used VA loans, accounting for 0.1% of all sales in Portland. By 2025, that number had risen to 424 homes, or 6.2% of total purchases – highlighting meaningful long-term growth in veteran home buying activity.

In our ranking, Portland came in second for market share score and did slightly better than our top city with its momentum score, indicating a growing veteran-friendly market.

8. Charlotte, North Carolina

• Veteran home buying score: 37.9
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 1,275
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 6.3%
• Veteran median income: $53,891
• Veteran unemployment rate: 3.3% (vs. 4.3% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $395,500

All of the cities on our list experienced a decline in VA-financed home purchases between 2020 – 2022 and the years after the pandemic. However, Charlotte scored well compared to other cities for its post-pandemic recovery, current momentum in VA-financed transactions, and lower market volatility.

Although they aren’t reflected in the rankings, positive employment trends are also a factor that makes Charlotte an attractive destination for veterans. Veteran unemployment remains relatively low at 3.3%, compared with 4.3% among non-veterans.

9. Columbus, Ohio

• Veteran home buying score: 36.2
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 912
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 5.6%
• Veteran median income: $48,621
• Veteran unemployment rate: 0.9% (vs. 4.8% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $289,900

Among all the cities on our list, Columbus scored first for momentum, meaning it had the strongest post-pandemic recovery and the steadiest home buying market in recent years.

Columbus’ share of home purchases financed with VA loans has increased over the last several years, rising from 4.9% in 2021 to 6.3% in 2025. Veteran unemployment also remains remarkably low at 0.9%, compared with 4.8% for non-veterans.

10. Chicago

• Veteran home buying score: 35.9
• Average annual VA-financed home sales (2023 – 2025): 1,425
• Average annual VA share of home sales (2023 – 2025): 3.1%
• Veteran median income: $46,270
• Veteran unemployment rate: 4.2% (vs. 7.2% for non-veterans)
• Median home sales price: $355,000

Chicago may have the lowest 2025 VA loan market share out of any city in the top 10, but veteran home buying activity has remained consistent. VA loans accounted for 3.2% of all home purchases in each of the past 3 years.

Over the longer term, that share has gradually increased, rising from 2.6% between 2011 – 2015 to 3% between 2021 – 2025. This indicates that veteran buyers have remained an active part of the city’s housing mix.

Nearby military installations like Naval Station Great Lakes, which employs over 20,000 people, make Chicago an appealing place to live for locals who formerly or currently work in the military.

Methodology

The ranking was created based on three key scores: volume, market share, and momentum. These were calculated based on data from Redfin and the U.S. Census Bureau and combined to create an overall veteran home buying score.

The volume score measures the volume of mortgaged home sales that used VA loans, reflecting where veterans are most actively buying homes. This score is calculated based on recent and historical volume since 2011.

The market share score compares the number of mortgaged home sales that used VA loans to the total number of home sales, looking at how veteran-friendly a market is today and how it has grown over time. This metric also identifies emerging destinations for veterans.

The momentum score assesses trajectory and stability in the veteran home buying market since 2020, capturing each city’s post-pandemic recovery and current momentum. This metric rewards growing veteran activity as well as lower volatility in the market.

Additional data points included in this report, including veteran unemployment rates and veteran median income from the 2024 census and January 2026 median home sales prices from Redfin, are provided for context only and were not included in the ranking methodology.

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Rocket Mortgage is a VA-approved lender, not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.

Rocket Mortgage, LLC, Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC, Rocket Card, LLC, RockLoans Marketplace LLC (doing business as Rocket Loans), and Rocket Money, Inc., are separate operating subsidiaries of Rocket Limited Partnership. Redfin Corporation is an affiliated business of Rocket Limited Partnership. Each company is a separate legal entity operated and managed through its own management and governance structure. Rocket Limited Partnership is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE: RKT).