This year, WalletHub included two more metrics: the share of population 40 and older and the presence of veteran-treatment courts for mental health and drug addiction. According to the findings, more than half of the state’s veteran population is over the age of 40.

Florida’s VA hospitals, and the number of them, also ranked high.

“For the quality of VA hospitals metric, Florida ranked 19th because patients were more willing to recommend the state’s VA hospitals,” analyst Jill Gonzalez said. A score of 25 is considered average, and lower scores like Florida’s are better, she said.

“Florida ranked high [fifth best] for the number of VA health facilities per number of veterans,” Gonzalez said.

When it comes to jobs, veterans also do well in Florida.

Analysts determined the number of job opportunities for veterans by looking at eligible jobs and subtracting the veteran unemployment rate, Gonzalez said. In hiring for federal government jobs, veterans in Florida may receive preference depending on their disability status and when they were active.”

It might be time to start packing boxes and planning the move south. Both Florida and South Carolina are very veteran-friendly states to reside in and for veterans, the factors in their favor make them very attractive. But rooting for the Dolphins? Not so much.

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Photo courtesy DOD

This article courtesy of SpecialOperations.com