States that care the most about veterans in 2024

With approximately 17.9 million veterans living in the U.S. in 2024, the non-profit organization SmileHub today released new reports on the Best Charities for Veterans and the States that Care the Most About Veterans in 2024, in appreciation for those who have served our country.

To highlight the states that care the most about veterans and the ones that need to improve the most, SmileHub compared each of the 50 states using 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of veteran-owned businesses to total VA spending per veteran to the share of homeless veterans.

States that Excel

1. Virginia

2. Florida

3. Texas

4. South Carolina

5. Pennsylvania

6. Illinois

7. Maryland

8. North Carolina

9. Alabama

10. Oklahoma

States in Need of Improvement

41. Rhode Island

42. Colorado

43. Oregon

44. Mississippi

45. New Mexico

46. Idaho

47. Vermont

48. Delaware

49. Nevada

50. Connecticut

Key Stats

• Virginia has the highest share of veteran-owned businesses – 2.4 times more than in New York, which has the lowest share.

• North Dakota has the lowest veteran unemployment rate – 3.1 times lower than in California, which has the highest rate.

• West Virginia has the highest total VA spending per veteran – 1.8 times more than in New Jersey, which has the lowest spending.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit: https://smilehub.org/blog/states-that-care-the-most-about-veterans/161