Washington, D.C. Leads the 2026 Top US Cities for Veteran Entrepreneurs
The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes released its 2026 Top US Cities for Veteran Entrepreneurs study, ranking the best large metro areas for veterans to live and build a business. The study was produced with Polco and the National Research Center. It scored 387 metro areas on 52 indicators across four areas: community livability, support for veterans, a growing economy and the ability to start a business.
How the Cities Were Ranked
Each metro area was scored on 52 indicators drawn from more than 30 data sources, including the American Community Survey, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indicators were adjusted for population size, converted to 0– 100 percentile scores and combined into four weighted categories:
- Livability: cost of living, child care, schools, health care access, parks and walkability
- Support for Veterans: VA spending per veteran, veteran concentration, local veteran organizations and veteran unemployment
- Growing Economy: job growth, GDP per capita, new businesses and earnings growth
- Ability to Start a Business: venture capital, SBA loans, incubators, veteran-owned business share and five-year business survival
The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes released its 2026 Top US Cities for Veteran Entrepreneurs study, ranking the best large metro areas for veterans to live and build a business. The study was produced with Polco and the National Research Center. It scored 387 metro areas on 52 indicators across four areas: community livability, support for veterans, a growing economy and the ability to start a business.
Why It Matters
Where a veteran chooses to launch can shape everything from access to capital to the strength of their support network. This study gives veterans, their families and the communities that support them a data-driven look at where those advantages are strongest today. The ranking is part of the work of The PenFed Foundation’s Veteran Entrepreneur Program, which helps veteran-owned businesses grow through accelerators, mentorship and access to capital.
Download the full 2026 Top US Cities for Veteran Entrepreneurs report below to see the complete methodology, the top cities in each category, the next 10 metros on the rise and more.