Texas, found in the south central United States, was the 28th state to join the union. With an enormous total population of 25,145,561, it is the second most populated state in the nation. At an average elevation of 1700 feet and a total size of 268581 square miles, it is the second largest state in the nation in size as well as population. Most of the state is located in the Central Standard Time zone of the United States (UTC-6), though the far west portion is located in the Mountain Standard Time zone of the United States (UTC-7). On December 29, 1845, it joined the nation as the 28th state. The state’s current governor is Rick Perry of the Republican Party.
There are a large number of nice cities and towns in Texas. Three of its cities, Austin, Fort Worth, and El Paso, are counted among the largest 25 cities in the United States. Four of its areas, Waco, Austin/Round Rock, College Station/Bryan, and San Angelo, are ranked first, third, fourth, and sixth respectively as the best places for military retirement by the USAA.
There are quite a few aspects of Texas that make it a great place to retire to the military from. These aspects include a positive economic environment, good educational offerings, many recreational and cultural activities, very good healthcare services, and several military bases.
Texas is home to 181 universities, colleges, and various other institutions, which are both two-year and four-year institutions. Most of its public universities come from six different college systems: University of North Texas, University of Texas, University of Houston, Texas State University, Texas A&M University, and Texas Tech University. One of Texas’s more prominent private universities is Rice University. Founded in 1891, it is located in Houston, Texas and has an enrollment of around 3500. U.S. News & World Report ranked it the 17th best overall university in the nation in 2006.
There are many entertaining and interesting things in Texas. It incorporates many cultural elements from Southern and Southwestern cultures. The biggest city in Texas, Houston, has permanent professional resident companies in all of the major performing disciplines (one of only five American cities to do so). These include: opera, orchestra, ballet, and theatre. Texas also boasts a variety of museums and an active nightlife. It hosts the world’s largest know rodeo, the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Texas has many health facilities run by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. These include seven health care systems, five medical centers, one domiciliary, twelve outpatient clinics, and thirty-six community based outpatient clinics.
Texas also has fifteen military institutions. These include seven Air Force bases (Brooks City-Base, Dyess AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Lackland AFB, Laughlin AFB, Randolph AFB, and Sheppard AFB), four army bases (Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Sam Houston, and Red River Army Depot), and four naval bases (JRB Fort Worth, NAS Corpus Christi, NAS Kingsville, and NS Ingleside). These bases feature commissaries, base exchanges, and clinics useable by veterans.
These are just some of the reasons that make Texas one of the best places to retire in the United States for military retirees.
Learn more about retiring to Texas: Texas
Check out the resources below to help you through your military retirement: