Four Texas Metros Rank Top 20 for Veterans

Texas operators hiring veterans or sourcing from veteran-owned vendors gain a clearer read on where that talent is concentrated.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Military Jobs

Wide view of a sunlit Texas commercial street with low limestone and stucco buildings under a clear open sky, empty of people and signage. — Four Texas metro areas, including San Antonio-New Braunfels at 16th, ranked in the top 20 nationally for veteran entrepreneurs in a Polco and National Research Center study. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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A national veterans nonprofit ranked San Antonio-New Braunfels 16th among U.S. metro areas for veteran entrepreneurs, with four Texas metros in the top 20. The rankings cover nearly 400 metro areas and weigh livability, veteran support, economic growth and business-start opportunities, which matters for Texas operators weighing where to launch or expand a veteran-owned business.

Why it matters

Metro-level rankings like this shape where veterans choose to locate and start companies, which in turn affects local talent pools, supplier networks and competition for customers. The Texas result suggests the state's metros are drawing veteran founders across several major markets at once.

Four Texas metros placed in the top 20 of nearly 400 U.S. metro areas studied. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos led the state at third, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington at seventh, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands at 19th and San Antonio-New Braunfels at 16th.

The players

PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes

A national nonprofit that supports veterans transitioning to civilian life, including through its Veteran Entrepreneur Program.

The details

The study was produced with Polco and the National Research Center as part of the PenFed Foundation's Veteran Entrepreneur Program. It scored metros on livability, support for veterans, economic growth and opportunities to start a business. Those factors reflect conditions a veteran founder would weigh when choosing where to open or grow a company.

Article on the ranking published November 7, 2026.

Market Landscape

The ranking comes from the PenFed Foundation's Veteran Entrepreneur Program, which tracks where veterans are most likely to start businesses. Texas metros placing four times in the top 20 signals a concentrated regional pull for veteran founders.

Operators in Texas metros considering veteran hires or veteran-owned suppliers should note the state's strong showing in this ranking. Businesses in these metros may find a deeper pool of veteran founders and talent when expanding.

The takeaway

Texas businesses tracking talent and partnership opportunities should watch how veteran founder activity shifts across these metros in future rankings. Operators can use the metro comparison when deciding where to recruit veteran candidates or source veteran-owned vendors.