New jersey ranked second worst state in america for veterans

New Jersey Ranked Second Worst State in America for Veterans

October 12, 2023
1 min read

TRENTON, NJ – A recent study by Leafwell has ranked New Jersey as the second worst state in the nation for veterans. The findings were based on several key factors, including financial support, housing, employment opportunities, and state spending tailored to the veteran population.

New Jersey scored a mere 1.1 out of 10 in the ranking. It particularly lagged in areas such as disability compensation, the size of the veteran population, and state expenditure on veteran-specific services.

This suggests that there is significant room for the state to enhance its support for veterans. New York was identified as the worst state for veterans, earning a score of just 0.7 out of 10, while Illinois followed close behind New Jersey with a score of 1.4 out of 10.

The study examined data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify states with the highest proportion of veteran workers. Additionally, state expenditure data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was analyzed to gauge which states are most committed to investing in veteran care. The ranking also factored in the availability of nursing homes scaled by population, providing insight into veterans’ access to retirement support.

Adding to the challenges veterans face, medical records have shown that one in three U.S. veterans are diagnosed with a mental health disorder, as reported by the United States Government’s National Library of Medicine. This underscores the importance of states providing comprehensive support and resources to veterans.

While the focus of the study was largely on where states fell short in their support for veterans, it also highlighted areas of improvement and potential remedies for these issues.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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