4 Veteran-Friendly US Cities for Digital Nomad Entrepreneurs

After devoting so many years to serving in the military, you may be looking to escape the standard nine-to-five workday, and maybe explore a new city or state. You might even be interested in starting your own business and enjoying the perks of working for yourself.

If this sounds like you, becoming a digital nomad could be the key to achieving the best of both worlds after leaving the military. However, you’ll first need to choose a veteran-friendly city with a great community for digital nomads. Here are four recommendations from The Wonder Map to help you launch this bold new chapter of your life.

1. Austin

Austin, TX is the second-best US city for veterans, according to 2021 data collected by WalletHub. However, the state capital of Texas is first on our list due to its plethora of coworking spaces for digital nomads, cafes and libraries with internet connectivity, and restaurants, bars, grocery stores, and music venues. A few possible workspaces for digital nomads include the Industrious Coworking space, Central Library, and cafes and coffee shops like Mozart’s, Radio Coffee & Beer, Bennu Coffee, and Book People.

When choosing a place to live in Austin, neighborhoods like Zilker, South Congress, and Barton Creek are all great options for digital nomads. Plus, you can use websites and apps such as Abodo, Apartment List, Zumper, and Sublet.com to find the perfect apartment for rent.

2. Denver

Also on WalletHub’s list of veteran-friendly cities is Denver, CO. Not only is Denver less than seven miles from the Veterans Business Network’s office in Lakewood, but the capital city of Colorado is home to coworking spaces such as Expansive Workspace, CTRL Collective, Enterprise Coworking, and Alchemy Creative Workspace. Plus, there’s so much to see and do in the Mile High City — and it’s easy to get around by vehicle, scooter, bicycle, or public transportation.To find affordable Denver apartments, use websites like Apartment List to search for listings within your price range. You can find properties based on your desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms, preferred neighborhoods, and other amenities such as onsite laundry and parking. Some listings even include 3D tours, making it possible to tour apartments from near or far.

3. San Francisco

San Francisco, CA isn’t the cheapest place to live, but you’ll find everything you need and more to succeed as a digital nomad entrepreneur. Possible coworking spaces include Bespoke, The Vault, and AvantSpace, or you can work from coffee shops with Wifi such as Verve Coffee Roasters, Müesi Cafe, Daily Driver, and Chestnut Street Coffee Roaster. You can even join groups like Freelance Cafe, Six Degrees Society, and Soapbox to connect with other freelancers and digital nomads in the area.

Despite there being a lot of great resources for veterans in San Francisco, finding an affordable place to live can be a challenge as a digital nomad. Look for listings in the Tenderloin, Outer Sunset, and Richmond neighborhoods to pay less while still enjoying the benefits of living and working in the Golden City.

4. Seattle

Seattle is another veteran-friendly city with lots of great options for digital nomads, including coworking spaces, public transportation, restaurants, bars, museums, and national parks. Top coworking spaces include the Pioneer Collective, West Seattle Coworking, and Cloud Room, and some of the best neighborhoods range from Central Seattle and Capitol Hill to North and South Seattle. Use websites like Apartment List to search for listings within your budget, and expect to spend spend around $2,724 on a two-bedroom apartment.

The Bottom Line

There are also certain resources that can be a huge benefit to you, no matter where you end up. For instance, if simply posting your resume on freelance job boards isn’t enough, you can also advertise your services for free via social media. Share only high quality, professional-looking pictures to promote your business. If the image files are too large, you’ll be glad you know how to use this free tool to quickly resize an image for Instagram.

Whether you end up residing in Austin, Denver, San Francisco, or Seattle, each of these four US cities has the coworking spaces, internet connectivity, veteran resources, and digital nomad communities you need to succeed as a remote worker.

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