May 22. With May being Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day approaching, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst States for Military Retirees, along with its Memorial Day facts.

North Carolina ranks 13th, sandwiched between Alabama at 12th and Maine at 14th. South Carolina earned the No.1 spot.

In order to determine the best and worst states for military retirement, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: economic environment, quality of life and health care.

Memorial Day History

Post-Civil War Origins: Following the devastating Civil War, communities began holding memorial services and decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.

The Grand Army of the Republic: In 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), an organization of Union veterans, led by General John A. Logan, formally designated Decoration Day on May 30th to honor the war dead.

Expansion to All Wars: After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor those who died in all wars, not just the Civil War.

Official Holiday: In 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday, andits date was moved to the last Monday in May.

National Moment of Remembrance: Today, Americans are encouraged to pause for one minute at 3 pm local time on Memorial Day to reflect on the sacrifices of those who died in service.

Memorial Day Facts

100 – Members of the 119th Congress have served in the U.S. military, only the 5th time in the last 50 years with an increase at all in the total veterans elected.

100 million plus – Households worldwide will watch the National Memorial Day parade broadcast on TV.

3.6 million – People are expected to travel by plane over Memorial Day weekend, up 2 percent  over 2024.

818 – Number of hot dogs consumed every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day for a 7 billion total.

20 to 85 percent off – Discount shoppers can expect during Memorial Day weekend sales.