Military.com examined 379 major U.S. metropolitan areas to identify the 10 best places for service members to retire.

There were approximately 2 million military retirees as of 2009. The average of retirement age for enlisted service members is 42 and 46 for officers. Factors that make a retirement locale appealing include:

• Proximity to a military base with good amenities and a VA hospital.
• How the state taxes a military pension.
• Educational opportunities and other quality-of-life issues.

Military.com selected these 10 cities as most attractive:

1. Waco, Texas
2. Oklahoma City, Okla.
3. Austin, Texas
4. College Station, Texas
5. Harrisburg, Pa.
6. San Angelo, Texas
7. Madison, Wis.
8. Pittsburgh
9. New Orleans
10. Syracuse, N.Y.

Source: Military.com