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National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Where can I find the Veteran population for the Nation, states, counties, and Congressional Districts?

  2. Where can I find the Veteran population for geographies below the county or Congressional District level?

  3. Where can I find detailed demographic, period of service, or socioeconomic data about Veterans and non Veterans?

  4. Where can I find basic information and data about utilization of VA services by type of program?

  5. Where can I find detailed information and data about beneficiaries of VA programs for service-connected and non-service-connected disability, education, insurance, loan guaranty, and vocational rehabilitation and employment?

  6. Where can I find information and data about Veterans with health conditions or disabilities, regardless of whether or not they are receiving VA benefits?

  7. Where can I find expenditures for the Nation, states, counties, and Congressional Districts?

  8. Where can I find information and data about separated Veterans, active duty military, and reservists and National Guard, including those with service in the Global War on Terrorism?

  9. How many served and how many casualties are there by war period, nationally and at the state level?

  10. How many military retirees are there nationally or in my state or zip code area?

  11. Where can I find information and data about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

  12. Where can I find information and data about dependents and survivors of Veterans?

  13. Where can I find the results of the National Survey of Veterans(NSV)?

  14. Where can I find information for the Nation or my state about how many Veterans are using their G.I. Bill benefits? Can I get these statistics by period of service?

  15. Where can I find information for the Nation or my state about what types of schools or programs Veterans are enrolled in using G.I. Bill benefits? Can I get these statistics by period of service?

  16. Where can I find information about the number of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn Veterans? Are statistics available on their usage of VA benefits and services?

  17. How is rurality index developed?

1.  Where can I find the Veteran population for the Nation, states, counties, and Congressional Districts?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides official estimates and projections of the Veteran population using the VetPop2014 Veteran Population Model.  Estimates and projections are available at the national, state, county, and Congressional District levels in detail from VetPop2014 tables and in total from the first numerical column of the Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX).  Periods of service are based on those used in Census 2000, as shown in Figure 1b of the Veterans: 2000 Census 2000 Brief.

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2.  Where can I find the Veteran population for geographies below the county or Congressional District level?

Estimates of the Veteran population for geographies below the county level are available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS).  One-year data are available for the Nation, all states and Congressional Districts, and counties and places with populations 65,000 or more.  Three-year data are available for the Nation, all states and Congressional Districts, and counties and places with populations 20,000 or more.  Five-year data are available for the Nation, all states, Congressional Districts, counties, places, and smaller geographies (block, tract).

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3.  Where can I find detailed demographic, period of service, or socioeconomic data about Veterans and non Veterans?

Demographic tables are available in VetPop2014.  Age and gender are available from every table, although the level of detail of the age breakouts decreases for smaller geographic levels.  Period of service is available from national and state level tables.  Race/ethnicity is also available from national and state level tables.

Aside from VetPop2014, there are a number of demographic and socioeconomic reports and analyses on the NCVAS web page.

Unlike VetPop2014, the American Community Survey (ACS) has numerical comparisons of Veterans to non Veterans and socioeconomic data such as educational attainment, median income, and employment, poverty, disability, and service-connected disability rating status.  Tables pertaining to Veterans are R2101, S2101 and B21001 through B21100.

At the national level, demographic and socioeconomic information on Veterans from the Current Population Survey (CPS) is found in the Employment Situation of Veterans and the Employment Status of the Civilian Population 18 Years and Over by Veteran Status.

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4.  Where can I find basic information and data about utilization of VA services by type of program?

The Profile of Unique Veteran Users provides basic information about the utilization of VA services for Fiscal Year 2012, including the number using multiple VA programs. VA Stats at a Glance provides more recent summarized data.

Unique patients receiving treatment at VA Medical Facilities are presented by state, county and Congressional District in the Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures.

The 2010 National Survey of Veterans has information on data utilization of VA services by type of program in the Final Weighted Report as follows:

  1. VA Disability and Vocational Rehabilitation - Chapter 4.1.4, pages 106 to 116 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-10, D-13 to D-14, and D-16.
  2. VA Health Care - Chapter 4.1.6, pages 122 to 136 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-21 to D-39.
  3. VA Education and Training - Chapter 4.1.8, pages 145 to 153 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-42 to D-46.
  4. VA Life Insurance - Chapter 4.1.10, pages 161 to 164 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-48 to D-50.
  5. VA Home Loans - Chapter 4.1.11, pages 165 to 169 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-51 to D-54.
  6. VA Burial Plans - Chapter 4.1.12, pages 171 to 180 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-56 to D-60.

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5.  Where can I find detailed information and data about beneficiaries of VA programs for service-connected and non-service-connected disability, education, insurance, loan guaranty, and vocational rehabilitation and employment?

The Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Report covers each of these programs in separate chapters.  Appendix E shows state-level data.

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6.  Where can I find information and data about Veterans with health conditions or disabilities, regardless of whether or not they are receiving VA benefits?

The 2001 National Survey of Veterans has information on Veterans’ health in the Final Reports & Appendixes, Chapter 5, and Tabulations & Responses, Tables 3-11 to 3-14.  The 2010 National Survey of Veterans has information on Veterans’ service-connected disability rating and VA disability benefits in the Final Weighted Report in Chapters 4.1.4, on pages 109 and 112, and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-11 to D-12.  Also, The 2010 National Survey of Veterans has information on Veterans’ health status, health care, and health insurance in the Final Weighted Report in Chapters 4.1.5, 4.1.6 and 4.1.7, respectively on pages 117 to 143, and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables, pages D-18 to D-42.

Below the national and state levels, estimates of disabled Veterans are found in the American Community Survey (ACS) in Table S2101 and in Table B21007.  The estimated numbers of service-connected disabled Veterans are shown by disability percent rating in Table B21100.

The ACS estimates for both disabled Veterans in general and service-connected disabled Veterans will differ somewhat from those found in the VBA Annual Report because the ACS estimates are:  (1) not limited to those receiving VA compensation & pension; and (2) survey estimates rather than counts from a computerized record, as are the VBA numbers.

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7.  Where can I find expenditures for the Nation, states, counties, and Congressional Districts?

These data are found in the Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX).  The GDX is an annual report produced by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (NCVAS), in the Office of Policy and Planning (OPP).  GDX provides VA expenditures at the state, county and Congressional District levels in seven categories.  The GDX categories are Compensation & Pension, Construction, Education and Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment, General Operating Expenses, Insurance and Indemnities, Medical Care, and Loan Guaranty.  Each of the GDX categories consists of funding appropriations with similar funding purposes.  The expenditures included in GDX are direct payments to Veterans and their dependents (e.g. compensation and pension), operating expenses incurred for providing services to Veterans (e.g. medical care programs), and overhead expenses (e.g. general administrative supports).  Whenever possible, expenditures to Veterans are captured at the zip code level and then aggregated at the county, Congressional District, and state levels.

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8.  Where can I find information and data about separated Veterans, active duty military, and reservists and National Guard, including those with service in the Global War on Terrorism?

The 2010 National Survey of Veterans has information on recently separated Veterans, active duty military, and reservists and National Guard, including those with service in the Global War on Terrorism.  Findings and results for these groups are in the Final Weighted Report and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables as follows:

  1. Veterans – Chapter 4.1, pages 51 to 180 and tables in Appendix D on pages D-2 to D-177.
  2. Demobilized National Guard and Reserve Members – Chapter 4.2, pages 181 to 247 and tables in Appendix D on pages D-178 to D-247.
  3. Active Duty Service Members – Chapter 4.3, pages 248 to 278 and tables in Appendix D on pages D-248 to D-275.
  4. Veteran Spouses, Active Duty Spouses, and Surviving Spouses of deceased Veterans – Chapter 4.4, pages 279 to 316 and tables in Appendix D on pages D-276 to D-304 (Veteran Spouses), pages D-305 to D-324 (Active Duty Spouses), and pages D-325 to D-355 (Surviving Spouse).

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9.  How many served and how many casualties are there by war period, nationally and at the state level?

Service members and casualties are summarized in the document America’s Wars.  This factsheet is produced in response to numerous requests for war casualty statistics.  It provides statistics compiled by sources at the Department of Defense (DoD), indicating the number of fatalities and numbers of wounded among American military personnel serving in principal wars and combat actions from the Revolutionary War to the current Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) operations in Afghanistan and related conflicts.  The casualty statistics for wars long ended are updated periodically, sometimes yearly.  This almost always reflects the identification of remains of persons previously listed as missing in action and those persons’ reclassification as dead.

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10.  How many military retirees are there nationally or in my state or zip code area?

This information is provided in the annual Department of Defense Statistical Report on the Military Retirement System.  Choose a fiscal year under Statistical Report.  The military retirement system applies to members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.  However, most of the provisions also apply to retirement systems for members of the Coast Guard (administered by the Department of Homeland Security), officers of the Public Health Service (administered by the Department of Health and Human Services), and officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (administered by the Department of Commerce).

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11.  Where can I find information and data about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

General information about PTSD is available from the National Center for PTSD.  Expert opinion about PTSD is found under PTSD and the Military.  Findings are also available from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study.

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12.  Where can I find information and data about dependents and survivors of Veterans?

The 2010 National Survey of Veterans has information on spouses of living Veterans and survivors of deceased Veterans and service personnel in the Final Weighted Report Chapter 4.4 and Appendix D - Detailed Data Tables on pages D-276 to D-304 (Veteran Spouses), pages D-305 to D-324 (Active Duty Spouses), and pages D-325 to D-355 (Surviving Spouse).

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13.  Where can I find the results of the National Survey of Veterans(NSV)?

The 2010 National Survey of Veterans is the most recent NSV conducted by VA.  The results are described in the Final Weighted Report.

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14.  Where can I find information for the Nation or my state about how many Veterans are using their G.I. Bill benefits? Can I get these statistics by period of service?

Individuals can view the number of students who have used the G.I. Bill Benefits at the national and state level by going to the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Annual Benefits Report.

There is currently no VA website that provides G.I. Bill benefits by period of service.

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15.  Where can I find information for the Nation or my state about what types of schools or programs Veterans are enrolled in using G.I. Bill benefits? Can I get these statistics by period of service?

The Veterans Benefits Administration’s Annual Benefits Report shows the types of programs (i.e., graduate, undergraduate, non-college degree, vocational).  The 2009 Annual Benefits Report provided a statistical “snapshot” that showed the discipline most of VA beneficiaries tend to pursue (i.e. Nursing, Criminal Justice, Business Administration, etc.).  This snapshot is currently only available in the 2009 report.

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16.  Where can I find information about the number of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn Veterans? Are statistics available on their usage of VA benefits and services?

There is currently no VA website that would provide Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn Veterans statistics.

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17.  How is rurality index developed?

There are at least two methods VA uses to develop a rurality index:

  1. Per US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) codes classify U.S. census tracts using measures of population density, urbanization, and daily commuting.
  2. From the 2010 Census:  To qualify as an urban area, the territory identified according to criteria must encompass at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of which reside outside institutional group quarters.  The Census Bureau identifies two types of urban areas:

    • Urbanized Areas of 50,000 or more people;
    • Urban Clusters of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people.

“Rural” encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.

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