Veteran Stats and Facts

The brave men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life; they are parents, children and grandparents. They are friends, neighbors and coworkers, and an important part of their communities. Here are some facts about the current veteran population of the United States.

Did You Know?

There are approximately 23.2 million military veterans in the United States.

• 9.2 million veterans are over the age of 65.

• 1.9 million veterans are under the age of 35.

• 1.8 million veterans are women.

• 7.8 million veterans served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975), which represents 33% of all living veterans.

• 5.2 million veterans served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present).

• 2.6 million veterans served during World War II (1941-1945).

• 2.8 million veterans served during the Korean War (1950-1953).

• 6 million veterans served in peacetime.

• As of 2008, 2.9 million veterans received compensation for service-connected disabilities.

• 5 states have more than 1 million veterans in among their population: California (2.1 million), Florida (1.7 million), Texas (1.7 million), New York (1 million) and Pennsylvania (1 million).

• The VA health care system had 54 hospitals in 1930, since then it has expanded to include 171 medical centers; more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics; 126 nursing home care units; and 35 live-in care facilities for injured or disabled vets.