2017 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Veterans

Section 5: Veterans

This section presents statistics on Veterans in the United States. Specifically, the data address service connected to disability rating; the prevalence of disabilities in the Veteran population; the portion of the Veteran population that experiences poverty (as well as the difference between the poverty rates (poverty gap) of Veterans with and without disabilities), by disability status; and Veterans’ benefits, by disability status. The principal sources of these data are the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey and the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Annual Benefits Report. For these tables, statistics for people with disabilities (disability status) are based on having responded ‘yes’ to a series of questions within the American Community Survey (see the glossary for more details). Poverty is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and set as a dollar threshold by the U.S. Census Bureau in all sources (see the glossary for details).

Tables

Table 5.1: In 2016, according to the American Community Survey, 1,276,730 individuals ages 18 and over living in the community reported having a military service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or more.

Table 5.2: In 2016, there were 9,129,782 civilian veterans ages 18 to 64 years living in the community, 1,698,848 of which were individuals with disabilities—a prevalence rate of 18.6 percent. West Virginia had the highest prevalence rate, 29.2 percent, while Maryland had the lowest prevalence rate, 12.5 percent.

Tables 5.3 and 5.4: In 2016, of the 1,698,848 civilian veterans with disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community, 299,237 individuals lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 17.6 percent. In contrast, of the 7,430,934 civilian veterans without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community, 481,222 civilian veterans lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 6.5 percent. The poverty rate for civilian veterans with disabilities was highest in the District of Columbia (47.0 percent) and lowest in Alaska (5.8 percent).

Table 5.5: In 2016, the poverty rate of civilian veterans with disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 17.6 percent, while the poverty rate of individuals without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 6.5 percent—a poverty gap of 11.1 percentage points. The poverty gap was smallest in Alaska (-0.4 percentage points), meaning the poverty rate of individuals without disabilities was higher than that of individuals with disabilities) and greatest in the District of Columbia (38.2 percentage points).

Table 5.6: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2016, the United States spent a total of $84,028,287 on compensation and pension benefits paid to disabled veterans.

Table 5.1 Service-Connected Disability Rating—Civilian Veterans Ages 18 Years and Over Living in the Community, by Disability Status: 2016
State Total Veterans Has a Rating Percent Rating Not Reported   State Total Veterans Has a Rating Percent Rating Not Reported
0 10 to 60 70 Higher 0 10 to 60 70 Higher
U.S. 18,496,937 4,022,450 188,318 2,331,550 1,276,730 225,852 MT   85,461    20,429     652    13,264     5,345    1,168 
AL  331,076    87,087    3,805   50,080    27,303    5,899  NE  120,533    35,696    1,428   24,165     7,883    2,220 
AK   65,814    18,202     552    11,086     5,246    1,318  NV  208,263    49,535    2,530   27,909    16,181    2,915 
AZ  485,094    97,451    5,293   60,821    26,161    5,176  NH   97,864    15,727     860     9,961     4,284     622  
AR  197,781    44,810    1,708   22,284    18,392    2,426  NJ  330,766    48,633    3,370   26,279    15,099    3,885 
CA 1,624,519   347,702  21,067   198,719   104,153  23,763  NM  142,187    35,126    1,791   18,019    13,089    2,227 
CO  376,108    90,574    4,126   52,873    28,567    5,008  NY  723,582    118,055   6,335   67,766    35,354    8,600 
CT  170,879    24,573    1,829   14,486     6,614    1,644  NC  666,425    168,941   7,118   89,595    63,856    8,372 
DE   63,316     9,492     570     5,641     2,751     530   ND   46,905    12,266     708     8,668     2,564     326  
DC   26,346     4,128     605     2,457      673      393   OH  729,520    120,805   6,369   73,238    34,120    7,078 
FL 1,429,330   315,670  16,444   191,849   93,080   14,297  OK  275,808    87,374    2,375   42,931    38,320    3,748 
GA  643,660    166,058   4,868   92,110    60,066    9,014  OR  295,845    67,853    2,550   37,852    23,960    3,491 
HI  104,719    25,489    1,134   15,488     7,132    1,735  PA  791,295    123,805   6,848   71,353    36,732    8,872 
ID  110,599    23,739    1,329   15,154     6,150    1,106  RI   55,465     8,864     609     5,640     2,341     274  
IL  583,994    90,419    6,110   50,540    27,302    6,467  SC  367,504    93,265    3,256   51,941    31,540    6,528 
IN  381,073    79,576    3,390   52,303    19,808    4,075  SD   61,405    14,605     519    10,167     3,089     830  
IA  183,822    33,085    2,013   21,016     7,915    2,141  TN  427,976    100,699   4,973   54,774    35,198    5,754 
KS  175,372    36,198    2,407   21,716     9,717    2,358  TX 1,460,627   394,396  13,108   214,690   145,795  20,803 
KY  272,899    62,677    2,446   35,502    21,291    3,438  UT  122,654    26,224    2,234   16,977     6,336     677  
LA  241,202    49,652    2,622   26,335    17,795    2,900  VT   37,412     6,648     811     3,163     2,115     559  
ME  102,948    22,913     505    12,086     9,528     794   VA  671,080    177,265   7,189   106,214   57,247    6,615 
MD  370,459    73,505    3,429   45,328    21,439    3,309  WA  537,385    121,987   4,911   72,744    37,547    6,785 
MA  311,150    56,901    2,887   32,710    18,374    2,930  WV  137,939    35,352    1,104   19,486    12,385    2,377 
MI  559,155    96,157    4,871   54,450    31,890    4,946  WI  336,559    64,137    3,507   41,019    16,516    3,095 
MN  310,786    83,415    4,158   59,023    15,938    4,296  WY   47,535    10,520     359     6,876     2,575     710  
MS  176,719    39,807    2,410   23,331    11,733    2,333  PR   79,492    21,899     839     9,512     9,368    2,180 
MO  420,122    84,963    2,226   49,471    28,241    5,025                                                          
Table 5.2 Civilian Veterans Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States, by Disability Status: 2016
State Total Disability No Disability   State Total Disability No Disability
Count % [1] Count % [1] Count % [1] Count % [1]
U.S. 9,129,782 1,698,848 18.6 7,430,934 81.4 MT  41,658     9,880   23.7  31,778   76.3
AL  172,957   37,722   21.8  135,235  78.2 NE  58,736    12,407   21.1  46,329   78.9
AK  46,211     8,005   17.3  38,206   82.7 NV  105,780   18,365   17.4  87,415   82.6
AZ  218,783   40,274   18.4  178,509  81.6 NH  49,150     8,297   16.9  40,853   83.1
AR  96,682    25,649   26.5  71,033   73.5 NJ  125,705   21,738   17.3  103,967  82.7
CA  780,836   130,602  16.7  650,234  83.3 NM  70,377    13,358   19.0  57,019   81.0
CO  210,127   35,617   17.0  174,510  83.0 NY  310,866   55,260   17.8  255,606  82.2
CT  70,269    10,341   14.7  59,928   85.3 NC  362,517   72,743   20.1  289,774  79.9
DE  27,731     3,990   14.4  23,741   85.6 ND  24,965     3,806   15.2  21,159   84.8
DC  14,525     2,765   19.0  11,760   81.0 OH  348,603   63,729   18.3  284,874  81.7
FL  642,438   116,132  18.1  526,306  81.9 OK  143,378   35,420   24.7  107,958  75.3
GA  380,293   76,732   20.2  303,561  79.8 OR  138,544   29,959   21.6  108,585  78.4
HI  58,665     8,980   15.3  49,685   84.7 PA  338,652   59,054   17.4  279,598  82.6
ID  51,731     9,461   18.3  42,270   81.7 RI  22,200     5,086   22.9  17,114   77.1
IL  260,764   45,260   17.4  215,504  82.6 SC  195,353   41,225   21.1  154,128  78.9
IN  182,923   37,734   20.6  145,189  79.4 SD  32,113     5,642   17.6  26,471   82.4
IA  81,078    13,175   16.2  67,903   83.8 TN  225,377   51,806   23.0  173,571  77.0
KS  86,216    16,470   19.1  69,746   80.9 TX  817,203   155,947  19.1  661,256  80.9
KY  135,721   31,671   23.3  104,050  76.7 UT  59,803    10,195   17.0  49,608   83.0
LA  124,062   24,185   19.5  99,877   80.5 VT  16,233     3,223   19.9  13,010   80.1
ME  44,859     8,473   18.9  36,386   81.1 VA  409,505   56,365   13.8  353,140  86.2
MD  203,371   25,373   12.5  177,998  87.5 WA  289,331   53,827   18.6  235,504  81.4
MA  129,781   20,834   16.1  108,947  83.9 WV  62,812    18,363   29.2  44,449   70.8
MI  246,513   49,931   20.3  196,582  79.7 WI  150,522   25,862   17.2  124,660  82.8
MN  138,757   22,923   16.5  115,834  83.5 WY  26,372     4,732   17.9  21,640   82.1
MS  97,146    18,015   18.5  79,131   81.5 PR  29,784     8,563   28.8  21,221   71.2
MO  201,588   42,245   21.0  159,343  79.0                                        
Table 5.3 Poverty—Civilian Veterans with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2016
State Total Poverty   State Total Poverty
Count % [1] Count % [1]
U.S. 1,698,848 299,237 17.6 MT   9,880    1,347  13.6
AL  37,722    7,116  18.9 NE  12,407    1,913  15.4
AK   8,005     464   5.8  NV  18,365    3,058  16.7
AZ  40,274    7,245  18.0 NH   8,297    1,147  13.8
AR  25,649    4,729  18.4 NJ  21,738    4,303  19.8
CA  130,602  22,366  17.1 NM  13,358    2,519  18.9
CO  35,617    6,189  17.4 NY  55,260   11,720  21.2
CT  10,341    1,036  10.0 NC  72,743   11,618  16.0
DE   3,990     341   8.5  ND   3,806     776   20.4
DC   2,765    1,300  47.0 OH  63,729   14,411  22.6
FL  116,132  21,930  18.9 OK  35,420    6,790  19.2
GA  76,732   12,839  16.7 OR  29,959    5,945  19.8
HI   8,980    1,448  16.1 PA  59,054   12,719  21.5
ID   9,461    1,631  17.2 RI   5,086     967   19.0
IL  45,260    9,562  21.1 SC  41,225    5,482  13.3
IN  37,734    6,626  17.6 SD   5,642     802   14.2
IA  13,175    1,863  14.1 TN  51,806    9,620  18.6
KS  16,470    2,249  13.7 TX  155,947  21,211  13.6
KY  31,671    6,038  19.1 UT  10,195    2,307  22.6
LA  24,185    5,420  22.4 VT   3,223     461   14.3
ME   8,473    1,703  20.1 VA  56,365    8,093  14.4
MD  25,373    3,917  15.4 WA  53,827    9,480  17.6
MA  20,834    3,874  18.6 WV  18,363    3,217  17.5
MI  49,931    9,962  20.0 WI  25,862    3,659  14.1
MN  22,923    2,770  12.1 WY   4,732    1,192  25.2
MS  18,015    3,651  20.3 PR   8,563    2,224  26.0
MO  42,245    8,211  19.4                       
Table 5.4 Poverty—Civilian Veterans without Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2016
State Total Poverty % [1]   State Total Poverty % [1]
U.S. 7,430,934 481,222 6.5  MT  31,778    2,213  7.0 
AL  135,235  11,334  8.4  NE  46,329    2,723  5.9 
AK  38,206    2,352  6.2  NV  87,415    6,086  7.0 
AZ  178,509  14,728  8.3  NH  40,853    1,514  3.7 
AR  71,033    6,832  9.6  NJ  103,967   4,193  4.0 
CA  650,234  50,198  7.7  NM  57,019    4,194  7.4 
CO  174,510   8,909  5.1  NY  255,606  17,926  7.0 
CT  59,928    2,712  4.5  NC  289,774  19,069  6.6 
DE  23,741    1,680  7.1  ND  21,159    1,222  5.8 
DC  11,760    1,031  8.8  OH  284,874  20,545  7.2 
FL  526,306  38,220  7.3  OK  107,958   8,188  7.6 
GA  303,561  19,870  6.5  OR  108,585   8,306  7.6 
HI  49,685    2,321  4.7  PA  279,598  13,842  5.0 
ID  42,270    2,567  6.1  RI  17,114    1,212  7.1 
IL  215,504  14,054  6.5  SC  154,128  10,118  6.6 
IN  145,189   8,575  5.9  SD  26,471    1,275  4.8 
IA  67,903    5,117  7.5  TN  173,571  11,276  6.5 
KS  69,746    4,424  6.3  TX  661,256  42,982  6.5 
KY  104,050   7,460  7.2  UT  49,608    2,004  4.0 
LA  99,877    8,709  8.7  VT  13,010     616   4.7 
ME  36,386    1,794  4.9  VA  353,140  15,649  4.4 
MD  177,998   7,375  4.1  WA  235,504  11,825  5.0 
MA  108,947   5,545  5.1  WV  44,449    3,623  8.2 
MI  196,582  12,767  6.5  WI  124,660   7,411  5.9 
MN  115,834   5,925  5.1  WY  21,640    1,242  5.7 
MS  79,131    6,975  8.8  PR  21,221    3,492  16.5
MO  159,343  10,494  6.6                        
Table 5.5 Poverty Gap—Civilian Veterans Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States by Disability Status: 2016
State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [2]   State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [2]
Disability [1] No Disability [1] Disability [1] No Disability [1]
U.S. 17.6 6.5  11.1 MT 13.6 7.0  6.6 
AL 18.9 8.4  10.5 NE 15.4 5.9  9.5 
AK 5.8  6.2  -0.4 NV 16.7 7.0  9.7 
AZ 18.0 8.3  9.7  NH 13.8 3.7  10.1
AR 18.4 9.6  8.8  NJ 19.8 4.0  15.8
CA 17.1 7.7  9.4  NM 18.9 7.4  11.5
CO 17.4 5.1  12.3 NY 21.2 7.0  14.2
CT 10.0 4.5  5.5  NC 16.0 6.6  9.4 
DE 8.5  7.1  1.4  ND 20.4 5.8  14.6
DC 47.0 8.8  38.2 OH 22.6 7.2  15.4
FL 18.9 7.3  11.6 OK 19.2 7.6  11.6
GA 16.7 6.5  10.2 OR 19.8 7.6  12.2
HI 16.1 4.7  11.4 PA 21.5 5.0  16.5
ID 17.2 6.1  11.1 RI 19.0 7.1  11.9
IL 21.1 6.5  14.6 SC 13.3 6.6  6.7 
IN 17.6 5.9  11.7 SD 14.2 4.8  9.4 
IA 14.1 7.5  6.6  TN 18.6 6.5  12.1
KS 13.7 6.3  7.4  TX 13.6 6.5  7.1 
KY 19.1 7.2  11.9 UT 22.6 4.0  18.6
LA 22.4 8.7  13.7 VT 14.3 4.7  9.6 
ME 20.1 4.9  15.2 VA 14.4 4.4  10.0
MD 15.4 4.1  11.3 WA 17.6 5.0  12.6
MA 18.6 5.1  13.5 WV 17.5 8.2  9.3 
MI 20.0 6.5  13.5 WI 14.1 5.9  8.2 
MN 12.1 5.1  7.0  WY 25.2 5.7  19.5
MS 20.3 8.8  11.5 PR 26.0 16.5 9.5 
MO 19.4 6.6  12.8               
Table 5.6 Veterans Benefits Administration—Compensation and Pension Benefits Paid to Disabled Veterans and their Survivors: Federal Fiscal Year 2016
State Total ($) [1]   State Total ($) [1]
U.S. 84,028,287 MO 1,773,038 
AL 2,062,094  MT  353,054  
AK  280,603   NE  594,498  
AZ 1,833,525  NV  944,687  
AR 1,129,084  NH  344,688  
CA 7,252,271  NJ 1,126,820 
CO 1,683,271  NM  853,572  
CT  469,393   NY 2,567,691 
DE  231,634   NC 3,875,723 
DC   96,502   ND  182,453  
FL 6,288,593  OH 2,412,518 
GA 3,528,819  OK 2,011,045 
HI  438,960   OR 1,392,002 
ID  457,871   PA 2,612,747 
IL 1,847,960  RI  242,773  
IN 1,347,665  SC 2,122,970 
IA  628,838   SD  258,293  
KS  698,221   TN 2,292,295 
KY 1,339,620  TX 8,433,064 
LA 1,325,975  UT  499,178  
ME  569,940   VT  145,689  
MD 1,412,897  VA 3,154,782 
MA 1,236,294  WA 2,351,434 
MI 2,148,061  WV  763,343  
MN 1,225,675  WI 1,217,552 
MS  882,755   WY  173,669