2021 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Veterans

Section 8: 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 of veterans with and without disabilities (poverty gap)), 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 more details).

Tables

Table 8.1: In 2020, according to the American Community Survey, 3,497,074 individuals ages 18 and over living in the community reported having a military service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or more.

Table 8.2: In 2020, there were 33,724,784 civilian veterans ages 18-64 years living in the community, 1,598,743 of which were individuals with disabilities—a prevalence rate of 19.1 percent. Alaska had the lowest prevalence rate (10.7 percent) while Arkansas had the highest prevalence rate (32.3 percent).

Tables 8.3 and 8.4: In 2020, of the 1,598,743 civilian veterans with disabilities ages 18-64 years living in the community, 530,970 individuals lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 33.2 percent. In contrast, of the 6,746,324 civilian veterans without disabilities ages 18-64 years living in the community, 1,022,682 civilian veterans lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 15.2 percent. The poverty rate for civilian veterans with disabilities was highest in the District of Columbia (103.1 percent) and lowest in Idaho (17.9 percent).

Table 8.5: In 2020, the poverty rate of civilian veterans with disabilities ages 18-64 years living in the community was 33.2 percent, while the poverty rate of individuals without disabilities ages 18-64 years living in the community was 15.2 percent—a poverty gap of 18.1 percentage points. The poverty gap was smallest in North Dakota (-0.6 percentage points) and greatest in the District of Columbia (75.7 percentage points).

Table 8.6: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2020, the United States spent a total of $104,566,124 on compensation and pension benefits paid to disabled veterans.

Table 8.1 Service-Connected Disability Rating — Civilian Veterans Ages 18 Years and Over Living in the Community, by Disability Status: 2020
State Total Veterans Has a Rating Percent Rating Not Reported   State Total Veterans Has a Rating Percent Rating Not Reported
0 10-60 70 Higher 0 10-60 70 Higher
U.S. 33,724,784 4,415,182 378,452 4,954,838 3,497,074 420,624 MO    734,198    84,002   6,320    94,840    66,844   8,978
AL    604,984    94,643   6,054   104,696    78,536   9,924 MT    166,562    23,886   1,366    28,454    17,952   2,580
AK    113,954    15,131     344    18,598    11,320   1,028 NE    216,884    36,407   3,840    46,670    22,304   2,910
AZ    991,370   126,340  12,482   150,640    89,558  13,680 NV    397,978    56,707   3,078    59,252    51,084   5,176
AR    370,454    44,096   3,548    43,624    41,020  10,866 NH    175,854    17,896   1,464    20,196    14,132   2,156
CA  2,838,582   358,193  42,588   396,038   277,760  37,636 NJ    588,012    50,144   5,382    49,832    45,074   7,518
CO    709,246   104,121   9,448   115,282    83,512   6,260 NM    266,768    38,140   3,324    36,016    36,940   2,432
CT    297,084    26,327   1,702    34,988    15,964   3,694 NY  1,223,682   117,240  12,426   135,790    86,264  11,832
DE    129,330    15,519   1,802    15,560    13,676   1,230 NC  1,260,442   183,246  10,556   177,120   178,816  20,474
DC     39,290     6,089     442     5,894     5,842 ‡ ND     94,100    13,054     474    18,460     7,174   1,690
FL  2,753,690   374,346  35,940   446,848   265,904  25,204 OH  1,292,888   142,978  13,412   172,312   100,232  13,292
GA  1,190,276   179,686  20,244   174,568   164,560  16,410 OK    496,060    94,044   3,612    89,906    94,570   5,766
HI    168,164    25,291   2,502    28,988    19,092   1,690 OR    528,828    73,967   3,418    91,126    53,390   2,026
ID    231,642    33,411   3,382    35,844    27,596   2,436 PA  1,330,066   121,679  13,758   136,740    92,860  12,006
IL  1,004,706   103,183   9,000   117,824    79,542  11,834 RI     95,476    10,645   2,394    13,894     5,002   2,210
IN    692,782    82,480   8,676   110,316    45,968   6,466 SC    705,140   101,034   5,504   111,908    84,656  17,684
IA    330,754    37,585   5,002    48,936    21,232   3,856 SD    100,554    13,599   1,212    18,094     7,892   1,856
KS    334,336    40,394   4,192    44,968    31,628   3,284 TN    839,486   109,853  10,078   114,230    95,398  16,010
KY    472,648    59,770   3,326    70,102    46,112   6,108 TX  2,808,526   452,296  28,590   453,446   422,556  34,318
LA    449,774    58,806   5,356    66,140    46,116  10,860 UT    243,796    34,799   4,338    36,492    28,768   4,782
ME    188,398    24,094   1,590    22,406    24,192   2,082 VT     66,118     6,438     262     7,472     5,142     772
MD    659,580    82,255   6,192    92,734    65,584   7,112 VA  1,295,464   197,660  14,922   228,720   151,678  12,390
MA    518,970    55,153   7,552    71,772    30,982   5,998 WA    966,024   125,448   6,898   152,868    91,130   8,978
MI    980,060   104,327   7,708   118,632    82,314  13,460 WV    229,544    32,720   1,624    30,650    33,166   3,434
MN    537,650    93,057   5,524   134,472    46,118   7,454 WI    594,238    74,439   8,184    90,398    50,296   3,606
MS    322,024    47,031   6,188    53,338    34,536   5,842 WY     78,348    11,533   1,232    16,744     5,090   1,334

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.1). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Authors’ calculations using the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample with Experimental Weights, 2020, which is subject to sampling variation.
‡ Estimate either unavailable or too few sample observations.
Table 8.2 Civilian Veterans Ages 18-64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States, by Disability Status: 2020
State Total Disability No Disability   State Total Disability No Disability
Count % [1] Count % [1] Count % [1] Count % [1]
U.S. 33,724,784 1,598,743 19.1 6,746,324 80.8 MO    734,198    36,420 20.9   137,033 79.0
AL    604,984    32,828 21.7   118,275 78.2 MT    166,562     9,333 22.4    32,277 77.5
AK    113,954     4,070 10.7    33,713 89.2 NE    216,884     9,101 16.3    46,533 83.6
AZ    991,370    49,528 21.1   185,050 78.8 NV    397,978    23,498 22.2    81,994 77.7
AR    370,454    29,969 32.3    62,529 67.6 NH    175,854     9,560 21.7    34,471 78.2
CA  2,838,582   121,645 17.8   559,969 82.1 NJ    588,012    18,341 15.3   101,428 84.6
CO    709,246    36,374 17.6   169,312 82.3 NM    266,768    13,411 21.0    50,220 78.9
CT    297,084     9,602 15.7    51,261 84.2 NY  1,223,682    46,083 17.3   219,493 82.6
DE    129,330     7,512 23.1    24,895 76.8 NC  1,260,442    68,127 20.3   266,826 79.6
DC     39,290     1,418 12.5     9,867 87.4 ND     94,100     3,749 13.1    24,746 86.8
FL  2,753,690   109,338 17.3   520,797 82.6 OH  1,292,888    60,959 19.9   244,790 80.0
GA  1,190,276    64,752 19.3   270,678 80.6 OK    496,060    34,693 26.8    94,558 73.1
HI    168,164     5,458 13.5    34,682 86.4 OR    528,828    26,231 21.3    96,900 78.6
ID    231,642    12,465 23.9    39,662 76.0 PA  1,330,066    50,172 17.7   233,011 82.2
IL  1,004,706    40,884 17.8   187,863 82.1 RI     95,476     4,554 21.1    16,992 78.8
IN    692,782    35,705 20.7   136,379 79.2 SC    705,140    38,155 21.2   141,071 78.7
IA    330,754    10,360 14.6    60,141 85.3 SD    100,554     3,720 15.6    19,985 84.3
KS    334,336    18,402 21.8    65,980 78.1 TN    839,486    50,293 23.7   161,208 76.2
KY    472,648    28,691 24.2    89,465 75.7 TX  2,808,526   161,951 20.0   644,572 79.9
LA    449,774    21,965 19.8    88,709 80.1 UT    243,796    12,308 20.2    48,553 79.7
ME    188,398     8,702 20.6    33,532 79.3 VT     66,118     3,289 22.4    11,373 77.5
MD    659,580    24,940 13.6   157,127 86.3 VA  1,295,464    48,441 12.4   339,807 87.5
MA    518,970    19,715 18.0    89,750 81.9 WA    966,024    48,496 19.3   202,576 80.6
MI    980,060    45,277 20.8   172,156 79.1 WV    229,544    10,956 22.0    38,723 77.9
MN    537,650    19,893 16.4   100,713 83.5 WI    594,238    23,672 17.0   115,339 82.9
MS    322,024    20,095 23.5    65,202 76.4 WY     78,348     3,642 20.4    14,138 79.5

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.2). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Authors’ calculations using the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample with Experimental Weights, 2020, which is subject to sampling variation.
Table 8.3 Poverty — Civilian Veterans with Disabilities Ages 18-64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2020
State Total Poverty % [1]   State Total Poverty % [1]
Count Count
U.S. 1,598,743 530,970  33.2 MO    36,420  11,354  31.1
AL    32,828  10,626  32.3 MT     9,333   5,482  58.7
AK     4,070     778  19.1 NE     9,101   2,042  22.4
AZ    49,528  18,796  37.9 NV    23,498   5,288  22.5
AR    29,969   8,898  29.6 NH     9,560   1,754  18.3
CA   121,645  46,200  37.9 NJ    18,341   6,454  35.1
CO    36,374  10,544  28.9 NM    13,411   4,140  30.8
CT     9,602   1,816  18.9 NY    46,083  21,416  46.4
DE     7,512   2,628  34.9 NC    68,127  21,498  31.5
DC     1,418   1,462 103.1 ND     3,749   1,158  30.8
FL   109,338  35,092  32.0 OH    60,959  23,104  37.9
GA    64,752  17,076  26.3 OK    34,693  12,454  35.8
HI     5,458   1,352  24.7 OR    26,231  12,618  48.1
ID    12,465   2,236  17.9 PA    50,172  14,526  28.9
IL    40,884  14,418  35.2 RI     4,554   1,346  29.5
IN    35,705  12,278  34.3 SC    38,155  11,686  30.6
IA    10,360   3,814  36.8 SD     3,720   2,370  63.7
KS    18,402   7,898  42.9 TN    50,293  24,478  48.6
KY    28,691   9,044  31.5 TX   161,951  38,698  23.8
LA    21,965   9,014  41.0 UT    12,308   3,218  26.1
ME     8,702   1,710  19.6 VT     3,289   1,684  51.2
MD    24,940   8,820  35.3 VA    48,441  11,946  24.6
MA    19,715   6,272  31.8 WA    48,496  13,826  28.5
MI    45,277  23,468  51.8 WV    10,956   4,108  37.4
MN    19,893   6,378  32.0 WI    23,672   7,956  33.6
MS    20,095   4,756  23.6 WY     3,642     992  27.2

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.3). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Authors’ calculations using the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample with Experimental Weights, 2020, which is subject to sampling variation.
[1] Count of Veterans with disabilities in poverty as a percent of total.
Table 8.4 Poverty — Civilian Veterans without Disabilities Ages 18-64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2020
State Total Poverty Count % [1]   State Total Poverty Count % [1]
U.S. 6,746,324 1,022,682 15.2 MO   137,033    30,374 22.2
AL   118,275    16,354 13.8 MT    32,277     5,174 16.0
AK    33,713     2,148  6.4 NE    46,533     4,854 10.4
AZ   185,050    27,916 15.1 NV    81,994    11,444 14.0
AR    62,529    11,840 18.9 NH    34,471     1,210  3.5
CA   559,969   101,326 18.1 NJ   101,428     9,144  9.0
CO   169,312    20,706 12.2 NM    50,220     6,068 12.1
CT    51,261     9,736 19.0 NY   219,493    43,754 19.9
DE    24,895     1,694  6.8 NC   266,826    43,076 16.1
DC     9,867     2,702 27.4 ND    24,746     7,794 31.5
FL   520,797    90,034 17.3 OH   244,790    33,254 13.6
GA   270,678    46,612 17.2 OK    94,558    21,190 22.4
HI    34,682     6,810 19.6 OR    96,900    15,656 16.2
ID    39,662     5,698 14.4 PA   233,011    32,308 13.9
IL   187,863    21,672 11.5 RI    16,992       976  5.7
IN   136,379    17,188 12.6 SC   141,071    19,920 14.1
IA    60,141     7,240 12.0 SD    19,985     2,082 10.4
KS    65,980     7,222 10.9 TN   161,208    22,702 14.1
KY    89,465    18,126 20.3 TX   644,572    98,036 15.2
LA    88,709    22,096 24.9 UT    48,553     3,068  6.3
ME    33,532     2,874  8.6 VT    11,373     1,438 12.6
MD   157,127    15,430  9.8 VA   339,807    38,820 11.4
MA    89,750     9,076 10.1 WA   202,576    27,508 13.6
MI   172,156    25,488 14.8 WV    38,723     7,768 20.1
MN   100,713    12,926 12.8 WI   115,339    18,344 15.9
MS    65,202    12,276 18.8 WY    14,138     1,530 10.8

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.4). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Authors’ calculations using the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample with Experimental Weights, 2020, which is subject to sampling variation.
[1] Count of Veterans without disabilities in poverty as a percent of total.
Table 8.5 Poverty Gap — Civilian Veterans Ages 18-64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States, by Disability Status: 2020
State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [3]   State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [3]
Disability [1] No Disability [2] Disability [1] No Disability [2]
U.S.  33.2 15.2 18.1 MO  31.2 22.2  9.0
AL  32.4 13.8 18.5 MT  58.7 16.0 42.7
AK  19.1  6.4 12.7 NE  22.4 10.4 12.0
AZ  38.0 15.1 22.9 NV  22.5 14.0  8.5
AR  29.7 18.9 10.8 NH  18.3  3.5 14.8
CA  38.0 18.1 19.9 NJ  35.2  9.0 26.2
CO  29.0 12.2 16.8 NM  30.9 12.1 18.8
CT  18.9 19.0 -0.1 NY  46.5 19.9 26.5
DE  35.0  6.8 28.2 NC  31.6 16.1 15.4
DC 103.1 27.4 75.7 ND  30.9 31.5 -0.6
FL  32.1 17.3 14.8 OH  37.9 13.6 24.3
GA  26.4 17.2  9.2 OK  35.9 22.4 13.5
HI  24.8 19.6  5.1 OR  48.1 16.2 31.9
ID  17.9 14.4  3.6 PA  29.0 13.9 15.1
IL  35.3 11.5 23.7 RI  29.6  5.7 23.8
IN  34.4 12.6 21.8 SC  30.6 14.1 16.5
IA  36.8 12.0 24.8 SD  63.7 10.4 53.3
KS  42.9 10.9 32.0 TN  48.7 14.1 34.6
KY  31.5 20.3 11.3 TX  23.9 15.2  8.7
LA  41.0 24.9 16.1 UT  26.1  6.3 19.8
ME  19.7  8.6 11.1 VT  51.2 12.6 38.6
MD  35.4  9.8 25.5 VA  24.7 11.4 13.2
MA  31.8 10.1 21.7 WA  28.5 13.6 14.9
MI  51.8 14.8 37.0 WV  37.5 20.1 17.4
MN  32.1 12.8 19.2 WI  33.6 15.9 17.7
MS  23.7 18.8  4.8 WY  27.2 10.8 16.4

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.5). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Authors’ calculations using the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample with Experimental Weights, 2020, which is subject to sampling variation.
[1] Civilian veterans ages 18-64 with a disability living in poverty as a percent of total.
[2] Civilian veterans ages 18-64 without a disability living in poverty as a percent of total.
[3] The difference in percentage points between disability and no disability poverty rates.
Table 8.6 Veterans Benefits Administration — Compensation and Pension Benefits Paid to Disabled Veterans and their Survivors: Federal Fiscal Year 2020
State Total ($) [1]   State Total ($) [1]
U.S. 104,566,124 MO   2,073,831
AL   2,606,521 MT     448,622
AK     362,754 NE     698,164
AZ   2,480,238 NV   1,326,694
AR   1,329,474 NH     417,784
CA   8,969,514 NJ   1,317,720
CO   2,065,141 NM     974,432
CT     555,102 NY   2,885,477
DE     307,640 NC   5,199,580
DC     117,273 ND     227,649
FL   8,317,991 OH   2,935,769
GA   4,723,083 OK   2,389,698
HI     569,852 OR   1,605,066
ID     642,079 PA   2,994,186
IL   2,306,071 RI     262,599
IN   1,598,855 SC   2,760,668
IA     766,007 SD     314,178
KS     850,897 TN   2,829,472
KY   1,481,247 TX  11,053,649
LA   1,585,975 UT     654,076
ME     646,480 VT     165,334
MD   1,861,035 VA   4,179,582
MA   1,361,395 WA   2,814,306
MI   2,502,220 WV     867,316
MN   1,396,630 WI   1,447,600
MS   1,108,023 WY     220,857

Citation: Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2021). Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: 2021 (Table 8.6). Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability. Note: Sourced from Veterans Benefits Administration, 2020, Annual Benefits Report; Appendices E1-E52.
[1] In thousands (104,566,124 represents 104,566,124,000).