How Many Veterans Are 100% Disabled? Veteran Statistics for 2025

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) classified veterans’ disabilities based on a percentage. A veteran with a 100% disability rating means they have severe mental or physical disabilities from service. 

How many veterans are 100% disabled? The most recent data from the Congressional Budget Office on the matter reports that 20% of veterans received a 100% disability rating from the VA at some point in the most recently studied year.

These ratings determine what disability benefits a veteran receives — veterans with higher ratings require and receive more support and compensation. As we enter 2025 with a new budget, let’s cover some key statistics that provide insight into how disability status affects veterans.

Key Findings

• 31% of all veterans have service-related disabilities.
• 20% of all disabled veterans are 100% disabled, according to their VA rating.
• The unemployment rate for disabled veterans is double the unemployment rate for non-disabled veterans.
• Disabled veterans have a lower poverty rate than non-disabled veterans.

Veteran Disability Statistics

Veterans put their lives on the line, so it’s important we protect them when they return home. Veterans who develop a mental or physical disability related to their service can qualify for monthly compensation to help support their families and make up for lost wages. 

To qualify for disability compensation, the condition must fulfill one of these three requirements:

1. The condition existed before service but significantly worsened related to service. 
2. The condition developed while the person served.
3. The condition developed after service but is directly related to their service.

Below, we cover some key statistics from the Department of Labor (DOL) about veterans’ disability status and how it affects their lives after they leave the service.

• Veterans with disabilities have double the unemployment rates of non-disabled veterans. 
• The overall unemployment rate for veterans is the lowest it’s been since 2019. 
• The disabled veterans’ unemployment rate is lower than the unemployment rate of non-veteran disabled Americans. 
• Veterans with a 30% or lower disability rating have the highest unemployment rate at 8.9%. 
• Veterans with a 60% or higher disability rating have the lowest unemployment rate at 5.7%. 

How Many Veterans Are Disabled? 

In the United States, 31% of all veterans have a service-connected disability. Of all veterans with a service-connected disability, 12% have a VA disability rating of 40% or lower, while 18% have a disability rating of 50% to 70%. Veterans with a disability rating of 70% or more make up 14% of this demographic.

How Many Veterans Are 100% Disabled? 

Each year, over 986,000 veterans are considered 100% disabled at some point. Veterans who are 100% disabled have one or more severe conditions that prevent them from caring for themselves and their families. 

This rating can be temporary. For example, a veteran with cancer might have a 100% disability rating during treatment, but they’ll be re-evaluated six months after completing treatment.

Some common reasons the VA awards a 100% disability status include:

• Multi-limb amputation
• Multi-limb paralyzation
• Cancer
• Tuberculosis
• Post-tramautic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Hearing loss
• Blindness
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Veterans will also likely receive a temporary 100% disabled rating while they’re hospitalized due to a service-connected condition. 

Veteran Population Statistics

It’s important to take care of our veterans regardless of their age, disability status, or any other factors. Below, we’ll explore the characteristics of the veteran population, how it’s shifted in recent years, and how this affects spending and benefits.

How Many Veterans Are There in the U.S.? 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are about 15.8 million veterans in the country. Female veterans comprise only 10.9% of the veteran population. Although women have always been involved in the military in some capacity, the final restrictions on service were only lifted in 2013. 

• The majority of veterans are seniors ages 75 and older (27.9%). 
• Just 8.3% of veterans are 35 or younger. 
• This age disparity is because one-third of veterans served in the Vietnam War.

According to the VA, over 200,000 veterans transition to civilian life annually. As these veterans re-join civilian life we may see some shifting demographics. According to a recent demographics report from the Department of Defense (DOD), Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (ODASD (MC&FP), there are over 1.3 million active duty service members, broken down by branch below:

Service branch	Number of active duty personnel	Percentage of total active duty personnel
Army	461,657	35.4%
Navy	340,065	26.1%
Air Force	320,421	24.6%
Marine Corps	174,577	14.4%
Space Force	8,000	0.6%

Veteran Population by State 

According to demographic data from the VA, most veterans live in Texas (567,360), while Vermont has the fewest veterans (13,723). How does this affect spending in those states?

It’s no surprise that California spends the most per veteran at $56, considering it’s the most accessible state for veteran health care. In contrast, North Dakota spends the least per veteran at just $34. However, the District of Columbia spends a whopping $1,391 on each veteran per year, driving up the nationwide average to $68.

We summarize these findings below. 

State or Territory	Total Annual VA Expenditure	Veteran Population	Average Expenditure per Veteran
AK	$1,004,793	23,059	$44
AL	$5,853,725	122,816	$48
AR	$3,444,375	82,755	$42
AZ	$6,746,106	168,875	$40
CA	$25,241,853	453,584	$56
CO	$6,164,496	115,322	$53
CT	$1,809,002	45,931	$39
D.C.*	$10,256,318	7,375	$1,391
DE	$803,143	19,341	$42
FL	$22,611,405	554,965	$41
GA	$10,933,330	239,384	$46
GU*	$185,471	3,675	$50
HI	$1,511,542	31,207	$48
IA	$2,261,806	66,881	$34
ID	$1,731,502	49,114	$35
IL	$7,959,085	162,984	$49
IN	$4,516,492	125,570	$36
KS	$2,369,198	60,137	$39
KY	$3,920,024	98,758	$40
LA	$4,064,970	88,625	$46
MA	$3,760,755	83,311	$45
MD	$4,834,571	91,923	$53
ME	$1,620,946	41,214	$39
MI	$6,315,431	158,647	$40
MN	$4,050,647	116,209	$35
MO	$5,654,308	143,810	$39
MS	$2,940,539	67,160	$44
MT	$1,365,520	38,231	$36
NC	$12,149,385	263,407	$46
ND	$672,293	20,028	$34
NE	$1,816,206	48,563	$37
NH	$1,200,657	31,124	$39
NJ	$3,177,079	73,923	$43
NM	$2,276,544	53,072	$43
NV	$3,674,162	81,926	$45
NY	$8,154,034	197,534	$41
OH	$8,514,979	234,970	$36
OK	$5,282,779	107,583	$49
OR	$3,996,983	96,430	$41
PA	$8,172,103	221,184	$37
PR*	$2,242,711	50,477	$44
RI	$766,492	17,883	$43
SC	$6,423,338	149,949	$43
SD	$1,103,459	30,054	$37
TN	$7,155,947	162,791	$44
TX	$27,662,825	567,360	$49
UT	$1,829,307	39,035	$47
VA	$9,947,671	186,728	$53
VT	$486,359	13,723	$35
WA	$6,526,168	142,534	$46
WI	$4,338,798	119,759	$36
WV	$2,395,555	53,389	$45
WY	$775,770	19,388	$40
* Denotes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam

Veteran Poverty and Homelessness Statistics 

Unfortunately, many veterans find it difficult to transition to civilian life. Between high levels of disability, employment discrimination, and other common issues, many veterans find themselves in poverty or without homes.

How Many Veterans Are Living in Poverty? 

Overall, 7.64% of veterans live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census.

• Veterans ages 35 to 54 have the lowest overall poverty rate at 5.83%. 
• Veterans ages 55 to 64 have the highest poverty rates at 8.73%. 

Interestingly, disabled veterans have a lower poverty rate (3.32%) than non-disabled veterans (4.32%). Disabled veterans have a lower poverty rate in every age group except veterans ages 65 or older.

How Many Veterans Are Homeless? 

Approximately 35,574 veterans are homeless in the United States. Between 2022 and 2023, the homelessness rate for veterans increased by 7% and the rate of unsheltered homeless veterans increased by 14%. Luckily, the number of homeless veterans has decreased since 2010, where it reached over 74,000.

• California has the highest homelessness rate for veterans at 70.2%. 
• New York has the lowest homelessness rate for veterans at 3%. 

Although the homelessness rate for veterans in California is still incredibly high, the state has decreased the average number of homeless veterans by over 7,000 since 2009 — the largest decrease of any state.

These numbers can be daunting, but we’re making great strides in getting more veterans into stable housing. In 2024, the VA housed nearly 48,000 veterans nationwide, and 96% of those veterans didn’t return to homelessness. In California alone, this effort dropped the veteran homelessness rate by 22.9%.

Veteran Benefits Budget and Spending for 2025

In 2025, the VA requested a 9.8% increase in budget, amassing $369.3 billion. Of this budget, $134 billion is requested for discretionary spending, and $235.3 billion is requested for mandatory spending. 

The VA provides vital services for veterans, including:

• Career counseling
• Disability compensation
• Disability services
• Education
• Home loans and assistance
• Medical care
• Pensions
• Burials and memorials

2025 VA Budget Request Breakdown
Category	Requested budget
Medical care	$138.63 billion
Medical and prosthetic research	$2.27 billion
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)	$216.39 billion
National Cemetery Association (NCA)	$804 million
Office of Information & Technology (OIT)	$7.6 billion
Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM)	$894 million
General administration	$518.67 million
Capital programs (Construction)	$2.76 billion
Source: President’s Budget Request — Fiscal Year 2025

Some other key requests for funding in 2025 include:

• Disability compensation mandatory benefits: $188.74 million
• Pensions and compensation: $192.13 billion
• Medical services, community care, facilities, support, and compliance: $112.58 billion
• Education, training, and rehabilitation: $16.1 billion
• Housing: $2.24 billion

2025 VA Disability Pay Chart

For disabled veterans, monthly compensation is determined by several factors, including:

• Disability rating
• Number of dependents
• Relationship status to dependents
• Whether dependents are in qualifying school programs
• Whether dependents receive aid and attendance

We’ve summarized some common factors below, but check out the full VA disability pay chart for a more accurate idea of what your monthly compensation might be.

Monthly Compensation Rates for Disabled Veterans
Disability Rating	Minimum Compensation (no dependents)	Maximum Compensation (with spouse, two parents, and one child)	Compensation for Each Additional Child (under age 18)
10%	$171.23	$171.23	N/A
20%	$338.49	$338.49	N/A
30%	$524.31	$732.32	$31
40%	$755.28	$1,031.28	$41
50%	$1075.16	$1,421.16	$51
60%	$1,361.88	$1,777.88	$62
70%	$1,716.28	$2,202.28	$72
80%	$1,995.01	$2,549.01	$82
90%	$2,241.91	$2,865.91	$93
100%	$3,737.85	$4,433.39	$103.55

Let Benefits.com Help You Navigate Your Disability Benefits

If you’re a veteran or a loved one of a service member, navigating disability and compensation benefits can be daunting. Seeing just how many veterans are 100% disabled reminds us of our duty to take care of those who’ve served our country throughout the year.

If you or a loved one are a veteran with service-connected disabilities, you’re entitled to and deserve support. At Benefits.com, we help veterans nationwide navigate their benefits.

Reach out today for help getting the compensation you deserve.