Find Merced County veterans services in Atwater. Compare the published contact details and schedules below before choosing a location.
County veterans services
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. The county's current service contact is in Atwater. A Merced mailing address is not the appointment location.
1920 Customer Care Way, Suite B, Atwater, CA 95301Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call to confirm service officer availability.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the California directory.
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call to confirm service officer availability. The county's current service contact is in Atwater. A Merced mailing address is not the appointment location.
Official service and access information (opens in a new tab)
Call the Claim Raven 24-hour VSO prep line to get your records ready before your appointment. Claim Raven is not a VSO office. Your VSO's number is listed above.
Call (833) 387-1649The ACS estimates about 7,460, give or take 668 civilian veterans in Merced County.
By ACS estimates, Merced County has the 29th largest veteran population among California's 58 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Merced County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 30 percent above the California share; the same rounded estimate as the national share. | 29 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 15 percent above the California share; above the national share. | 12 percent | 13 percent |
Merced County has about 1,780, give or take 237 veterans 75 and older, making up 24 percent of its veterans compared with 30 percent in California.
Merced County has about 701, give or take 241 veterans under 35, making up 9 percent of its veterans compared with 10 percent in California.
Merced County has about 670, give or take 200 women veterans; both the county and California round to a 9 percent share.
| Measure | Merced County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $54,788 ± $5,932 | $59,258 ± $574 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $31,739 ± $687 | $43,129 ± $137 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 11.9% ± 3.1 points | 8.0% ± 0.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 36.1% ± 4.0 points | 30.5% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 65.0% ± 7.9 points | 72.5% ± 0.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 10.2% ± 3.8 points | 5.8% ± 0.3 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.9% ± 1.5 points | 95.2% ± 0.1 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 21.3% ± 3.5 points | 35.4% ± 0.4 points | 31.8% ± 0.2 points |
Income is in 2024 dollars. These figures describe civilians. Poverty and disability shares use veterans whose poverty status is determined. Census disability measures daily functioning, not a VA service-connected rating. Tables and method.
VA projects fewer veterans here in 2035: about 6,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 8,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 3,020 veterans in Merced County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 750 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 297 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 360 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 933 |
| 100 percent | 680 |
FY2019: 2,759 recipients. Change to FY2025: +261.
VA does not publish some small counts. Those show as “Not published.” VA county compensation data (opens in a new tab).
In 2025, lenders reported 196 VA-backed home loans out of 3,640 home loans made in Merced County (5.4% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $425,000.
The 2026 FHFA one-unit county loan limit here is $832,750. This limit matters for a VA loan only when part of your entitlement is still tied to another VA loan. VA explains remaining entitlement and loan limits (opens in a new tab).
The largest reported service groups are Vietnam era only (about 2,520, give or take 297) and post-9/11 only (about 1,390, give or take 322).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $76.9 million in compensation and pension spending and about $75.9 million in medical care spending in Merced County for FY2025.
Fresno VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
2615 East Clinton Avenue, Fresno, CA 93703-2223
New-patient wait for mental health: 28 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 14 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 60 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Merced VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
340 East Yosemite Avenue, Suite D, Merced, CA 95340-9167
New-patient wait for primary care: 11 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 17 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Delta Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1327 Historical Plaza Way, Manteca, CA 95336
about 49 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Oakland VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
1301 Clay Street, North Tower, 12th floor Room 1200, Oakland, CA 94612
about 95 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Merced County is Palo Alto VA Medical Center-Livermore (opens in a new tab) in Livermore, CA, about 64 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Merced County is San Jose Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in San Jose, CA, about 59 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Oakland RO (station 343) and Los Angeles RO (station 344) and San Diego RO (station 377); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
32053 W McCabe Road Santa Nella, CA 95322
209-854-1040
About 19.9 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Big Sandy Rancheria Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
37387 Auberry Mission Rd Auberry, CA 93602
559-374-0066
About 69.7 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
State veterans cemeteries set their own eligibility rules.
National Cemetery Administration lists checked October 2, 2026. Cemetery coverage and distance method.
Military branch is not listed in the USACE FY2024 property data.
These lists use site points within county boundaries. A site may extend into another county.
For VA’s service-location rules, see the presumptive conditions list. A location listing does not establish personal exposure or eligibility.
On one night in January 2024, Merced City & County CoC counted 23 veterans experiencing homelessness (6 sheltered, 17 unsheltered).
CA-520 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 18 veterans for the 2019 comparison.
This is a one-night count for the whole CoC area, not a county or annual total. CoC mapping method.
If you need housing help, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838. You can call any time, day or night.
Your nearest VA medical center by straight-line distance is Fresno VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 559-225-6100. Ask for the homeless coordinator.
VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).
The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 1 veterans treatment court in Merced County as of December 31, 2025.
These courts connect participating veterans involved in the justice system with treatment and support. Each court sets its own eligibility rules. National Treatment Court Resource Center maps (opens in a new tab).
Census incorporated places and census-designated places, sorted by ACS 2020-2024 population. Figures are ACS estimates for the whole place, not only the part inside this county. Places are assigned by their 2024 Census internal point and may cross county boundaries. Sources and mapping method.
For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)
Qualifying California veterans rated or compensated at 100 percent receive an annually adjusted basic residence exemption.
California Plan A waives public college system tuition and fees for eligible children of qualifying totally service-connected disabled veterans.
Ask the office about VA Form 21-0966 to preserve a potential benefits start date while gathering evidence. Check your intent to file deadline.
ACS 2020-2024; VA FY2025; geography/locations/benefits 2026; adjacency 2024. Distances: straight line from county center. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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