Find Santa Cruz County veterans services in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Compare the published contact details and schedules below before choosing a location.
County veterans services
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. Call to confirm appointment availability.
842 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; Friday closed.
County veterans services
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. Use the county's Westridge Drive location; some other directories list an older address.
500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, CA 95076Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; Friday closed.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the California directory.
Santa Cruz: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; Friday closed. Watsonville: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; Friday closed. Call to confirm appointment availability.
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 8,040, give or take 674 civilian veterans in Santa Cruz County.
By ACS estimates, Santa Cruz County has the 27th largest veteran population among California's 58 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Santa Cruz County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 26 percent below the California share; below the national share. | 29 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 13 percent above the California share; the same rounded estimate as the national share. | 12 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Santa Cruz County number about 3,210, give or take 331; their 40 percent share is above California's 30 percent.
Santa Cruz County has about 209, give or take 98 veterans under 35, making up 3 percent of its veterans compared with 10 percent in California.
Santa Cruz County has about 622, give or take 182 women veterans, making up 8 percent of its veterans compared with 9 percent in California.
| Measure | Santa Cruz County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $72,099 ± $5,215 | $59,258 ± $574 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $44,613 ± $1,318 | $43,129 ± $137 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.7% ± 1.8 points | 8.0% ± 0.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 37.2% ± 3.3 points | 30.5% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 73.9% ± 6.1 points | 72.5% ± 0.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 8.6% ± 4.9 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.0% ± 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 | 43.8% ± 3.6 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 5,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 7,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 2,230 veterans in Santa Cruz County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 440 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 206 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 296 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 698 |
| 100 percent | 590 |
FY2019: 2,182 recipients. Change to FY2025: +48.
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 61 VA-backed home loans out of 3,314 home loans made in Santa Cruz County (1.8% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $852,000.
The 2026 FHFA one-unit county loan limit here is $1,249,125. 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 3,600, give or take 439) and post-9/11 only (about 942, give or take 256).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $63.2 million in compensation and pension spending and about $97.3 million in medical care spending in Santa Cruz County for FY2025.
Palo Alto VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1207
New-patient wait for primary care: 32 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for mental health: 73 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 28 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Capitola VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1350 41st Avenue, Suite 102, Capitola, CA 95010-3906
New-patient wait for primary care: 42 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 4 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Santa Cruz County Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1350 41st Avenue, Suite 104, Capitola, CA 95010
about 4 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 57 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Santa Cruz County is Palo Alto VA Medical Center-Menlo Park (opens in a new tab) in Menlo Park, CA, about 33 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Santa Cruz County is Santa Cruz County Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Capitola, CA, about 4 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 52.2 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
2900 Parker Flats Rd Seaside, CA 93955
831-393-9371
About 28.4 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, Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC counted 72 veterans experiencing homelessness (16 sheltered, 56 unsheltered).
CA-508 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 151 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 Palo Alto VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 650-493-5000. 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 Santa Cruz 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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