Find veterans benefits contacts serving Alachua County, Florida. Compare the listed providers and contact an office directly.
If you live in Alachua County, free claims help is available from an accredited VSO representative; confirm availability before traveling. The county lists Alachua County Veterans Services - Gainesville, DAV Service Office - Gainesville, and FDVA State Veterans Service Officer Site - Gainesville for claims. Call to confirm access, appointment requirements, and current hours, and confirm the service location before traveling. AMVETS also says its remote VA-claims assistance is free, with no membership required. PVA offers a benefits helpline and referral to a nearby service officer, while FDVA offers statewide callback assistance and routing; these are referral contacts, not claims representatives. The Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is 3 miles away, measured in a straight line from the county center. The largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 4,430, give or take 500; Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served.
County veterans services
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the office for an appointment and ask what to bring.
218 SE 24th Street, Gainesville, FL 32641Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
DAV service office documented by DAV Florida.
1601 Archer Road, Room 1A165A, Gainesville, FL 32602Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
State veterans service officer site; statewide access is available through FDVA.
1601 SW Archer Road, Room D-163, Gainesville, FL 32608Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Florida directory.
Alachua County Veterans Services - Gainesville: Schedule by phone or email. FDVA State Veterans Service Officer Site - Gainesville: Call to confirm access, appointment requirements, and current hours before travel. Confirm the service location, hours and appointment with the provider before traveling.
County Veterans Service Officers Directory (opens in a new tab) · Alachua County Veterans Services (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 14,400, give or take 1,110 civilian veterans in Alachua County.
By ACS estimates, Alachua County has the 31st largest veteran population among Florida's 67 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Alachua County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 28 percent below the Florida share; below the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 14 percent the same rounded estimate as the Florida share; above the national share. | 14 percent | 13 percent |
Alachua County has about 3,740, give or take 462 veterans 75 and older, making up 26 percent of its veterans compared with 30 percent in Florida.
Alachua County has about 762, give or take 290 veterans under 35, making up 5 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in Florida.
Women veterans in Alachua County number about 1,930, give or take 472; their 13 percent share is above Florida's 11 percent.
| Measure | Alachua County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $48,571 ± $3,603 | $52,753 ± $469 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $33,555 ± $1,070 | $36,879 ± $115 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 8.3% ± 2.2 points | 7.6% ± 0.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 28.7% ± 3.2 points | 31.0% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 68.4% ± 7.2 points | 71.2% ± 0.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 2.1% ± 1.3 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.9% ± 1.1 points | 95.9% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 41.5% ± 3.3 points | 35.0% ± 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 14,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 16,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 5,640 veterans in Alachua County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,133 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 618 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 695 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,621 |
| 100 percent | 1,573 |
FY2019: 4,812 recipients. Change to FY2025: +828.
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 360 VA-backed home loans out of 4,530 home loans made in Alachua County (8.0% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $333,000.
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 4,430, give or take 500) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 2,780, give or take 483).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $171.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $222.2 million in medical care spending in Alachua County for FY2025.
Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
1601 Southwest Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608-1135
New-patient wait for mental health: 13 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 0 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 3 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Gainesville VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
5469 Southwest 34th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608-5032
New-patient wait for primary care: 15 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 5 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Gainesville Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
105 NW 75th Street, Suite 2, Gainesville, FL 32607
about 4 miles in a straight line from the county center.
St. Petersburg VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
9500 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33744
about 131 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Alachua County is Lake City VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Lake City, FL, about 39 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Alachua County is Ocala Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Ocala, FL, about 38 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Petersburg RO (station 317); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Jacksonville National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
4083 Lannie Road Jacksonville, FL 32218
904-766-5222
About 71.3 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery - Glennville (opens in a new tab)
8819 U.S. Hwy 301 Glennville, GA 30427
912-654-5398
About 160 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
This cemetery is in another state. State veterans cemeteries set their own eligibility rules, which can include residency in that state.
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, Gainesville/Alachua, Putnam Counties CoC counted 77 veterans experiencing homelessness (49 sheltered, 28 unsheltered).
FL-508 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 126 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 Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 352-376-1611. 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 Alachua 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 Florida veterans with at least 10 percent disability may receive a $5,000 assessed value reduction.
Florida offers scholarships to eligible children and spouses of veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total service-connected disability.
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. The summary paragraph was drafted by AI from the facts on this page and checked automatically against them. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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