Find veterans benefits contacts serving Columbia County, Florida. Compare the listed providers and contact an office directly.
County veterans services
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the office for an appointment and ask what to bring.
1486 SW McFarlane Avenue, Lake City, FL 32025Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
DAV service office documented by DAV Florida.
619 S Marion Avenue, Lake City, FL 32025Monday-Wednesday, 7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
State veterans service officer site; statewide access is available through FDVA.
619 S Marion Avenue, Room A-163, Lake City, FL 32025Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Florida directory.
Columbia County Veterans Services - Lake City: Contact the provider to confirm appointment requirements and the meeting location. FDVA State Veterans Service Officer Site - Lake City: 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) · Columbia 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 6,180, give or take 619 civilian veterans in Columbia County.
Among Florida's 67 counties and equivalents, Columbia County ranks 40th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Columbia County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 36 percent above the Florida share; above the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 16 percent above the Florida share; above the national share. | 14 percent | 13 percent |
Columbia County has about 1,420, give or take 227 veterans 75 and older, making up 23 percent of its veterans compared with 30 percent in Florida.
Veterans under 35 account for 5 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Columbia County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Columbia County has about 597, give or take 229 women veterans, making up 10 percent of its veterans compared with 11 percent in Florida.
| Measure | Columbia County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $43,763 ± $3,170 | $52,753 ± $469 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $30,986 ± $1,567 | $36,879 ± $115 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.8% ± 1.9 points | 7.6% ± 0.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 42.4% ± 6.8 points | 31.0% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 61.8% ± 7.3 points | 71.2% ± 0.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.7% ± 3.8 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.8% ± 2.1 points | 95.9% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 20.5% ± 3.7 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 6,000 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 2,806 veterans in Columbia County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 557 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 299 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 331 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 820 |
| 100 percent | 799 |
FY2019: 1,827 recipients. Change to FY2025: +979.
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 183 VA-backed home loans out of 1,140 home loans made in Columbia County (16.1% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $308,000.
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 2,320, give or take 338) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 1,240, give or take 295).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $80.4 million in compensation and pension spending and about $140.6 million in medical care spending in Columbia County for FY2025.
Lake City VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
619 South Marion Avenue, Lake City, FL 32025-5808
New-patient wait for primary care: 15 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for mental health: 8 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 46 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 41 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 167 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Columbia County is Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Gainesville, FL, about 44 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Columbia County is Jacksonville, FL Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Jacksonville, FL, about 59 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 58.4 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 127 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, Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee Counties CoC counted 24 veterans experiencing homelessness (13 sheltered, 11 unsheltered).
FL-518 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 29 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 Lake City VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 386-755-3016. 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).
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. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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