Find veterans benefits contacts serving DeSoto 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.
201 E Oak Street, Suite 202, Arcadia, FL 34266Monday 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-noon; Wednesday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Florida directory.
DeSoto County Veterans Services - Arcadia: Contact the provider to confirm appointment requirements and the meeting location. Confirm the service location, hours and appointment with the provider before traveling.
County Veterans Service Officers Directory (opens in a new tab) · DeSoto 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 2,280, give or take 395 civilian veterans in DeSoto County.
Among Florida's 67 counties and equivalents, DeSoto County ranks 48th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | DeSoto County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 25 percent below the Florida share; below the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 13 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older in DeSoto County number about 902, give or take 173; their 40 percent share is above Florida's 30 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 7 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in DeSoto County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 5 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in DeSoto County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | DeSoto County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $38,291 ± $5,662 | $52,753 ± $469 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $29,225 ± $2,601 | $36,879 ± $115 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 22.9% ± 14.7 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 34.4% ± 6.8 points | 31.0% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 37.7% ± 12.1 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 31.9% ± 42.7 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 88.4% ± 10.5 points | 95.9% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 13.4% ± 5.5 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 1,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 2,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 547 veterans in DeSoto County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 129 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 56 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 67 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 152 |
| 100 percent | 143 |
FY2019: 498 recipients. Change to FY2025: +49.
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 25 VA-backed home loans out of 440 home loans made in DeSoto County (5.7% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $361,000.
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 860, give or take 190) and Gulf War (1990s) only (about 534, give or take 328; a small survey sample; treat as rough).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $15.0 million in compensation and pension spending and about $12.8 million in medical care spending in DeSoto County for FY2025.
James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab)
13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612-4745
New-patient wait for mental health: 24 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 20 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 71 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Port Charlotte VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
4161 Tamiami Trail, Suite 401, Port Charlotte, FL 33952-9254
New-patient wait for mental health: 35 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 25 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 23 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Fort Myers Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
2891 Center Pointe Drive, Suite 100, Fort Myers, FL 33916
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 73 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to DeSoto County is C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Bay Pines, FL, about 74 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to DeSoto County is Naples Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Fort Meyers, FL, about 41 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Petersburg RO (station 317); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Sarasota National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
9810 State Road 72 Sarasota, FL 34241
877-861-9840
About 35.6 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 329.6 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, Hendry, Hardee, Highlands Counties CoC counted 30 veterans experiencing homelessness (0 sheltered, 30 unsheltered).
FL-517 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 1 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 James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab), 813-972-2000. 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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