- Type of help
- Claims assistance
- Location
- Fort Myers
DAV service office documented by DAV Florida.
3033 Winkler Extension, Fort Myers, FL 33916Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Local help and county facts
Lee County, FL Veterans Service Office (VSO): phone and address
Find veterans benefits contacts serving Lee County, Florida. Compare the listed providers and contact an office directly.
If you live in Lee County, free claims help is available from an accredited VSO representative. You can contact DAV Service Office - Fort Myers, FDVA State Veterans Service Officer Site - Cape Coral, or Lee County Veterans Services - Ft Myers; confirm availability, location, hours, and appointment requirements before traveling. AMVETS also offers free remote VA-claims assistance, with no membership required. PVA’s national benefits helpline and FDVA’s statewide callback provide referrals or routing to a service officer, rather than direct claims representation. The county has about 52,000 veterans, and its largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 21,500, give or take 1,030. The Lee County VA Clinic in Cape Coral is 9 miles away, measured in a straight line from the county center. Florida’s property tax reduction may apply to qualifying veterans with at least 10 percent disability; other eligibility and application conditions apply.
Offices for Lee County
- Type of help
- Claims assistance
- Location
- Cape Coral
State veterans service officer site; statewide access is available through FDVA.
2489 Diplomat Parkway East, Room 1A-198, Cape Coral, FL 33909Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
Lee County Veterans Services - Ft Myers
County veterans services
- Type of help
- Claims assistance
- Location
- Ft Myers
County veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the office for an appointment and ask what to bring.
2440 Thompson Street, Ft Myers, FL 33901Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except holidays. Lee County Human and Veteran Services publishes these hours for the department.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Florida directory.
Getting help in Lee County
Lee County Veterans Services - Ft Myers: Contact the provider to confirm appointment requirements and the meeting location. FDVA State Veterans Service Officer Site - Cape Coral: 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) · Lee County Veterans Services (opens in a new tab)
Office closed right now?
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) 387-1649Veterans in Lee County
The ACS estimates about 52,000, give or take 1,870 civilian veterans in Lee County.
By ACS estimates, Lee County has the 8th largest veteran population among Florida's 67 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Lee County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 24 percent below the Florida share; below the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 10 percent below the Florida share; below the national share. | 14 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Lee County number about 22,400, give or take 924; their 43 percent share is above Florida's 30 percent.
Lee County has about 2,190, give or take 382 veterans under 35, making up 4 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in Florida.
Lee County has about 4,040, give or take 582 women veterans, making up 8 percent of its veterans compared with 11 percent in Florida.
Income, work and education in Lee County
| Measure | Lee County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $52,714 ± $1,632 | $52,753 ± $469 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $37,351 ± $554 | $36,879 ± $115 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 7.8% ± 1.1 points | 7.6% ± 0.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 32.9% ± 1.6 points | 31.0% ± 0.3 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 70.3% ± 2.6 points | 71.2% ± 0.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.8% ± 1.6 points | 4.0% ± 0.3 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.7% ± 0.7 points | 95.9% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 34.7% ± 1.9 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 44,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 51,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA disability compensation in Lee County
VA reports 14,600 veterans in Lee County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 3,397 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 1,615 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 1,702 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 4,155 |
| 100 percent | 3,731 |
FY2019: 12,124 recipients. Change to FY2025: +2,476.
VA does not publish some small counts. Those show as “Not published.” VA county compensation data (opens in a new tab).
VA home loans in Lee County
In 2025, lenders reported 1,243 VA-backed home loans out of 23,138 home loans made in Lee County (5.4% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $392,000.
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).
When they served
The largest reported service groups are Vietnam era only (about 21,500, give or take 1,030) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 6,980, give or take 661).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA money in Lee County
VA reported about $391.0 million in compensation and pension spending and about $304.5 million in medical care spending in Lee County for FY2025.
Nearest VA locations
VA medical center
C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
10000 Bay Pines Boulevard, Bay Pines, FL 33744-8200
New-patient wait for mental health: 14 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 22 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 99 miles in a straight line from the county center.
VA clinic
Lee County VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2489 Diplomat Parkway East, Cape Coral, FL 33909-5422
New-patient wait for mental health: 22 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 27 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Vet Center
Naples Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
2891 Center Pointe Drive, Unit 100, Fort Meyers, FL 33916
about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
VA regional benefit office
St. Petersburg VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
9500 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33744
about 99 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Lee County is James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab) in Tampa, FL, about 107 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Lee County is Fort Myers Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Fort Myers, FL, about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Petersburg RO (station 317); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Veterans cemeteries and State Veterans Homes
Nearest open VA national cemetery
Sarasota National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
9810 State Road 72 Sarasota, FL 34241
877-861-9840
About 53.3 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Nearest VA-funded state or tribal veterans cemetery
Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery - Glennville (opens in a new tab)
8819 U.S. Hwy 301 Glennville, GA 30427
912-654-5398
About 372.8 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.
Cleanup and former military sites in Lee County
Formerly Used Defense Sites
- BONITA SPRING RADIO AX 5 (opens in a new tab)
- BUCKINGHAM AFB (opens in a new tab)
- CAYO COSTA MIL RESERVATION (opens in a new tab)
- ESTRO ISLAND DOCKS (opens in a new tab)
- GASPARILLA ISLAND (opens in a new tab)
More former defense sites (3)
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.
Veterans experiencing homelessness
On one night in January 2024, Ft Myers, Cape Coral/Lee County CoC counted 60 veterans experiencing homelessness (14 sheltered, 46 unsheltered).
FL-603 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 25 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 C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 727-398-6661. Ask for the homeless coordinator.
Housing prevention and rehousing help serving Lee County
- Jewish Family & Childrens Service Of The Suncoast Inc: 9413662224 ext. 130; 9413662224 ext. 630
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul South Pinellas, Inc.: 1-844-455-7783
VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).
Veterans treatment courts in Lee County
The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 1 veterans treatment court in Lee 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).
Cities and towns in Lee County
- Cape Coral (city): about 215,536 residents
- Lehigh Acres (unincorporated community): about 132,353 residents
- Fort Myers (city): about 95,051 residents
- Bonita Springs (city): about 55,904 residents
- North Fort Myers (unincorporated community): about 44,993 residents
More places (34)
- Estero (village): about 37,858 residents
- San Carlos Park (unincorporated community): about 19,159 residents
- Villas (unincorporated community): about 13,644 residents
- Iona (unincorporated community): about 13,631 residents
- Cypress Lake (unincorporated community): about 13,032 residents
- Gateway (unincorporated community): about 11,176 residents
- McGregor (unincorporated community): about 8,490 residents
- Lochmoor Waterway Estates (unincorporated community): about 6,511 residents
- Sanibel (city): about 6,418 residents
- Three Oaks (unincorporated community): about 6,144 residents
- Fort Myers Shores (unincorporated community): about 5,946 residents
- Fort Myers Beach (town): about 5,513 residents
- Whiskey Creek (unincorporated community): about 5,371 residents
- Florida Gulf Coast University (unincorporated community): about 4,836 residents
- Tice (unincorporated community): about 4,758 residents
- Suncoast Estates (unincorporated community): about 4,369 residents
- Buckingham (unincorporated community): about 4,311 residents
- Pine Manor (unincorporated community): about 3,660 residents
- St. James City (unincorporated community): about 3,412 residents
- Alva (unincorporated community): about 3,389 residents
- Olga (unincorporated community): about 3,282 residents
- Burnt Store Marina (unincorporated community): about 2,157 residents
- Bokeelia (unincorporated community): about 1,930 residents
- Verandah (unincorporated community): about 1,900 residents
- Pine Island Center (unincorporated community): about 1,834 residents
- Punta Rassa (unincorporated community): about 1,335 residents
- Harlem Heights (unincorporated community): about 1,122 residents
- Palmona Park (unincorporated community): about 1,115 residents
- Page Park (unincorporated community): about 917 residents
- Matlacha (unincorporated community): about 770 residents (small survey sample; treat as rough)
- Pineland (unincorporated community): about 455 residents
- Matlacha Isles-Matlacha Shores (unincorporated community): about 127 residents (small survey sample; treat as rough)
- Captiva (unincorporated community): about 99 residents
- Charleston Park (unincorporated community): about 44 residents
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.
Free tools and help
- VA disability calculator
- Back pay calculator
- Florida veteran benefits
- Claims guide
- Presumptive conditions
- Condition guides
For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)
Florida benefits
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.
Get ready for your appointment
- Your DD-214 or other discharge papers
- Any VA decision letters you have received
- Medical records you want to discuss
Starting a new claim? Ask about an intent to file
Ask the office about VA Form 21-0966 to preserve a potential benefits start date while gathering evidence. Check your intent to file deadline.
Search or filter Florida listings
Nearby counties
Sources and method
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.
VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents near Lee County
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
David Cruz
Claims agent · Fort Myers · FL · In your county
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Claim this profile, freeLorraine Barker
Claims agent · Fort Myers · FL · In your county
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Claim this profile, freeJeffrey Roberts
Claims agent · Fort Myers · FL · In your county
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Claim this profile, freeDavid Casterioto
Claims agent · Fort Myers · FL · In your county
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Claim this profile, freeEdward DeRose
Claims agent · Ft. Myers · FL · In your county
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