Find veterans benefits contacts for Gooding County, Idaho.
Gooding County
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Gooding County. Physical office: Wendell, Gooding County.
American Legion Hall, 610 W Main St., Wendell, ID 83355Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Idaho directory.
Compare county contacts with Idaho Office of Veterans Advocacy. Where a county service contact is not confirmed, ask OVA which office or appointment can help you.
Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service 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 985, give or take 165 civilian veterans in Gooding County.
By ACS estimates, Gooding County has the 20th largest veteran population among Idaho's 44 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Gooding County | Idaho | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 13 percent below the Idaho share; below the national share. | 30 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 3 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older in Gooding County number about 340, give or take 74; their 35 percent share is above Idaho's 25 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 12 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Gooding County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 15 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Gooding County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Gooding County | Idaho | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $58,438 ± $21,551 | $51,476 ± $1,216 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $30,671 ± $2,699 | $37,171 ± $308 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.2% ± 3.5 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 39.8% ± 9.4 points | 33.4% ± 1.0 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 84.1% ± 15.6 points | 74.9% ± 1.5 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 0.0% ± 8.2 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 94.2% ± 4.4 points | 96.4% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 43.3% ± 14.4 points | 31.0% ± 1.3 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. VetPop2023 projections for small counties show direction only. Projection source and method.
VA reports 262 veterans in Gooding County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 73 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 34 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 38 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 59 |
| 100 percent | 58 |
FY2019: 163 recipients. Change to FY2025: +99.
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 24 VA-backed home loans out of 312 home loans made in Gooding County (7.7% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $339,000.
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 312, give or take 101) and Gulf War (1990s) only (about 238, give or take 127; 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 $5.7 million in compensation and pension spending and about $5.1 million in medical care spending in Gooding County for FY2025.
Boise VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
500 West Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702-4501
New-patient wait for mental health: 26 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 20 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Twin Falls VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
260 2nd Avenue East, Twin Falls, ID 83301-6242
New-patient wait for primary care: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for mental health: 38 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 34 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Boise Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
2424 Bank Drive, Boise, ID 83705
about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Boise VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
444 W. Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702
about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Idaho, in Salt Lake City, UT, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Gooding County's second-nearest medical center, about 217 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Gooding County is Boise Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Boise, ID, about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Boise RO (station 347); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Snake River Canyon National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1585 E Elm Street (E 4150 N) Buhl, ID 83316
208-732-7499
About 26.1 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Idaho State Veterans Cemetery at Boise (opens in a new tab)
10100 Horseshoe Bend Rd Boise, ID 83714
208-780-1340
About 89.8 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.
No sites from these two federal datasets were mapped to Gooding 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, Idaho Balance of State CoC counted 90 veterans experiencing homelessness (23 sheltered, 67 unsheltered).
ID-501 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid). This Balance of State area covers communities outside separate local CoCs.
The HUD workbook reports 80 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 Boise VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 208-422-1000. 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)
Idaho describes a separate property tax reduction for veterans with a 100 percent service-connected disability.
Eligible Idaho dependents of permanently disabled military members receive tuition and fee waivers, book assistance, and on-campus housing and subsistence.
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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