Find veterans benefits contacts for DeKalb County, Illinois.
DeKalb County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: DeKalb County.
Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: DeKalb County. Physical office: DeKalb, DeKalb County.
845 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL, 60115Fridays 9am-4pm, "Appointments Only"
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: DeKalb County. Physical office: Sycamore, DeKalb County.
516 E. State St, Sycamore, IL, 601783rd Tuesday of the month by appt. 9:00 AM -4:00 PM
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Illinois directory.
Contact the listed county or regional service for benefits assistance. Confirm the appointment, eligibility and meeting location with the provider.
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 4,090, give or take 459 civilian veterans in DeKalb County.
By ACS estimates, DeKalb County has the 21st largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | DeKalb County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 20 percent below the Illinois share; below the national share. | 22 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 13 percent above the Illinois share; the same rounded estimate as the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
DeKalb County has about 1,070, give or take 162 veterans 75 and older, making up 26 percent of its veterans compared with 29 percent in Illinois.
Veterans under 35 in DeKalb County number about 494, give or take 223; their 12 percent share is above Illinois's 8 percent.
Women veterans in DeKalb County number about 457, give or take 179; their 11 percent share is above Illinois's 9 percent.
| Measure | DeKalb County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $60,186 ± $4,663 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $35,812 ± $1,353 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 1.6% ± 0.9 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 20.9% ± 4.3 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 85.9% ± 7.3 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 1.1% ± 1.9 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.5% ± 1.2 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 29.7% ± 5.2 points | 28.4% ± 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 slightly fewer veterans here by 2035; both years round to about 4,000. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 1,092 veterans in DeKalb County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 215 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 119 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 123 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 334 |
| 100 percent | 301 |
FY2019: 910 recipients. Change to FY2025: +182.
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 136 VA-backed home loans out of 2,152 home loans made in DeKalb County (6.3% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $309,000.
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 1,290, give or take 243) and post-9/11 only (about 877, give or take 249).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $31.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $18.2 million in medical care spending in DeKalb County for FY2025.
Edward Hines Junior Hospital (opens in a new tab)
5000 South 5th Avenue, Hines, IL 60141-3030
New-patient wait for mental health: 16 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 39 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 48 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Aurora VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
161 South Lincolnway, Suite 120, North Aurora, IL 60542-1659
New-patient wait for mental health: 12 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 20 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 24 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rockford Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
7015 Rote Road, Suite 105, Rockford, IL 61107
about 29 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Chicago VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
2122 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612
about 56 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to DeKalb County is Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (opens in a new tab) in North Chicago, IL, about 55 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to DeKalb County is Aurora Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Aurora, IL, about 30 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Chicago RO (station 328); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
20953 W Hoff Road Elwood, IL 60421
815-423-9958
About 48.2 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Sunset Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1707 N 12th St Quincy, IL 62301
217-222-8641
About 191.9 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 DeKalb 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, Rockford/Winnebago, Boone Counties CoC counted 19 veterans experiencing homelessness (17 sheltered, 2 unsheltered).
IL-501 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 23 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 Edward Hines Junior Hospital (opens in a new tab), 708-202-8387. 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)
Illinois provides a primary residence assessment exemption for qualifying veterans rated 70 to 100 percent service-connected.
Dependents of qualifying Illinois veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total disability can receive a public college scholarship.
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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