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Ford County, IL Veterans Service Office (VSO): phone and address

Find veterans benefits contacts for Ford County, Illinois.

Offices for Ford County

No local office is matched to Ford County in this directory. Contact a state option below or an office in a nearby county to ask about help.

Iroquois County, IL

Livingston County, IL

Livingston County, IL

IDVA - Livingston County

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

Type of help
Benefits and claims assistance
Location
Pontiac

Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.

Area served: Livingston County. Physical office: Pontiac, Livingston County.

110 West Water St., Pontiac, IL, 61764

Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Help from anywhere in Illinois

Getting help in Ford County

A current local office is not confirmed in this directory. Use the state or organization contacts below to find assistance and confirm appointment options.

Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service information (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) 387-1649

Veterans in Ford County

The ACS estimates about 814, give or take 164 civilian veterans in Ford County.

Among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents, Ford County ranks 81st by its estimated number of veterans.

Share of civilian veterans, ACS 2020-2024
MeasureFord CountyIllinoisUnited States
Share with a service-connected rating20 percent

below the Illinois share; below the national share.

22 percent30 percent
Share rated 70 percent or higher10 percent; a small survey sample; treat as roughNot comparedNot compared

Veterans 75 and older in Ford County number about 260, give or take 74; their 32 percent share is above Illinois's 29 percent.

Veterans under 35 account for 22 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Ford County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.

Women veterans account for 12 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Ford County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.

Income, work and education in Ford County

Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates and 90% margins of error
MeasureFord CountyIllinoisUnited States
Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income$33,693 ± $12,736$53,526 ± $625$54,224 ± $147
Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income$36,833 ± $4,087$43,938 ± $182$41,154 ± $99
Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over17.0% ± 9.9 points; small survey sample; treat as roughNot comparedNot compared
Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over30.9% ± 8.3 points29.5% ± 0.5 points30.7% ± 0.1 points
Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 6472.9% ± 18.8 points75.8% ± 0.6 points73.9% ± 0.2 points
Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 649.0% ± 14.4 points; small survey sample; treat as roughNot comparedNot compared
Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over82.3% ± 10.9 points95.1% ± 0.3 points95.5% ± 0.1 points
Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over20.1% ± 8.4 points28.4% ± 0.4 points31.8% ± 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 disability compensation in Ford County

VA reports 158 veterans in Ford County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.

VA recipients by service-connected rating, FY2025
Rating groupRecipients
0 to 20 percent29
30 to 40 percent25
50 to 60 percent22
70 to 90 percent44
100 percent38

FY2019: 154 recipients. Change to FY2025: +4.

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 Ford County

In 2025, lenders reported 14 VA-backed home loans out of 290 home loans made in Ford County (4.8% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).

Average VA loan amount reported: about $195,000.

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).

HMDA 2025 and FHFA 2026 sources.

When they served

The largest reported service groups are post-9/11 only (about 218, give or take 107) and Vietnam era only (about 217, give or take 66).

For questions about post-9/11 exposure rules, read the PACT Act guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.

VA money in Ford County

VA reported about $4.4 million in compensation and pension spending and about $5.5 million in medical care spending in Ford County for FY2025.

Nearest VA locations

Call to confirm hours before you go.

The second-nearest medical center to Ford County is Edward Hines Junior Hospital (opens in a new tab) in Hines, IL, about 89 miles in a straight line from the county center.

The second-nearest Vet Center to Ford County is Orland Park Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Orland Park, IL, about 72 miles in a straight line from the county center.

The state registry lists Chicago RO (station 328); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.

Veterans cemeteries and State Veterans Homes

Nearest open VA national cemetery

Danville National Cemetery, IL (opens in a new tab)
1900 E Main Street Danville, IL 61832
217-554-4550

About 46.8 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.

Nearest VA-funded state or tribal veterans cemetery

Sunset Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1707 N 12th St Quincy, IL 62301
217-222-8641

About 173.3 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.

Cleanup and former military sites in Ford County

Formerly Used Defense Sites

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, Bloomington/Central Illinois CoC counted 23 veterans experiencing homelessness (17 sheltered, 6 unsheltered).

IL-512 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).

The HUD workbook reports 18 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 Danville VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 217-554-3000. Ask for the homeless coordinator.

Housing prevention and rehousing help serving Ford County

VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).

VA homeless programs (opens in a new tab)

Cities and towns in Ford County

  • Paxton (city): about 4,131 residents
  • Gibson City (city): about 3,434 residents
  • Piper City (village): about 703 residents
  • Roberts (village): about 487 residents
  • Melvin (village): about 430 residents
More places (3)
  • Sibley (village): about 286 residents
  • Elliott (village): about 258 residents
  • Kempton (village): about 258 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

For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)

Illinois benefits

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.

See every Illinois benefit by rating

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

Full appointment checklist

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 Illinois listings

Nearby counties

Sources and method

ACS 2020-2024; VA FY2025; geography/locations/benefits 2026; adjacency 2024. Distances: straight line from county center. Full method.

VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents near Ford County

Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.

Andrew Wiegand

Claims agent · Champaign · IL · About 32 miles away

VA-accredited since 2026 · checked

VA accreditation number 61443

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Your request goes straight to Andrew Wiegand's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Illinois

Robbie Walker

Claims agent · Rantoul · IL · About 32 miles away

VA-accredited since 2019 · checked

VA accreditation number 46428

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Your request goes straight to Robbie Walker's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Illinois

Kathleen Doran

Attorney · Dwight · IL · About 27 miles away

VA-accredited since 2015 · checked

VA accreditation number 35211

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Your state: Illinois

John Cannon

Attorney · Gilman · IL · About 23 miles away

VA-accredited since 2026 · checked

VA accreditation number 60564

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Your request goes straight to John Cannon's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Illinois

Robert Walker

Attorney · Rantoul · IL · About 32 miles away

VA-accredited since 2017 · checked

VA accreditation number 42506

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Your request goes straight to Robert Walker's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Illinois

VA-accredited attorneys in Illinois

Claim Raven is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. We do not recommend or endorse any attorney or claims agent. Listings come from VA's public accreditation records. Paid placements are advertising. Check an attorney's accreditation on VA's accreditation search (opens in a new tab) before you hire them.

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