Find veterans benefits contacts for Lake County, Illinois.
If you live in Lake County, free claims help is available from an accredited VSO representative; confirm availability and the appointment location before traveling. The county lists the Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission in Gurnee and Illinois Department of Veteran's Affairs offices in Deerfield and on Green Bay Road in North Chicago for claims help. Statewide and organization-based service officer routes are referral contacts: contact them to find a current representative and arrange benefits assistance. Lake County has the 4th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties by ACS estimates. The largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 7,410, give or take 518; Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served. From the county center, the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center is 9 miles away in a straight line. For full benefit terms, check the linked state page.
Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Lake County. Physical office: Gurnee, Lake County.
1790 Nations Drive, Suite 221, Gurnee, IL 60031Hours 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: Lake County. Physical office: Deerfield, Lake County.
1755 Lake Cook Rd. Suite, 1409, Deerfield, IL, 60015Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Lake County. Physical office: North Chicago, Lake County.
3001 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064Tuesday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM by Appointment
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 25,100, give or take 1,130 civilian veterans in Lake County.
By ACS estimates, Lake County has the 4th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Lake County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 23 percent above the Illinois share; below the national share. | 22 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 14 percent above the Illinois share; above the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
Lake County has about 6,780, give or take 440 veterans 75 and older, making up 27 percent of its veterans compared with 29 percent in Illinois.
Veterans under 35 in Lake County number about 4,060, give or take 511; their 16 percent share is above Illinois's 8 percent.
Women veterans in Lake County number about 3,010, give or take 521; their 12 percent share is above Illinois's 9 percent.
| Measure | Lake County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $58,924 ± $3,948 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $50,753 ± $693 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.2% ± 1.2 points | 7.4% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 25.8% ± 2.0 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 76.8% ± 3.6 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.6% ± 1.6 points | 4.7% ± 0.5 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.1% ± 1.1 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 38.8% ± 1.8 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 fewer veterans here in 2035: about 77,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 112,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 9,623 veterans in Lake County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,588 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 1,002 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 1,074 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 3,172 |
| 100 percent | 2,787 |
FY2019: 6,909 recipients. Change to FY2025: +2,714.
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 782 VA-backed home loans out of 14,702 home loans made in Lake County (5.3% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $384,000.
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 7,410, give or take 518) and post-9/11 only (about 5,780, give or take 601).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $238.3 million in compensation and pension spending and about $293.6 million in medical care spending in Lake County for FY2025.
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (opens in a new tab)
3001 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064-3048
New-patient wait for primary care: 1 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Evanston VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1942 Dempster Street, Evanston, IL 60202-1016
New-patient wait for primary care: 5 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 11 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Evanston Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1901 Howard Street, Evanston, IL 60202
about 13 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 23 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Lake County is Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Chicago, IL, about 23 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Lake County is Evanston Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Evanston, IL, about 13 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 57.4 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Fort Sheridan National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
Vattman Road Fort Sheridan, IL 60037
224-610-7296
About 2.7 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: cremation only.
Sunset Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1707 N 12th St Quincy, IL 62301
217-222-8641
About 242.5 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.
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, Waukegan, North Chicago/Lake County CoC counted 8 veterans experiencing homelessness (6 sheltered, 2 unsheltered).
IL-502 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 Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (opens in a new tab), 847-688-1900. 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).
The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 1 veterans treatment court in Lake 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).
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. The summary paragraph was drafted by AI from the facts on this page and checked automatically against them. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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