Find veterans benefits contacts for Madison County, Illinois.
If you live in Madison County, you can get free claims help from an accredited representative at the Madison County Veterans Assistance Commission; confirm availability and the meeting location before traveling. The county is home to about 17,100 veterans, and by ACS estimates it has the 6th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents. Vietnam era only is the largest service era, with about 5,590 veterans; if you have Agent Orange exposure questions, where and when you served matters. For care, the St. Clair County VA Clinic is 18 miles away, Metro East Vet Center is 19 miles away, and John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital is 22 miles away. These are straight-line distances from the county center, not driving distances. Contact listed remote service organizations to find a current representative and arrange benefits assistance; these contacts are referrals, not confirmed local claims offices.
Madison County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Madison County.
Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
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. A closed, vacant or unconfirmed location has been left out of the visit listings.
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 17,100, give or take 808 civilian veterans in Madison County.
By ACS estimates, Madison County has the 6th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Madison County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 26 percent above the Illinois share; below the national share. | 22 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 12 percent above the Illinois share; below the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
Madison County has about 4,020, give or take 314 veterans 75 and older, making up 24 percent of its veterans compared with 29 percent in Illinois.
Veterans under 35 in Madison County number about 1,470, give or take 305; their 9 percent share is above Illinois's 8 percent.
Madison County has about 1,610, give or take 290 women veterans; both the county and Illinois round to a 9 percent share.
| Measure | Madison County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $57,250 ± $3,050 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $42,201 ± $802 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.8% ± 1.5 points | 7.4% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 31.3% ± 2.5 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 75.2% ± 3.3 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 3.4% ± 1.7 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 98.0% ± 0.7 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 27.0% ± 2.5 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 14,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 17,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 5,757 veterans in Madison County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 989 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 588 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 682 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,806 |
| 100 percent | 1,692 |
FY2019: 3,881 recipients. Change to FY2025: +1,876.
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 566 VA-backed home loans out of 6,489 home loans made in Madison County (8.7% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $307,000.
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 5,590, give or take 492) and post-9/11 only (about 3,160, give or take 456).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $167.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $104.6 million in medical care spending in Madison County for FY2025.
John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital (opens in a new tab)
915 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63106-1621
New-patient wait for mental health: 36 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 32 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 22 miles in a straight line from the county center.
St. Clair County VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1190 Fortune Boulevard, Shiloh, IL 62269-7358
New-patient wait for primary care: 11 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 18 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Metro East Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
228 West Pointe Drive, Swansea, IL 62226
about 19 miles in a straight line from the county center.
St. Louis VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
9700 Page Ave., ST. Louis, MO 63132
about 27 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Illinois, in St. Louis, MO, St. Louis VA Medical Center-Jefferson Barracks (opens in a new tab) is Madison County's second-nearest medical center, about 30 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Outside Illinois, in Creve Coeur, MO, St. Louis Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is Madison County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 30 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Chicago RO (station 328); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
2900 Sheridan Road St. Louis, MO 63125
314-845-8320
About 30.7 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 112.2 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, Madison County CoC counted 4 veterans experiencing homelessness (0 sheltered, 4 unsheltered).
IL-504 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 3 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 John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital (opens in a new tab), 314-652-4100. 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 Madison 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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