Find veterans benefits contacts for Marion County, Illinois.
Marion County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Marion 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: Marion County. Physical office: Centralia, Marion County.
125 W. Broadway, Centralia, IL, 62801Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM to 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: Marion County. Physical office: Salem, Marion County.
416 Ogelsby St, Salem, IL, 62881Fridays 9:00 AM to 3:30 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 2,200, give or take 245 civilian veterans in Marion County.
By ACS estimates, Marion County has the 36th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Marion County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 36 percent above the Illinois share; above the national share. | 22 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 15 percent above the Illinois share; above the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
Marion County has about 550, give or take 94 veterans 75 and older, making up 25 percent of its veterans compared with 29 percent in Illinois.
Veterans under 35 account for 9 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Marion County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Marion County has about 135, give or take 46 women veterans, making up 6 percent of its veterans compared with 9 percent in Illinois.
| Measure | Marion County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $55,632 ± $3,930 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $34,863 ± $1,806 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.9% ± 2.5 points | 7.4% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 34.1% ± 5.4 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 72.3% ± 8.1 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 5.6% ± 4.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.1% ± 1.5 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 14.3% ± 4.1 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 2,000. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 710 veterans in Marion County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 121 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 86 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 90 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 215 |
| 100 percent | 198 |
FY2019: 609 recipients. Change to FY2025: +101.
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 45 VA-backed home loans out of 524 home loans made in Marion County (8.6% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $208,000.
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 663, give or take 135) and post-9/11 only (about 385, give or take 133).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $21.6 million in compensation and pension spending and about $22.5 million in medical care spending in Marion County for FY2025.
Marion VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
2401 West Main Street, Marion, IL 62959-1165
New-patient wait for mental health: 11 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 24 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 64 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Mount Vernon VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
4000 South Water Tower Place, Mount Vernon, IL 62864-2079
New-patient wait for primary care: 35 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for mental health: 82 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 24 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 58 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 78 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Illinois, in St. Louis, MO, John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital (opens in a new tab) is Marion County's second-nearest medical center, about 71 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 Marion County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 80 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 74.6 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 160.8 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.
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, Southern Illinois CoC counted 12 veterans experiencing homelessness (12 sheltered, 0 unsheltered).
IL-520 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 17 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 Marion VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 618-997-5311. 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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