Find veterans benefits contacts for Mercer County, Illinois.
Mercer County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Mercer 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.
Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service information (opens in a new tab) · Official service information (opens in a new tab)
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Call (833) 387-1649The ACS estimates about 1,030, give or take 143 civilian veterans in Mercer County.
Among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents, Mercer County ranks 61st by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Mercer County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 28 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 |
Veterans 75 and older in Mercer County number about 326, give or take 63; their 32 percent share is above Illinois's 29 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 12 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mercer County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 5 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mercer County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Mercer County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $53,350 ± $11,856 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $41,865 ± $2,896 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 2.7% ± 2.1 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 33.1% ± 6.2 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 82.9% ± 9.7 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 5.2% ± 9.3 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.5% ± 1.4 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 17.3% ± 6.0 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 1,000 on September 30, 2026, and fewer than 1,000 by September 30, 2035. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 286 veterans in Mercer County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 65 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 41 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 45 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 84 |
| 100 percent | 51 |
FY2019: 228 recipients. Change to FY2025: +58.
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 26 VA-backed home loans out of 315 home loans made in Mercer County (8.3% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $226,000.
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 441, give or take 78) and post-9/11 only (about 252, give or take 91).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $7.5 million in compensation and pension spending and about $5.3 million in medical care spending in Mercer County for FY2025.
Iowa City VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
601 Highway 6 West, Iowa City, IA 52246-2209
New-patient wait for mental health: 91 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 44 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 52 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Quad Cities VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2826 West Locust Street, Davenport, IA 52804-3354
New-patient wait for mental health: 36 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 17 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 24 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Quad Cities Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
465 42nd (Avenue of the Cities), Suite 140, East Moline, IL 61244
about 25 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Des Moines VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
about 152 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Illinois, in Madison, WI, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab) is Mercer County's second-nearest medical center, about 146 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Mercer County is Cedar Rapids Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in East Moline, IL, about 25 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Chicago RO (station 328); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Rock Island National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
Rock Island Arsenal, Building 118 Rock Island, IL 61299
309-784-0000
About 24.2 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 92.9 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 Mercer 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, Rock Island, Moline/Northwestern Illinois CoC counted 7 veterans experiencing homelessness (7 sheltered, 0 unsheltered).
IL-518 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 14 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 Iowa City VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 319-338-0581. 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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