Find veterans benefits contacts for Winnebago County, Illinois.
Winnebago County has about 13,100 veterans, give or take 821, and ranks 9th among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents by ACS estimates. The largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 4,870, give or take 441; Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served. Free accredited VSO claims help is available through the Winnebago County Veterans Assistance Commission in Rockford and Illinois Dept of Veterans' Affairs offices in Machesney Park and Rockford; confirm availability before traveling. IDVA statewide Veteran Service Officer access is a referral contact to find a current representative and arrange benefits help. The Rockford VA Clinic is 9 miles away and Rockford Vet Center is 10 miles away, measured straight-line from the county center. If you are rated 70 to 100 percent service-connected, Illinois provides a primary residence assessment exemption for qualifying veterans; other eligibility and application conditions apply.
Winnebago County Veterans Assistance Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Winnebago County. Physical office: Rockford, Winnebago County.
555 N Court Street, Suite 300, Rockford, IL 61103Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Winnebago County. Physical office: Machesney Park, Winnebago County.
10451 N. 2nd St., Machesney Park, IL, 61115Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to arrange help and confirm what to bring.
Area served: Winnebago County. Physical office: Rockford, Winnebago County.
7015 Rote Rd., Rockford, IL, 61107Monday-Thurs 9:00 AM- 4:00PM
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 13,100, give or take 821 civilian veterans in Winnebago County.
By ACS estimates, Winnebago County has the 9th largest veteran population among Illinois's 102 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Winnebago County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 21 percent below the Illinois share; below the national share. | 22 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 9 percent below the Illinois share; below the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Winnebago County number about 4,430, give or take 347; their 34 percent share is above Illinois's 29 percent.
Winnebago County has about 990, give or take 241 veterans under 35; both the county and Illinois round to a 8 percent share.
Winnebago County has about 1,130, give or take 216 women veterans; both the county and Illinois round to a 9 percent share.
| Measure | Winnebago County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $47,258 ± $3,191 | $53,526 ± $625 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $36,853 ± $752 | $43,938 ± $182 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 7.9% ± 1.6 points | 7.4% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 31.6% ± 3.2 points | 29.5% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 69.7% ± 4.3 points | 75.8% ± 0.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 6.9% ± 3.1 points | 4.7% ± 0.5 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.3% ± 1.7 points | 95.1% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 24.9% ± 3.7 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 11,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 14,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 3,312 veterans in Winnebago County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 698 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 408 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 374 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,010 |
| 100 percent | 822 |
FY2019: 2,874 recipients. Change to FY2025: +438.
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 299 VA-backed home loans out of 6,133 home loans made in Winnebago County (4.9% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $263,000.
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 4,870, give or take 441) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 2,060, give or take 275).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange guide; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $86.4 million in compensation and pension spending and about $92.8 million in medical care spending in Winnebago County for FY2025.
William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab)
2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705-2254
New-patient wait for mental health: 53 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 21 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 53 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rockford VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
816 Featherstone Road, Rockford, IL 61107-6300
New-patient wait for mental health: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 15 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rockford Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
7015 Rote Road, Suite 105, Rockford, IL 61107
about 10 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Milwaukee VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
5400 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53214
about 76 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Winnebago County is Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (opens in a new tab) in North Chicago, IL, about 67 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Outside Illinois, in Madison, WI, Madison Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is Winnebago County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 55 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 84.5 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 69 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 201.5 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, Rockford/Winnebago, Boone Counties CoC counted 19 veterans experiencing homelessness (17 sheltered, 2 unsheltered).
IL-501 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 23 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 William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab), 608-256-1901. 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 Winnebago 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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