Find veterans benefits contacts for Berrien County, Michigan.
Berrien County Veterans Services
County veterans service contact for benefits and claims questions. Confirm representation and appointments directly.
Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Michigan directory.
Berrien County Veterans Services appears in this guide. Call the provider to confirm the type of claims help, current appointment and meeting location.
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 7,330, give or take 533 civilian veterans in Berrien County.
By ACS estimates, Berrien County has the 17th largest veteran population among Michigan's 83 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 19 percent below the Michigan share; below the national share. | 24 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 9 percent below the Michigan share; below the national share. | 10 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Berrien County number about 2,310, give or take 260; their 32 percent share is above Michigan's 29 percent.
Berrien County has about 415, give or take 121 veterans under 35; both the county and Michigan round to a 6 percent share.
Berrien County has about 614, give or take 197 women veterans; both the county and Michigan round to a 8 percent share.
| Measure | Berrien County | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $47,146 ± $4,968 | $48,453 ± $466 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $35,460 ± $569 | $38,782 ± $167 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 7.3% ± 2.2 points | 7.9% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 29.8% ± 3.2 points | 31.8% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 69.6% ± 4.4 points | 70.9% ± 0.8 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 2.5% ± 1.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 92.8% ± 1.9 points | 95.1% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 23.0% ± 2.7 points | 24.1% ± 0.6 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 5,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 7,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 2,196 veterans in Berrien County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 476 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 252 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 282 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 654 |
| 100 percent | 532 |
FY2019: 1,857 recipients. Change to FY2025: +339.
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 207 VA-backed home loans out of 4,011 home loans made in Berrien County (5.2% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $289,000.
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 2,680, give or take 264) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 1,230, give or take 250).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $63.6 million in compensation and pension spending and about $50.3 million in medical care spending in Berrien County for FY2025.
Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
820 South Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612-3728
New-patient wait for mental health: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 48 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Benton Harbor VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1275 Mall Drive, Benton Harbor, MI 49022-2309
New-patient wait for primary care: 13 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 26 miles in a straight line from the county center.
South Bend Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
4727 Miami Street, South Bend, IN 46614-3225
about 29 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 49 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Michigan, in Hines, IL, Edward Hines Junior Hospital (opens in a new tab) is Berrien County's second-nearest medical center, about 56 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Outside Michigan, in Crown Point, IN, Gary Area Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is Berrien County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 39 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Detroit RO (station 329); 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 76.6 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 62.9 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: cremation only.
Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
21731 Spring St Union Grove, WI 53182
262-878-5660
About 93 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
This cemetery is in another state. State veterans cemeteries set their own eligibility rules, which can include residency in that state.
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, Michigan Balance of State CoC counted 54 veterans experiencing homelessness (39 sheltered, 15 unsheltered).
MI-500 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid). This Balance of State area covers communities outside separate local CoCs.
The HUD workbook reports 51 veterans for the 2019 comparison. This CoC includes areas that merged after 2019.
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 Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 312-569-8387. 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)
Eligible Michigan veterans receiving benefits at the 100 percent permanent and total rate can request a property tax exemption.
Eligible children of veterans receiving benefits at the permanent and total rate may receive Michigan undergraduate tuition assistance.
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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