Find the Watonwan County veterans service office and confirm its current appointment details.
Minnesota county veterans services
County veterans service office for state and federal benefits questions, including VA claims. Contact the office to ask about appointments.
108 8th Street South, Suite 3, St James, MN 56081Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers lists 8:00 - 5:00 M-F. Call to confirm current hours.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Minnesota directory.
Watonwan County has a listed veterans service office in St James. Call 507-375-1254 to confirm the meeting location, hours and claims assistance before traveling.
Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers profile (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 525, give or take 92 civilian veterans in Watonwan County.
Among Minnesota's 87 counties and equivalents, Watonwan County ranks 68th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Watonwan County | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 38 percent above the Minnesota share; above the national share. | 34 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 10 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older in Watonwan County number about 201, give or take 46; their 38 percent share is above Minnesota's 32 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 4 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Watonwan County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 3 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Watonwan County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Watonwan County | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $32,373 ± $5,170 | $52,090 ± $555 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $40,142 ± $2,650 | $47,820 ± $204 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 8.0% ± 5.3 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 25.5% ± 9.3 points | 30.3% ± 0.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 85.2% ± 13.9 points | 77.3% ± 0.7 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.0% ± 11.1 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 96.7% ± 1.4 points | 95.9% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 13.4% ± 7.0 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
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. VetPop2023 projections for small counties show direction only. Projection source and method.
VA reports 258 veterans in Watonwan County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 125 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 33 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 28 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 45 |
| 100 percent | 27 |
FY2019: 245 recipients. Change to FY2025: +13.
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 10 VA-backed home loans out of 130 home loans made in Watonwan County (7.7% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $209,000.
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 251, give or take 70) and post-9/11 only (about 70, give or take 35; a small survey sample; treat as rough).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $4.0 million in compensation and pension spending and about $5.0 million in medical care spending in Watonwan County for FY2025.
Minneapolis VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417-2309
New-patient wait for mental health: 15 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 40 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 94 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Lyle C. Pearson Community Based Outpatient Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1400 Madison Avenue, Suite 502, Mankato, MN 56001-5473
New-patient wait for mental health: 33 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 34 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 35 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Twin Cities Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
2113 Cliff Drive, Suite 100, Eagan, MN 55122
about 89 miles in a straight line from the county center.
St. Paul VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, St. Paul, MN 55111
about 94 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Minnesota, in Sioux Falls, SD, Royal C. Johnson Veterans' Memorial Hospital (opens in a new tab) is Watonwan County's second-nearest medical center, about 111 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Watonwan County is Twin Cities Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Richfield, MN, about 92 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Paul RO (station 335); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Fort Snelling National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
7601 34th Avenue S Minneapolis, MN 55450
612-726-1127
About 92 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery - Redwood Falls (opens in a new tab)
33752 Noble Ave Redwood Falls, MN 56283
507-709-4390
About 44.3 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 Watonwan 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, Rochester/Southeast Minnesota CoC counted 24 veterans experiencing homelessness (16 sheltered, 8 unsheltered).
MN-502 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 9 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 Minneapolis VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 612-725-2000. 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)
Minnesota offers a $300,000 home market value exclusion for qualifying veterans rated at least 100 percent permanent and total.
Eligible Minnesota dependents of veterans rated 100 percent permanent and total may receive up to $15,000 through the Minnesota GI Bill.
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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