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Winona County, MN Veterans Service Office (VSO): phone and address

Find the Winona County veterans service office and confirm its current appointment details.

Offices for Winona County

Winona County Veterans Service Office

Minnesota county veterans services

Type of help
County veterans service office
Location
Winona

County veterans service office for state and federal benefits questions, including VA claims. Contact the office to ask about appointments.

225 West 2nd Street, Winona, MN 55987

Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers lists 8:00 - 4:30 M-F. Call to confirm current hours.

For statewide phone and remote help, see the Minnesota directory.

Getting help in Winona County

Winona County has a listed veterans service office in Winona. Call 507-457-6458 to confirm the meeting location, hours and claims assistance before traveling.

Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers profile (opens in a new tab)

Office closed right now?

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) 387-1649

Veterans in Winona County

The ACS estimates about 2,360, give or take 238 civilian veterans in Winona County.

By ACS estimates, Winona County has the 25th largest veteran population among Minnesota's 87 counties and equivalents.

Share of civilian veterans, ACS 2020-2024
MeasureWinona CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Share with a service-connected rating28 percent

below the Minnesota share; below the national share.

34 percent30 percent
Share rated 70 percent or higher9 percent

the same rounded estimate as the Minnesota share; below the national share.

9 percent13 percent

Winona County has about 747, give or take 102 veterans 75 and older; both the county and Minnesota round to a 32 percent share.

Winona County has about 102, give or take 50 veterans under 35, making up 4 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in Minnesota.

Women veterans in Winona County number about 398, give or take 165; their 17 percent share is above Minnesota's 8 percent.

Income, work and education in Winona County

Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates and 90% margins of error
MeasureWinona CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income$45,298 ± $7,346$52,090 ± $555$54,224 ± $147
Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income$35,984 ± $1,152$47,820 ± $204$41,154 ± $99
Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over9.3% ± 2.5 points6.8% ± 0.4 points7.4% ± 0.1 points
Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over28.4% ± 4.8 points30.3% ± 0.6 points30.7% ± 0.1 points
Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 6478.1% ± 9.8 points77.3% ± 0.7 points73.9% ± 0.2 points
Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 640.7% ± 2.9 points; small survey sample; treat as roughNot comparedNot compared
Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over89.1% ± 3.4 points95.9% ± 0.2 points95.5% ± 0.1 points
Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over24.0% ± 5.4 points28.6% ± 0.7 points31.8% ± 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 disability compensation in Winona County

VA reports 870 veterans in Winona County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.

VA recipients by service-connected rating, FY2025
Rating groupRecipients
0 to 20 percent295
30 to 40 percent125
50 to 60 percent97
70 to 90 percent202
100 percent151

FY2019: 712 recipients. Change to FY2025: +158.

VA does not publish some small counts. Those show as “Not published.” VA county compensation data (opens in a new tab).

VA home loans in Winona County

In 2025, lenders reported 19 VA-backed home loans out of 1,051 home loans made in Winona County (1.8% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).

Average VA loan amount reported: about $324,000.

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).

HMDA 2025 and FHFA 2026 sources.

When they served

The largest reported service groups are Vietnam era only (about 884, give or take 138) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 403, give or take 108).

For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.

VA money in Winona County

VA reported about $17.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $15.4 million in medical care spending in Winona County for FY2025.

Nearest VA locations

Call to confirm hours before you go.

The second-nearest medical center to Winona County is Minneapolis VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Minneapolis, MN, about 95 miles in a straight line from the county center.

The second-nearest Vet Center to Winona County is Twin Cities Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Eagan, MN, about 91 miles in a straight line from the county center.

The state registry lists St. Paul RO (station 335); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.

Veterans cemeteries and State Veterans Homes

Nearest open VA national cemetery

Fort Snelling National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
7601 34th Avenue S Minneapolis, MN 55450
612-726-1127

About 93.9 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.

Nearest VA-funded state or tribal veterans cemetery

Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery - Preston (opens in a new tab)
715 Hwy 52 Preston, MN 55965
507-765-7320

About 25.7 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.

Cleanup and former military sites in Winona County

Formerly Used Defense Sites

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.

Veterans experiencing homelessness

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 Tomah VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 608-372-3971. Ask for the homeless coordinator.

Housing prevention and rehousing help serving Winona County

VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).

VA homeless programs (opens in a new tab)

Cities and towns in Winona County

  • Winona (city): about 26,009 residents
  • Goodview (city): about 4,103 residents
  • St. Charles (city): about 4,037 residents
  • Lewiston (city): about 1,613 residents
  • Stockton (city): about 811 residents
More places (9)
  • Rollingstone (city): about 620 residents
  • Altura (city): about 388 residents
  • Dakota (city): about 304 residents
  • Dresbach (unincorporated community): about 286 residents
  • Utica (city): about 216 residents
  • Homer (unincorporated community): about 179 residents
  • Pickwick (unincorporated community): about 171 residents
  • Minnesota City (city): about 135 residents
  • Elba (city): about 102 residents

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.

Free tools and help

For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)

Minnesota benefits

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.

See every Minnesota benefit by rating

Get ready for your appointment

  • Your DD-214 or other discharge papers
  • Any VA decision letters you have received
  • Medical records you want to discuss

Full appointment checklist

Starting a new claim? Ask about an intent to file

Ask the office about VA Form 21-0966 to preserve a potential benefits start date while gathering evidence. Check your intent to file deadline.

Search or filter Minnesota listings

Nearby counties

Sources and method

ACS 2020-2024; VA FY2025; geography/locations/benefits 2026; adjacency 2024. Distances: straight line from county center. Full method.

VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents near Winona County

Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.

Matthew Petri

Claims agent · Eagan · MN · About 79 miles away

VA-accredited since 2013 · checked

VA accreditation number 26911

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Your request goes straight to Matthew Petri's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Minnesota

John Dorle

Claims agent · Woodbury · MN · About 92 miles away

VA-accredited since 2014 · checked

VA accreditation number 30540

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Your request goes straight to John Dorle's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Minnesota

Jon Brown

Claims agent · Edina · MN · About 110 miles away

VA-accredited since 2010 · checked

VA accreditation number 16519

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Your request goes straight to Jon Brown's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Minnesota

Lindsey Samson

Claims agent · Clearbrook · MN · About 303 miles away

VA-accredited since 2024 · checked

VA accreditation number 56741

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Send a consultation request to Lindsey Samson

Your request goes straight to Lindsey Samson's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: Minnesota

VA-accredited attorneys in Minnesota

Claim Raven is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. We do not recommend or endorse any attorney or claims agent. Listings come from VA's public accreditation records. Paid placements are advertising. Check an attorney's accreditation on VA's accreditation search (opens in a new tab) before you hire them.

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