Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for McDonald in Missouri.
Missouri Veterans Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to confirm how to get help.
Area served: Barton County, Jasper County, McDonald County, Newton County. Physical office: Joplin, Jasper County.
730 South Wall Ave., Joplin, MO 64801Mon-Thur: 8:00am - 4:00pm
The MVC service-area map links this county to the listed office. Call to confirm the current service officer and appointment 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 1,270, give or take 222 civilian veterans in McDonald County.
By ACS estimates, McDonald County has the 54th largest veteran population among Missouri's 115 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | McDonald County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 28 percent the same rounded estimate as the Missouri share; below the national share. | 28 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 20 percent above the Missouri share; above the national share. | 12 percent | 13 percent |
McDonald County has about 230, give or take 70 veterans 75 and older, making up 18 percent of its veterans compared with 26 percent in Missouri.
Veterans under 35 account for 10 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in McDonald County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans in McDonald County number about 127, give or take 60; their 10 percent share is above Missouri's 9 percent.
| Measure | McDonald County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $37,361 ± $11,583 | $47,561 ± $648 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $28,810 ± $1,847 | $38,684 ± $208 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 9.6% ± 5.0 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 39.0% ± 10.0 points | 33.2% ± 0.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 46.9% ± 9.7 points | 73.4% ± 0.9 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 1.8% ± 9.8 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 94.0% ± 3.6 points | 94.9% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 16.5% ± 6.5 points | 26.5% ± 0.7 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 slightly fewer veterans here by 2035; both years round to about 1,000. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 389 veterans in McDonald County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 79 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 40 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 50 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 123 |
| 100 percent | 97 |
FY2019: 269 recipients. Change to FY2025: +120.
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 33 VA-backed home loans out of 414 home loans made in McDonald County (8.0% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $294,000.
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 445, give or take 116) and post-9/11 only (about 258, give or take 111).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $9.5 million in compensation and pension spending and about $10.9 million in medical care spending in McDonald County for FY2025.
Fayetteville VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
1100 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72703-1944
New-patient wait for mental health: 20 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 20 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 39 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Jay VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1569 North Main Street, Jay, OK 74346-2903
New-patient wait for mental health: 40 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 11 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 27 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Fayetteville, AR Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1905 East Mission Boulevard, Suite 2, Fayetteville, AR 72703
about 39 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Muskogee VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
125 South Main Street, Muskogee, OK 74401
about 83 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Missouri, in Muskogee, OK, Jack C. Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is McDonald County's second-nearest medical center, about 84 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to McDonald County is Springfield, MO Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Springfield, MO, about 69 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Louis RO (station 331); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Fayetteville National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1000 S Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-442-2566
About 40.7 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Missouri State Veterans Cemetery - Springfield (opens in a new tab)
5201 S Southwood Rd Springfield, MO 65804
417-823-3944
About 70.5 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.
No sites from these two federal datasets were mapped to McDonald 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, Missouri Balance of State CoC counted 140 veterans experiencing homelessness (81 sheltered, 59 unsheltered).
MO-606 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 114 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 Fayetteville VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 479-443-4301. 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)
Qualifying Missouri veterans with a 100 percent service-connected disability can receive a property tax credit for real estate taxes or rent.
Missouri offers survivor grants to eligible children and spouses of veterans rated at least 80 percent for qualifying combat injuries since September 11, 2001.
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.
Claims agent · Sarcoxie · MO · About 40 miles away
Are you Tammie McCabe? Update your details and see your referral activity.
Claim this profile, free
Are you Christopher Dumm? Update your details and see your referral activity.
Claim this profile, freeAttorney · Joplin · MO · About 40 miles away
Are you Ashley Baine? Update your details and see your referral activity.
Claim this profile, free
Are you David Waltrip? Update your details and see your referral activity.
Claim this profile, free
Are you Jeffrey Bunten? Update your details and see your referral activity.
Claim this profile, freeVA-accredited attorneys in Missouri
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.
Directories cover all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Choose another state.