Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Mercer in Missouri.
Missouri Veterans Commission
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to confirm how to get help.
Area served: Carroll County, Grundy County, Livingston County, Mercer County. Physical office: Chillicothe, Livingston County.
909 Washington St., Chillicothe, MO 64601Mon-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 223, give or take 53 civilian veterans in Mercer County.
Among Missouri's 115 counties and equivalents, Mercer County ranks 112th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Mercer 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 | 21 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older in Mercer County number about 69, give or take 23; their 31 percent share is above Missouri's 26 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 0 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mercer County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 5 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mercer County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Mercer County | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $31,625 ± $7,169 | $47,561 ± $648 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $29,247 ± $3,120 | $38,684 ± $208 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 7.3% ± 8.2 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 37.3% ± 11.8 points | 33.2% ± 0.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 81.9% ± 21.8 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 0.0% ± 27.0 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.3% ± 4.0 points | 94.9% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 12.6% ± 10.3 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 91 veterans in Mercer County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 34 |
| 30 to 40 percent | Not published |
| 50 to 60 percent | Not published |
| 70 to 90 percent | 19 |
| 100 percent | 21 |
FY2019: 77 recipients. Change to FY2025: +14.
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 7 VA-backed home loans out of 40 home loans made in Mercer County (17.5% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $175,000.
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 81, give or take 31) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 53, give or take 32; 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 $2.2 million in compensation and pension spending and about $2.1 million in medical care spending in Mercer County for FY2025.
Des Moines VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
3600 30th Street, Des Moines, IA 50310-5753
New-patient wait for mental health: 54 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 84 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Kirksville VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
506 Rosewood Drive, Kirksville, MO 63501-2437
New-patient wait for primary care: 8 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for mental health: 31 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 54 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Des Moines Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1821 22nd Street, Suite 115, West Des Moines, IA 50266
about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Des Moines VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
about 81 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside Missouri, in Leavenworth, KS, Dwight D. Eisenhower Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Mercer County's second-nearest medical center, about 106 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Mercer County is Kansas City Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Kansas City, MO, about 110 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists St. Louis RO (station 331); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Leavenworth National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
150 Muncie Road Leavenworth, KS 66048
913-727-1376
About 105.9 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
395 Biddle Boulevard Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027
913-684-4348
About 103.3 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: cremation only.
Missouri State Veterans Cemetery - Jacksonville (opens in a new tab)
1479 County Rd 1675 Jacksonville, MO 65260
660-372-6024
About 81.7 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.
No sites from these two federal datasets were mapped to Mercer 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 Des Moines VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 515-699-5999. Ask for the homeless coordinator.
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.
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