Find veterans benefits contacts for Ocean County, New Jersey.
Ocean County has the 1st largest veteran population among New Jersey's 21 counties and equivalents, with about 30,000 veterans, give or take 1,160. Veterans 75 and older make up 41 percent, above New Jersey's 35 percent; Vietnam era only is the largest service era, with about 12,300, give or take 724. If you have questions about Agent Orange exposure, the relevant details depend on where and when you served. For free claims help, contact the NJ DVA Ocean County Veterans Service Office in Toms River; an accredited VSO representative can help at no cost, but call to confirm help, appointment and location before traveling. The statewide NJ DVA hotline can connect you with a current county Veterans Service Officer. The Toms River VA clinic is 8 miles away and Lakewood Vet Center is 14 miles away, measured in a straight line from the county center.
New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs
State Veterans Service Office for benefits and claims questions.
Toms River VA Clinic, 1055 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08754Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Closed Alternate Fridays
For statewide phone and remote help, see the New Jersey directory.
NJ DVA Ocean County Veterans Service Office 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 30,000, give or take 1,160 civilian veterans in Ocean County.
By ACS estimates, Ocean County has the 1st largest veteran population among New Jersey's 21 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Ocean County | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 22 percent above the New Jersey share; below the national share. | 20 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 10 percent above the New Jersey share; below the national share. | 9 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Ocean County number about 12,400, give or take 546; their 41 percent share is above New Jersey's 35 percent.
Ocean County has about 1,720, give or take 349 veterans under 35, making up 6 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in New Jersey.
Ocean County has about 1,460, give or take 251 women veterans, making up 5 percent of its veterans compared with 8 percent in New Jersey.
| Measure | Ocean County | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $57,899 ± $2,287 | $59,939 ± $915 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $44,197 ± $676 | $49,812 ± $257 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.5% ± 0.9 points | 6.2% ± 0.4 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 30.5% ± 1.8 points | 28.5% ± 0.7 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 77.1% ± 4.2 points | 77.6% ± 1.3 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 5.0% ± 1.8 points | 4.7% ± 0.6 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.7% ± 0.8 points | 94.7% ± 0.4 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 25.5% ± 2.0 points | 32.1% ± 0.8 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 20,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 27,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 8,069 veterans in Ocean County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,932 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 838 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 864 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 2,330 |
| 100 percent | 2,105 |
FY2019: 6,386 recipients. Change to FY2025: +1,683.
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 632 VA-backed home loans out of 17,244 home loans made in Ocean County (3.7% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $421,000.
The 2026 FHFA one-unit county loan limit here is $1,209,750. 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 12,300, give or take 724) and post-9/11 only (about 3,790, give or take 586).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $230.2 million in compensation and pension spending and about $126.3 million in medical care spending in Ocean County for FY2025.
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
3900 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4551
New-patient wait for mental health: 34 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 29 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 50 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Leonard G. ‘‘Bud’’ Lomell VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1055 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08753
New-patient wait for mental health: 24 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 8 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Lakewood Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1255 Route 70W, Unit 22N, Lakewood, NJ 08701-5900
about 14 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Philadelphia VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
5000 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144
about 50 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside New Jersey, in Brooklyn, NY, Brooklyn VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Ocean County's second-nearest medical center, about 53 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Ocean County is South Jersey Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, about 36 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Newark RO (station 309); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Washington Crossing National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
830 Highland Road Newtown, PA 18940
215-222-7510
About 44.1 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
350 Provinceline Rd Wrightstown, NJ 08562
609-738-2400
About 22.7 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.
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, Lakewood Township/Ocean County CoC counted 5 veterans experiencing homelessness (2 sheltered, 3 unsheltered).
NJ-510 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 6 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 Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 215-823-5800. 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 New Jersey veterans rated 100 percent permanent and total can receive a property tax exemption.
No other benefit is documented here.
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. The summary paragraph was drafted by AI from the facts on this page and checked automatically against them. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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