Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Lea County, New Mexico.
New Mexico Department of Veterans Services
NMDVS lists this as a Veteran Service Officer contact for claims help. Call to confirm the current representative and meeting location.
Area served: Lea County.
2120 N. Alto Street, Hobbs, NM 88240Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the New Mexico directory.
NMDVS field officers can assist veterans from anywhere in New Mexico. This county guide shows confirmed office locations only; call Field Services if no local office appears.
Official county or service directory (opens in a new tab) · Official county or service directory (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 1,750, give or take 305 civilian veterans in Lea County.
By ACS estimates, Lea County has the 14th largest veteran population among New Mexico's 33 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Lea County | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 31 percent the same rounded estimate as the New Mexico share; above the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 7 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Lea County has about 407, give or take 124 veterans 75 and older, making up 23 percent of its veterans compared with 27 percent in New Mexico.
Veterans under 35 account for 4 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Lea County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 9 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Lea County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Lea County | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $55,772 ± $12,530 | $51,889 ± $840 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $33,011 ± $2,278 | $33,560 ± $401 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.1% ± 4.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 39.4% ± 7.8 points | 34.2% ± 0.9 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 87.2% ± 11.0 points | 71.7% ± 1.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 3.1% ± 7.4 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 93.4% ± 4.8 points | 96.2% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 20.6% ± 6.8 points | 35.5% ± 1.3 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 2,000. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 663 veterans in Lea County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 153 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 83 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 78 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 197 |
| 100 percent | 152 |
FY2019: 620 recipients. Change to FY2025: +43.
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 41 VA-backed home loans out of 840 home loans made in Lea County (4.9% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $299,000.
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 588, give or take 158) and Gulf War (1990s) only (about 329, give or take 136).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $17.0 million in compensation and pension spending and about $14.1 million in medical care spending in Lea County for FY2025.
George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
300 Veterans Boulevard, Big Spring, TX 79720-5566
New-patient wait for mental health: 5 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 9 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 120 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Artesia VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2410 West Main Street, Artesia, NM 88210-3716
New-patient wait for mental health: 56 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 45 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 59 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Midland Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
4001 W. Illinois, Midland, TX 79703
about 94 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Albuquerque VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
500 Gold Ave., SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
about 244 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside New Mexico, in Amarillo, TX, Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Lea County's second-nearest medical center, about 187 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Outside New Mexico, in Lubbock, TX, Lubbock Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is Lea County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 100 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Albuquerque RO (station 340); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Fort Bliss National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
5200 Fred Wilson Avenue El Paso, TX 79906
915-564-0201
About 188.1 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Fort Stanton State Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1398 State Hwy 220 Fort Stanton, NM 88323
505-205-6707
About 136.3 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.
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, New Mexico Balance of State CoC counted 89 veterans experiencing homelessness (16 sheltered, 73 unsheltered).
NM-501 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 110 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 George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 432-263-7361. 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)
For 2026, qualifying New Mexico veterans rated 100 percent receive a proportional 100 percent primary residence property tax exemption.
Qualifying New Mexico veterans rated at least 50 percent can receive a free disabled veteran license plate.
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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