Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Otero 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: Otero County.
411 10th Street #107, Alamogordo, NM 88310Hours 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 7,180, give or take 519 civilian veterans in Otero County.
By ACS estimates, Otero County has the 5th largest veteran population among New Mexico's 33 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Otero County | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 37 percent above the New Mexico share; above the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 18 percent above the New Mexico share; above the national share. | 15 percent | 13 percent |
Otero County has about 1,590, give or take 203 veterans 75 and older, making up 22 percent of its veterans compared with 27 percent in New Mexico.
Veterans under 35 in Otero County number about 712, give or take 241; their 10 percent share is above New Mexico's 7 percent.
Women veterans in Otero County number about 1,030, give or take 255; their 14 percent share is above New Mexico's 11 percent.
| Measure | Otero County | New Mexico | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $51,197 ± $4,730 | $51,889 ± $840 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $26,502 ± $1,930 | $33,560 ± $401 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 8.2% ± 2.9 points | 8.5% ± 0.7 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 32.1% ± 3.8 points | 34.2% ± 0.9 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 66.6% ± 8.0 points | 71.7% ± 1.6 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 3.3% ± 2.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 96.6% ± 2.0 points | 96.2% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 26.7% ± 3.6 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 fewer veterans here in 2035: about 7,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 8,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 3,240 veterans in Otero County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 533 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 367 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 379 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,156 |
| 100 percent | 805 |
FY2019: 3,092 recipients. Change to FY2025: +148.
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 484 VA-backed home loans out of 1,237 home loans made in Otero County (39.1% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $276,000.
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 1,790, give or take 253) and post-9/11 only (about 1,680, give or take 317).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $82.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $36.5 million in medical care spending in Otero County for FY2025.
Raymond G. Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast, Albuquerque, NM 87108-5153
New-patient wait for mental health: 36 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 46 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 175 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Las Cruces VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
3401 Del Rey Boulevard, Las Cruces, NM 88012-8041
New-patient wait for mental health: 35 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 16 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 62 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Las Cruces Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1120 Commerce Drive, Suite B, Las Cruces, NM 88011
about 62 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 178 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside New Mexico, in Big Spring, TX, George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Otero County's second-nearest medical center, about 251 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Otero County is Las Cruces Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Las Cruces, NM, about 62 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 67.2 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 55.7 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, 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 Raymond G. Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 505-265-1711. 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).
The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 1 veterans treatment court in Otero County as of December 31, 2025.
These courts connect participating veterans involved in the justice system with treatment and support. Each court sets its own eligibility rules. National Treatment Court Resource Center maps (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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