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Albany County, NY Veterans Service Office (VSO): phone and address

Find veterans benefits contacts for Albany County, New York.

If you live in Albany County, you can get free claims help from an accredited VSO representative; confirm availability with the office before traveling. Local claims contacts include the Albany County Veterans Service Agency and NYS Veterans Services offices in Albany. The New York State Veterans Services appointment line can connect you with a Veterans Benefits Advisor or county service contact. These are referral contacts, so confirm the type of help, appointment and meeting location; the accredited representative provides claims help. The county’s largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 4,100, give or take 464; Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served. The Samuel S. Stratton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is 11 miles away, measured in a straight line from the county center. The linked state page has full benefit terms.

Offices for Albany County

Albany County Veterans Service Agency

New York county veterans service agencies

Type of help
Benefits and claims assistance
Location
Albany

Veterans benefits advice and help finding a claims appointment.

Area served: Albany County. Physical office: Albany, Albany County.

162 Washington Ave, 7th Floor, Albany, NY 12210

Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.

NYS Veterans Services – c/o Albany VA Medical Center

New York State Department of Veterans' Services

Type of help
Benefits and claims assistance
Location
Albany

Veterans benefits advice and help finding a claims appointment.

Area served: Albany County. Physical office: Albany, Albany County.

113 Holland Avenue, 7th Fl, Room D718, Albany, NY 12208

Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.

NYS Veterans Services – c/o Albany Vet Center

New York State Department of Veterans' Services

Type of help
Benefits and claims assistance
Location
Albany

Veterans benefits advice and help finding a claims appointment.

Area served: Albany County. Physical office: Albany, Albany County.

c/o VA Vet Center, 17 Computer Drive West Room 815, Albany, NY 12205

Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.

VFW service officer contact - Albany

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Type of help
Benefits and claims assistance
Location
Albany

VFW lists this contact in its Find a Service Officer results for free VA claims assistance.

VA Medical Center, 113 Holland Ave Room C626, Albany, NY 12208

Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.

For statewide phone and remote help, see the New York directory.

Getting help in Albany County

NYS Veterans Services – c/o Albany Vet Center, Albany County Veterans Service Agency, NYS Veterans Services – c/o Albany VA Medical Center, and 1 other listed contact appear in this guide. Call the provider to confirm the type of claims help, current appointment and meeting location.

Official service directory (opens in a new tab)

Office closed right now?

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) 387-1649

Veterans in Albany County

The ACS estimates about 12,400, give or take 801 civilian veterans in Albany County.

By ACS estimates, Albany County has the 14th largest veteran population among New York's 62 counties and equivalents.

Share of civilian veterans, ACS 2020-2024
MeasureAlbany CountyNew YorkUnited States
Share with a service-connected rating21 percent

the same rounded estimate as the New York share; below the national share.

21 percent30 percent
Share rated 70 percent or higher7 percent

below the New York share; below the national share.

9 percent13 percent

Albany County has about 3,890, give or take 314 veterans 75 and older, making up 31 percent of its veterans compared with 33 percent in New York.

Albany County has about 767, give or take 243 veterans under 35, making up 6 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in New York.

Albany County has about 1,010, give or take 248 women veterans; both the county and New York round to a 8 percent share.

Income, work and education in Albany County

Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates and 90% margins of error
MeasureAlbany CountyNew YorkUnited States
Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income$56,183 ± $5,646$52,375 ± $532$54,224 ± $147
Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income$47,507 ± $1,073$44,412 ± $201$41,154 ± $99
Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over8.0% ± 2.1 points8.5% ± 0.3 points7.4% ± 0.1 points
Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over33.1% ± 3.5 points29.4% ± 0.5 points30.7% ± 0.1 points
Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 6468.8% ± 4.5 points71.9% ± 0.6 points73.9% ± 0.2 points
Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 645.9% ± 3.0 points; small survey sample; treat as roughNot comparedNot compared
Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over95.1% ± 1.7 points94.1% ± 0.2 points95.5% ± 0.1 points
Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over33.9% ± 3.2 points29.1% ± 0.6 points31.8% ± 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 10,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 14,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.

VA disability compensation in Albany County

VA reports 3,069 veterans in Albany County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.

VA recipients by service-connected rating, FY2025
Rating groupRecipients
0 to 20 percent748
30 to 40 percent389
50 to 60 percent381
70 to 90 percent850
100 percent701

FY2019: 2,956 recipients. Change to FY2025: +113.

VA does not publish some small counts. Those show as “Not published.” VA county compensation data (opens in a new tab).

VA home loans in Albany County

In 2025, lenders reported 135 VA-backed home loans out of 5,656 home loans made in Albany County (2.4% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).

Average VA loan amount reported: about $337,000.

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).

HMDA 2025 and FHFA 2026 sources.

When they served

The largest reported service groups are Vietnam era only (about 4,100, give or take 464) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 2,510, give or take 382).

For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.

VA money in Albany County

VA reported about $69.4 million in compensation and pension spending and about $113.6 million in medical care spending in Albany County for FY2025.

Nearest VA locations

Call to confirm hours before you go.

Outside New York, in Leeds, MA, Edward P. Boland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Albany County's second-nearest medical center, about 68 miles in a straight line from the county center.

Outside New York, in West Springfield, MA, Springfield, MA Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is Albany County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 76 miles in a straight line from the county center.

The state registry lists New York RO (station 306) and Buffalo RO (station 307); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.

Veterans cemeteries and State Veterans Homes

Nearest open VA national cemetery

Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
200 Duell Road Schuylerville, NY 12871
518-581-9128

About 35.3 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.

Nearest VA-funded state or tribal veterans cemetery

New York State Veterans Cemetery - Finger Lakes (opens in a new tab)
6632 NY-96A Romulus, NY 14541
607-379-0197

About 147.9 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.

Cleanup and former military sites in Albany County

EPA Superfund National Priorities List

Formerly Used Defense Sites

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.

Veterans experiencing homelessness

On one night in January 2024, Albany City & County CoC counted 42 veterans experiencing homelessness (37 sheltered, 5 unsheltered).

NY-503 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).

The HUD workbook reports 88 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 Samuel S. Stratton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 518-626-5000. Ask for the homeless coordinator.

Housing prevention and rehousing help serving Albany County

VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).

VA homeless programs (opens in a new tab)

Veterans treatment courts in Albany County

The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 2 veterans treatment courts in Albany 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).

Cities and towns in Albany County

  • Albany (city): about 100,492 residents
  • Cohoes (city): about 18,159 residents
  • Latham (unincorporated community): about 13,802 residents
  • Roessleville (unincorporated community): about 10,968 residents
  • Loudonville (unincorporated community): about 10,527 residents
More places (10)
  • Watervliet (city): about 10,287 residents
  • Westmere (unincorporated community): about 8,334 residents
  • Colonie (village): about 7,702 residents
  • Menands (village): about 4,505 residents
  • Ravena (village): about 3,243 residents
  • Green Island (village): about 2,970 residents
  • Voorheesville (village): about 2,824 residents
  • Siena College (unincorporated community): about 2,500 residents
  • Altamont (village): about 1,855 residents
  • Preston-Potter Hollow (unincorporated community): about 400 residents (small survey sample; treat as rough)

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.

Free tools and help

For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)

New York benefits

New York localities may fully exempt qualifying primary residences of veterans with permanent and total service-connected disability.

New York provides $450 annually to qualifying children of veterans who suffered at least 40 percent disability through service during specified wartime or emergency periods.

See every New York benefit by rating

Get ready for your appointment

  • Your DD-214 or other discharge papers
  • Any VA decision letters you have received
  • Medical records you want to discuss

Full appointment checklist

Starting a new claim? Ask about an intent to file

Ask the office about VA Form 21-0966 to preserve a potential benefits start date while gathering evidence. Check your intent to file deadline.

Search or filter New York listings

Nearby counties

Sources and method

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.

VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents near Albany County

Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.

Zachary Cole

Claims agent · Albany · NY · In your county

VA-accredited since 2024 · checked

VA accreditation number 56045

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Your request goes straight to Zachary Cole's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: New York

Patrick Sorsby

Attorney · Albany · NY · In your county

VA-accredited since 2020 · checked

VA accreditation number 49304

5.0 · 2 reviews

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Your state: New York

Mitchell Kessler

Attorney · Cohoes · NY · In your county

VA-accredited since 2016 · checked

VA accreditation number 39946

3.0 · 2 reviews

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Your state: New York

Ashley Emery

Attorney · Albany · NY · In your county

VA-accredited since 2014 · checked

VA accreditation number 29771

5.0 · 1 reviews · Firm rating

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Your request goes straight to Ashley Emery's email on file with VA. It's free, and they reply to you directly.

Your state: New York

VA-accredited attorneys in New York

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