Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Lincoln in North Carolina.
North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Veterans benefits and claims assistance. Contact the provider to confirm how to get help.
Area served: Alexander County, Ashe County, Catawba County, Iredell County, Lincoln County, Watauga County, Wilkes County.
1985 Tate Blvd SE, Suite 113, Hickory, NC 28602Hours are not confirmed. Call before visiting.
The state map assigns Lincoln County to the Hickory center. Call to confirm the current appointment options.
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 4,740, give or take 567 civilian veterans in Lincoln County.
By ACS estimates, Lincoln County has the 35th largest veteran population among North Carolina's 100 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Lincoln County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 27 percent below the North Carolina share; below the national share. | 34 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 12 percent below the North Carolina share; below the national share. | 18 percent | 13 percent |
Veterans 75 and older in Lincoln County number about 1,410, give or take 208; their 30 percent share is above North Carolina's 23 percent.
Lincoln County has about 310, give or take 134 veterans under 35, making up 7 percent of its veterans compared with 10 percent in North Carolina.
Lincoln County has about 431, give or take 169 women veterans, making up 9 percent of its veterans compared with 12 percent in North Carolina.
| Measure | Lincoln County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $49,347 ± $9,330 | $52,418 ± $511 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $38,718 ± $1,908 | $38,302 ± $191 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.7% ± 2.7 points | 7.3% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 28.7% ± 4.2 points | 30.1% ± 0.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 74.6% ± 9.6 points | 71.6% ± 0.7 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 2.3% ± 2.7 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 92.8% ± 3.1 points | 95.8% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 26.7% ± 9.5 points | 32.2% ± 0.6 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 more veterans here by 2035; both years round to about 5,000. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 1,842 veterans in Lincoln County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 338 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 177 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 252 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 547 |
| 100 percent | 528 |
FY2019: 1,052 recipients. Change to FY2025: +790.
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 217 VA-backed home loans out of 2,926 home loans made in Lincoln County (7.4% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $422,000.
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 1,620, give or take 266) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 800, give or take 199).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $53.3 million in compensation and pension spending and about $37.2 million in medical care spending in Lincoln County for FY2025.
W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144-2515
New-patient wait for mental health: 51 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 36 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 43 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Hickory VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2440 Century Place Southeast, Hickory, NC 28602-4031
New-patient wait for mental health: 17 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 22 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 17 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Charlotte Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
2114 Ben Craig Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28262
about 28 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Winston-Salem VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
251 N. Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27155
about 69 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Lincoln County is Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Asheville, NC, about 71 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Lincoln County is Rutherford Vet Center Outstation (opens in a new tab) in Rutherfordton, NC, about 41 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Winston-Salem RO (station 318); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Salisbury National Cemetery Annex (opens in a new tab)
501 Statesville Boulevard Salisbury, NC 28144
704-636-2661
About 44 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
962 Old US 70 Hwy Black Mountain, NC 28711
828-669-0684
About 64 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 Lincoln 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, Gastonia/Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln Counties CoC counted 13 veterans experiencing homelessness (3 sheltered, 10 unsheltered).
NC-509 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 W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 704-638-9000. 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)
Qualifying North Carolina veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total service-connected disability receive a $45,000 homestead assessed value exemption.
North Carolina offers Class I-B scholarships to eligible children of veterans receiving compensation for a 100 percent wartime service-connected disability.
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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