Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Nelson County, North Dakota.
North Dakota County Veterans Service Officers
County veterans service office; call to confirm representative and visit arrangements.
Area served: Nelson County.
Courthouse 210 B Avenue West Suite 202 Lakota, ND 58344Lakota: Tuesday, 1:00pm - 4:30pm Call (701) 247-2531 for an appt
For statewide phone and remote help, see the North Dakota directory.
North Dakota maintains county VSO pages. The office shown may also serve nearby counties; contact it to confirm the current officer, schedule 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 210, give or take 49 civilian veterans in Nelson County.
Among North Dakota's 53 counties and equivalents, Nelson County ranks 30th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Nelson County | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 29 percent below the North Dakota share; below the national share. | 31 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 2 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older in Nelson County number about 63, give or take 19; their 30 percent share is above North Dakota's 26 percent.
Veterans under 35 account for 7 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Nelson County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 3 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Nelson County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Nelson County | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $53,958 ± $13,555 | $54,736 ± $1,839 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $40,693 ± $3,619 | $44,046 ± $582 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.8% ± 6.8 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 40.1% ± 10.8 points | 28.6% ± 1.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 75.4% ± 31.5 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 0.0% ± 40.3 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 90.5% ± 7.8 points | 94.3% ± 0.7 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 20.0% ± 7.8 points | 25.8% ± 1.6 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 fewer veterans here in 2035. VetPop2023 projections for small counties show direction only. Projection source and method.
VA reports 94 veterans in Nelson County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 24 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 17 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 12 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 28 |
| 100 percent | 13 |
FY2019: 74 recipients. Change to FY2025: +20.
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 3 VA-backed home loans out of 35 home loans made in Nelson County (8.6% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $212,000.
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 85, give or take 24) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 38, give or take 23; a small survey sample; treat as rough).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $2.1 million in compensation and pension spending and about $2.1 million in medical care spending in Nelson County for FY2025.
Fargo VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
2101 Elm Street North, Fargo, ND 58102-2417
New-patient wait for mental health: 16 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 26 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 97 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Grand Forks VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1407 24th Avenue South, 100, Grand Forks, ND 58201-6761
New-patient wait for mental health: 40 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 9 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 54 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Grand Forks Vet Center Outstation (opens in a new tab)
1407 24th Ave S, Grand Forks, ND 58201
about 54 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Fargo VA Regional Benefit Office at North Fargo VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2101 Elm Street N, Building 40, Fargo, ND 58102
about 98 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside North Dakota, in St. Cloud, MN, St. Cloud VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is Nelson County's second-nearest medical center, about 249 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Nelson County is Fargo Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Fargo, ND, about 98 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Fargo RO (station 437); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Fargo National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
8709 40th Avenue N, County Road 20 Harwood, ND 58042
701-451-4650
About 90.2 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
North Dakota Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1825 46th St Mandan, ND 58554
701-667-1418
About 147.8 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 Nelson 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, North Dakota Statewide CoC counted 44 veterans experiencing homelessness (36 sheltered, 8 unsheltered).
ND-500 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 49 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 Fargo VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 701-239-3700. 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)
North Dakota veterans rated 100 percent can receive a maximum $9,000 reduction of taxable homestead value.
Eligible dependents of North Dakota veterans rated 100 percent or individually unemployable receive tuition and fee waivers through a bachelor degree.
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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