Find veterans benefits contacts for Erie County, Pennsylvania.
If you live in Erie County, free claims help may be available through the Erie County Director of Veterans Affairs or the VFW service officer contact - Erie; call first to confirm the type of help, appointment and meeting location. An accredited VSO representative can help with claims at no cost, but confirm availability before traveling. The Pennsylvania DMVA veterans affairs contact can direct you to the current county director or other accredited assistance. The Erie VA Medical Center is 2 miles away, and the Erie Vet Center is 1 mile away; these are straight-line distances from the county center, not driving distances. The largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, with about 4,920, give or take 455 veterans. Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served. See the linked state page for full benefit terms.
Pennsylvania county directors of veterans affairs
County director assists with county, state and federal veterans benefits applications.
Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
Veterans of Foreign Wars
VFW lists this contact in its Find a Service Officer results for free VA claims assistance.
VFW Erie Dept Service Division, 3112 Buffalo Rd, Ste A, Erie, PA 16510Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Pennsylvania directory.
Erie County Director of Veterans Affairs, VFW service officer contact - Erie appear in this guide. Call the provider to confirm the type of claims help, current appointment 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 14,700, give or take 799 civilian veterans in Erie County.
By ACS estimates, Erie County has the 16th largest veteran population among Pennsylvania's 67 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Erie County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 27 percent above the Pennsylvania share; below the national share. | 21 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 12 percent above the Pennsylvania share; below the national share. | 8 percent | 13 percent |
Erie County has about 4,110, give or take 330 veterans 75 and older, making up 28 percent of its veterans compared with 32 percent in Pennsylvania.
Veterans under 35 in Erie County number about 1,380, give or take 354; their 9 percent share is above Pennsylvania's 6 percent.
Erie County has about 1,080, give or take 213 women veterans, making up 7 percent of its veterans compared with 8 percent in Pennsylvania.
| Measure | Erie County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $46,982 ± $2,180 | $49,710 ± $463 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $34,658 ± $797 | $41,158 ± $165 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.9% ± 1.4 points | 7.0% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 31.0% ± 2.7 points | 30.7% ± 0.4 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 72.1% ± 2.7 points | 74.0% ± 0.8 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.3% ± 2.0 points | 4.0% ± 0.3 points | 4.1% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 96.4% ± 0.9 points | 94.8% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 22.6% ± 2.3 points | 25.5% ± 0.4 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 12,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 16,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 5,311 veterans in Erie County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,403 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 601 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 620 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,475 |
| 100 percent | 1,212 |
FY2019: 3,931 recipients. Change to FY2025: +1,380.
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 288 VA-backed home loans out of 4,891 home loans made in Erie County (5.9% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $246,000.
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 4,920, give or take 455) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 2,500, give or take 321).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $134.7 million in compensation and pension spending and about $157.5 million in medical care spending in Erie County for FY2025.
Erie VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
135 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16504-1559
New-patient wait for mental health: 27 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 25 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 2 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Crawford County VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
11200 Perry Highway, Meadville, PA 16335-6558
New-patient wait for primary care: 31 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 35 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Erie Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
240 West 11th Street, Suite 105, Erie, PA 16501
about 1 mile in a straight line from the county center.
Buffalo VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
130 South Elmwood Ave, Suite 601, Buffalo, NY 14202
about 82 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Erie County is Butler VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Butler, PA, about 86 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Erie County is Erie Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Erie, PA, about 1 mile in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Philadelphia RO (station 310) and Pittsburgh RO (station 311); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Western New York National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
1254 Indian Falls Road Corfu, NY 14036
585-297-1300
About 106.5 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
560 E Third St Erie, PA 16512
814-871-4531
About 1.8 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.
VA-recognized State Veterans Homes listed in VA's FY2025 per diem list, September 2024. VA State Home list (opens in a new tab).
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, Erie City & County CoC counted 37 veterans experiencing homelessness (33 sheltered, 4 unsheltered).
PA-605 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 25 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 Erie VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 814-868-8661. 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 Erie 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)
Pennsylvania fully exempts qualifying principal residences for veterans with total or 100 percent permanent service-connected disability who meet wartime service and financial need rules.
Pennsylvania offers eligible children of qualifying disabled wartime veterans up to $500 per term for eight semesters.
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. The summary paragraph was drafted by AI from the facts on this page and checked automatically against them. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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