Find veterans benefits contacts for Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
If you live in Luzerne County, free claims help may be available through the Luzerne County Director of Veterans Affairs and the VFW service officer contact in Wilkes-Barre. These are referral contacts, so call to confirm the type of claims help, appointment availability and meeting location. An accredited VSO representative can help with claims at no cost; Pennsylvania DMVA can help you ask for the current county director or other accredited assistance. The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is 9 miles from the county center, and the Scranton Vet Center is 22 miles away; these are straight-line distances, not driving distances. The largest service-era group is Vietnam era only, about 5,750, give or take 468. If you served in that era, Agent Orange exposure questions depend on where and when you served.
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.
1111 East End Blvd, AG-11, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Pennsylvania directory.
Luzerne County Director of Veterans Affairs, VFW service officer contact - Wilkes-Barre 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 17,100, give or take 835 civilian veterans in Luzerne County.
By ACS estimates, Luzerne County has the 12th largest veteran population among Pennsylvania's 67 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 25 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 |
Veterans 75 and older in Luzerne County number about 5,810, give or take 437; their 34 percent share is above Pennsylvania's 32 percent.
Veterans under 35 in Luzerne County number about 1,140, give or take 287; their 7 percent share is above Pennsylvania's 6 percent.
Luzerne County has about 1,160, give or take 232 women veterans, making up 7 percent of its veterans compared with 8 percent in Pennsylvania.
| Measure | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $47,651 ± $2,651 | $49,710 ± $463 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $35,888 ± $558 | $41,158 ± $165 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 8.7% ± 1.6 points | 7.0% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 33.0% ± 2.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.4 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 72.8% ± 4.5 points | 74.0% ± 0.8 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 3.9% ± 2.4 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 93.4% ± 1.7 points | 94.8% ± 0.2 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 18.8% ± 2.0 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 13,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 17,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 5,090 veterans in Luzerne County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,130 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 531 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 635 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,502 |
| 100 percent | 1,292 |
FY2019: 4,701 recipients. Change to FY2025: +389.
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 259 VA-backed home loans out of 6,634 home loans made in Luzerne County (3.9% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $279,000.
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 5,750, give or take 468) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 2,780, give or take 359).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $137.3 million in compensation and pension spending and about $175.0 million in medical care spending in Luzerne County for FY2025.
Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
1111 East End Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0030
New-patient wait for mental health: 25 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 15 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 9 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Schuylkill County VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
1410 Laurel Boulevard, Suite 2, Pottsville, PA 17901-1427
New-patient wait for mental health: 19 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 21 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 36 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Scranton Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1002 Pittston Avenue, Scranton, PA 18505
about 22 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Philadelphia VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
5000 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144
about 90 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Luzerne County is Lebanon VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Lebanon, PA, about 64 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Luzerne County is Scranton Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Scranton, PA, about 22 miles 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.
Indiantown Gap National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
60 Indiantown Gap Road Annville, PA 17003
717-865-5254
About 60.8 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 221.8 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.
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, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton/Luzerne County CoC counted 8 veterans experiencing homelessness (6 sheltered, 2 unsheltered).
PA-503 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 14 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 Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 570-824-3521. 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)
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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