Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for McCook County, South Dakota.
South Dakota County Veterans Service Officers
State roster contact: Brian Havard. Call before travel to confirm the meeting place and schedule.
Area served: McCook County.
Wednesday noon-5 p.m.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the South Dakota directory.
South Dakota lists county veterans service officers and visiting schedules. Call before travel because shared officers and appointment times may change.
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 330, give or take 65 civilian veterans in McCook County.
By ACS estimates, McCook County has the 28th largest veteran population among South Dakota's 66 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | McCook County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 29 percent below the South Dakota share; below the national share. | 35 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 18 percent above the South Dakota share; above the national share. | 12 percent | 13 percent |
McCook County has about 72, give or take 27 veterans 75 and older, making up 22 percent of its veterans compared with 24 percent in South Dakota.
Veterans under 35 account for 6 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in McCook County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans in McCook County number about 45, give or take 21; their 14 percent share is above South Dakota's 10 percent.
| Measure | McCook County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $47,266 ± $4,274 | $52,917 ± $1,660 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $46,441 ± $3,178 | $41,465 ± $418 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 3.8% ± 6.0 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 27.0% ± 10.1 points | 29.0% ± 1.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 79.1% ± 16.6 points | 78.8% ± 1.8 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 6.2% ± 12.1 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 95.4% ± 4.8 points | 96.2% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 24.4% ± 7.4 points | 29.4% ± 1.7 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 131 veterans in McCook County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 42 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 16 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 12 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 38 |
| 100 percent | 23 |
FY2019: 92 recipients. Change to FY2025: +39.
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 17 VA-backed home loans out of 126 home loans made in McCook County (13.5% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $399,000.
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 78, give or take 31) and Gulf War (1990s) only (about 66, give or take 32).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $3.0 million in compensation and pension spending and about $2.9 million in medical care spending in McCook County for FY2025.
Royal C. Johnson Veterans' Memorial Hospital (opens in a new tab)
2501 West 22nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57105-5046
New-patient wait for mental health: 16 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 31 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 32 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Watertown VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
4 19th Street Northeast, Watertown, SD 57201-3936
New-patient wait for mental health: 0 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 5 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 85 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Sioux Falls Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
5020 S. Broadband Lane, Suite 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57108
about 31 miles in a straight line from the county center.
2501 W 22nd Street, Building 38, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
about 32 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
Outside South Dakota, in Omaha, NE, Omaha VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) is McCook County's second-nearest medical center, about 182 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Outside South Dakota, in Sioux City, IA, Sioux City Vet Center (opens in a new tab) is McCook County's second-nearest Vet Center, about 99 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Sioux Falls RO (station 438); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Omaha National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
14250 Schram Road Omaha, NE 68138
402-253-3949
About 186.7 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
South Dakota Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
25965 477th Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605-277-8094
About 34.5 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 McCook 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, South Dakota Statewide CoC counted 42 veterans experiencing homelessness (28 sheltered, 14 unsheltered).
SD-500 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 66 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 Royal C. Johnson Veterans' Memorial Hospital (opens in a new tab), 605-336-3230. 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)
South Dakota exempts $200,000 of qualifying owner-occupied dwelling value for veterans with permanent and total service-connected disability.
South Dakota provides free state university tuition to qualifying children under 25 of Guard members permanently and totally disabled through qualifying duty.
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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