Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Mellette County, South Dakota.
South Dakota County Veterans Service Officers
State roster contact: VACANT. Call before travel to confirm the meeting place and schedule.
Area served: Mellette County.
8:00a - 12:00p 1st & 3rd Tuesday
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 119, give or take 51 civilian veterans in Mellette County.
Among South Dakota's 66 counties and equivalents, Mellette County ranks 50th by its estimated number of veterans.
| Measure | Mellette County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 22 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 19 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
Veterans 75 and older account for 34 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mellette County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Veterans under 35 account for 6 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mellette County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
Women veterans account for 26 percent; a small survey sample; treat as rough in Mellette County; the survey figures do not support a state comparison.
| Measure | Mellette County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $30,694 ± $18,580; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $27,205 ± $3,730 | $41,465 ± $418 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 16.0% ± 12.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 47.1% ± 21.1 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 87.7% ± 24.4 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% ± 34.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 93.3% ± 7.9 points | 96.2% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 18.5% ± 11.9 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
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 21 veterans in Mellette County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | Not published |
| 30 to 40 percent | Not published |
| 50 to 60 percent | Not published |
| 70 to 90 percent | Not published |
| 100 percent | Not published |
FY2019: 23 recipients. Change to FY2025: -2.
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 0 VA-backed home loans out of 1 home loans made in Mellette County (0.0% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
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 40, give or take 31; a small survey sample; treat as rough) and post-9/11 and Gulf War (1990s) (about 24, give or take 25; a small survey sample; treat as rough).
VA reported about $526,000 in compensation and pension spending and about $875,000 in medical care spending in Mellette County for FY2025.
Hot Springs VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
500 North Fifth Street, Hot Springs, SD 57747-1480
New-patient wait for mental health: 14 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 54 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 137 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rapid City VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2165 Promise Road, Rapid City, SD 57701-8981
New-patient wait for mental health: 29 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 38 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 128 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rapid City Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
21 East Omaha Street, Rapid City, SD 57701
about 127 miles in a straight line from the county center.
2501 W 22nd Street, Building 38, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
about 200 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Mellette County is Fort Meade VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Fort Meade, SD, about 147 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Mellette County is Rapid City Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Rapid City, SD, about 127 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Sioux Falls RO (station 438); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Black Hills National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
20901 Pleasant Valley Drive Sturgis, SD 57785
605-347-3830
About 145.8 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Sicangu Akicita Owicahe Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
27404 U.S. Hwy 83 White River, SD 57579
606-747-2593
About 10.4 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 Mellette 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 Hot Springs VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 605-745-2000. 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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