2008-2010 U.S. Veteran Facts and Statistics

Author: U.S. Census Bureau
Published: 2009/10/13 - Updated: 2024/05/02
Publication Type: Data & Statistical Analysis
Topic: Disability Statistics - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: U.S. Census Bureau facts and statistics relating to United States Veterans for years 2008 to 2010. Number of veterans who received compensation for service-connected disabilities as of 2008 - 2.9 million. Their compensation totaled $36.2 billion.

Introduction

Total Veterans

The number of military veterans in the United States in 2008 - 23.2 million
Source: Table 508, Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010

Main Item

Female Veterans

The number of female veterans in 2008 - 1.8 million.
Source: Table 508, Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010.

Race and Hispanic Origin

The number of black veterans in 2008 - 2.3 million. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans were Hispanic; 276,000 were Asian; 160,000 were American Indian or Alaska Native; 27,000 were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and 18.3 million were non-Hispanic white. (The numbers for blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, and non-Hispanic whites cover only those reporting a single race.)
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

When They Served

The number of veterans 65 and older in 2008 - 9.2 million. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.9 million were younger than 35.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, unpublished data.

Number of Vietnam-era veterans in 2008 - 7.8 million. Thirty-three percent of all living veterans served during this time (1964-1975). In addition, 5.2 million served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present); 2.6 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.8 million in the Korean War (1950-1953); and 6 million in peacetime.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, unpublished data.

Number of living veterans in 2008 who served during the Vietnam Era and both Gulf War eras - 50,000.

Other living veterans in 2008 who served during three wars - 92,000 served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Era.

Living Veterans in 2008 Who Served During Two Wars

Source: 2008 American Community Survey

Where They Live

5 states with 1 million or more veterans in 2008. These states were;

Source: Table 508, Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010.

Education

Percent of veterans 25 and older with at least a bachelor's degree in 2008 - 26%.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

Percent of veterans 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher in 2008 - 91%.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

Income

Annual median income of veterans, in 2008 inflation-adjusted dollars - $36,779.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

On the Job

Number of veterans 18 to 64 in the labor force in 2008 - 10.4 million.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

Disabilities

Number of veterans with any type of disability in 2008 - 5.5 million.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

Service-Connected Disability Ratings

Number of veterans with a service-connected disability rating - 3.4 million. Of this number, 588,000 have a rating of 70 percent or higher.
Source: 2008 American Community Survey.

Voting

Number of veterans who voted in the 2008 presidential election - 15.8 million. Seventy-one percent of veterans cast a ballot, compared with 63 percent of nonveterans.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008.

Business Owners

Percentage of owners of firms responding to the 2002 Survey of Business Owners who were veterans - 14.5%. Veteran business owners comprised an estimated 3 million of the 20.5 million owners represented by survey respondents.
Source: Characteristics of Veteran-Owned Businesses: 2002.

Percentage of veteran owners of respondent firms who were 55 and older - 68%. This compares with 31 percent of all owners of respondent firms. Similarly, in 2002, 55 percent of veteran-owned respondent firms with employees reported that their businesses were originally established, purchased or acquired before 1990, compared with 36 percent of all employer respondent firms.
Source: Characteristics of Veteran-Owned Businesses: 2002 and Characteristics of Veteran Business Owners: 2002.

Percentage of veteran business owners of respondent firms who were disabled as the result of injury incurred or aggravated during active military service - 7%.
Source: Characteristics of Veteran-Owned Businesses: 2002 and Characteristics of Veteran Business Owners: 2002.

Benefits

Number of veterans who received compensation for service-connected disabilities as of 2008 - 2.9 million. Their compensation totaled $36.2 billion.
Source: Tables 511 and 512, Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010.

Total amount of federal government spending for veterans benefits programs in fiscal year 2008 - $84.4 billion. Of this total, $40.2 billion went to compensation and pensions, $37.9 billion for medical programs and the remainder to other programs, such as vocational rehabilitation and education.
Source: Table 511, Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010.

The preceding data was collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.

Veteran Statistics From Other Years

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Census Bureau and published on 2009/10/13, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, U.S. Census Bureau can be contacted at census.gov NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page: U.S. Census Bureau. (2009, October 13 - Last revised: 2024, May 2). 2008-2010 U.S. Veteran Facts and Statistics. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved April 25, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/veteran-statistics.php

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