"Wall of Heroes" honor local veterans in a retail store in Pico Rivera. Los Angeles Almanac photo.
According to U.S. Census estimates, there were 220,722 civilian U.S. military veterans living in Los Angeles County in 2023. They comprised about 3 percent of the county’s civilian population, age 18 years or older. Although the veteran population in Los Angeles County is only 1.4 percent of the nation's civilian veteran population, it is the second largest veteran population in any U.S. county (second only to Maricopa County, Arizona). Los Angeles County is also home to the largest number of Hispanic/Latino veterans in the nation, as well as largest number of surviving World War II and Korean War veterans.
| Period of Service | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| All Periods | 220,722 | 100.0% | 252,329 | 100.0% | 368,128 | 100.0% |
| Gulf War (Sep 2001 or later) | 51,879 | 23.5% | 50,046 | 19.8% | 26,505 | 7.2% |
| Gulf War (Aug 1990 to Aug 2001) | 39,797 | 18.0% | 40,748 | 16.1% | 41,967 | 11.4% |
| Vietnam Era (Aug 1964 to Apr 1975) | 69,813 | 31.6% | 81,510 | 32.3% | 115,224 | 31.3% |
| Period of Service | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| Korean War (Jul 1950 to Jan 1955) | 15,005 | 6.8% | 24,086 | 9.5% | 49,329 | 13.4% |
| World War II (Dec 1941 to Dec 1946) | 4,367 | 2.0% | 10,279 | 4.1% | 53,747 | 14.6% |
| All Other Periods (Peacetime Periods) | 0 | 18.1% | 44,338 | 18.2% | 81,356 | 22.1% |
| Sex | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| Male | 201,953 | 91.5% | 233,615 | 92.6% | 347,513 | 94.4% |
| Female | 18,769 | 8.5% | 18,714 | 7.4% | 20,615 | 5.6% |
Also see: Los Angeles County Women Veteran Demographics
| Age Group | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| 18 to 34 Years | 22,289 | 10.1% | 25,246 | 10.0% | 32,395 | 8.8% |
| 35 to 54 Years | 50,880 | 23.1% | 55,493 | 22.0% | 82,093 | 22.3% |
| 55 to 64 Years | 36,366 | 16.5% | 40,571 | 16.1% | 87,614 | 23.8% |
| 65 to 74 Years | 46,452 | 21.0% | 59,495 | 23.6% | 71,785 | 19.5% |
| 75 Years & Over | 64,735 | 29.3% | 71,524 | 28.3% | 94,241 | 25.6% |
Except for "Two or More Races" or "Hispanic or Latino," race categories are persons who identify with only one race.
| Race | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| American Indian & Alaska Native Alone | 3,044 | 1.4% | 2,245 | 0.9% | 2,945 | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 20,805 | 9.4% | 22,031 | 8.7% | 24,296 | 6.6% |
| Black or African American Alone | 36,237 | 16.4% | 42,670 | 16.9% | 56,692 | 15.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone | 1,178 | 0.5% | 934 | 0.4% | 1,473 | 0.4% |
| Race | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
| Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | Veterans | Percent | |
| White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino | 95,307 | 43.2% | 118,708 | 47.0% | 208,729 | 56.7% |
| Some Other Race Alone | 22,716 | 10.3% | 18,515 | 7.3% | 25,401 | 6.9% |
| Two or More Races | 26,174 | 11.9% | 13,406 | 5.3% | 9,203 | 2.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino of Any Race | 58,826 | 26.7% | 61,260 | 24.3% | 69,944 | 19.0% |
Veterans for whom poverty status was determined
| Veteran Poverty | 2023 | 2020 | 2010† | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Veterans Below Poverty Line | 22,002 | 10.0% | 24,686 | 9.9% | --- | --- |
* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over a 5-year period. These estimates are issued annually between full Decennial Census counts conducted each decade.
† Also American Community Survey estimates, however, 2010 estimates were reported as percentages rather than specific numbers. Numbers for 2010 here were calculated using total number of veterans against these percentages.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
