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Veterans in Los Angeles County
"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 252,329 civilian U.S. military veterans living in Los Angeles County in 2020. They comprised about 3.2 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 (just barely second to Maricopa County, Arizona).
2020 Census Estimates*
Veterans – By Period of Service
| Period of Service |
Veterans |
Percent |
| All Periods |
252,329 |
100.0% |
| Gulf War (Sep 2001 or later) |
50,046 |
19.8% |
| Gulf War (Aug 1990 to Aug 2001) |
40,748 |
16.1% |
| Vietnam Era (Aug 1964 to Apr 1975) |
81,510 |
32.3% |
| Period of Service |
Veterans |
Percent |
| Korean War (Jul 1950 to Jan 1955) |
24,086 |
9.5% |
| World War II (Dec 1941 to Dec 1946) |
10,279 |
4.1% |
| All Other Periods (Peacetime Periods) |
44,338 |
18.2% |
Veterans – By Sex
| Sex |
Veterans |
Percent of Veterans |
Percent of Overall Gender Group |
| Male |
233,615 |
92.6% |
6.1% |
| Female |
18,714 |
7.4% |
0.5% |
Veterans – By Age
| Age Group |
Veterans |
Percent of All Veterans |
Percent of Overall Age Group |
| 18 to 34 Years |
25,246 |
10.0% |
1.0% |
| 35 to 54 Years |
55,493 |
22.0% |
2.0% |
| 55 to 64 Years |
40,571 |
16.1% |
3.4% |
| 65 to 74 Years |
59,495 |
23.6% |
7.6% |
| 75 Years & Over |
71,524 |
28.3% |
12.1% |
Veterans – By Race
| Race |
Veterans |
Percent of All Veterans |
Percent of Overall Racial Group |
| American Indian & Alaska Native Alone |
2,245 |
0.9% |
3.7% |
| Asian Alone |
22,031 |
8.7% |
1.8% |
| Black or African American Alone |
42,670 |
16.9% |
6.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone |
934 |
0.4% |
4.6% |
| Race |
Veterans |
Percent of All Veterans |
Percent of Overall Racial Group |
| White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino |
118,708 |
47.0% |
0.1% |
| Some Other Race Alone |
18,515 |
7.3% |
1.2% |
| Two or More Races |
13,406 |
5.3% |
2.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino of Any Race |
61,260 |
24.3% |
1.7% |
Veterans – In Poverty
| Number of Veterans Below Poverty Line |
Percent of All Veterans |
Percent of All Persons Below Poverty Line, Age 18+ |
| 24,686 |
9.9% |
2.5% |
Veterans – With a Disability
| Number of Veterans with a Disablity |
Percent of All Veterans |
Percent of All Persons with a Disability, Age 18+ |
| 75,263 |
30.2% |
8.0% |
* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over the preceeding 5 years. These estimates are issued annually between full Dicennial Census counts conducted each decade.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
