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Veterans in Los Angeles County

Veterans, Military

"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%


Also see: Los Angeles County Women Veteran Demographics

Female, Woman, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Los Angeles


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