Veterans Disability Compensation in North Carolina

Public VA data, reported as published. Figures below come from VA's "Disability Compensation Recipients by County" files (data.va.gov), fiscal years 2019 and 2025. VA did not publish county files for 2021 or 2022. Counts under 10 are suppressed by VA and shown as "under 10".

In fiscal year 2025, 286,763 veterans in North Carolina received VA disability compensation, a +37.7% change from 208,221 in 2019. 35.2% of them are rated 100% (up from 20.4% in 2019), and 42,807 are women (26,094 in 2019).

286,763
Recipients (FY2025)
+37.7%
Change since 2019
35.2%
Rated 100% (FY2025)

Rating levels in North Carolina, 2019 vs 2025

Share of North Carolina compensation recipients at each combined-rating level. Nationwide, the share rated 100% roughly doubled over this period; see the shift toward higher ratings for the full story.

0% to 20%
14.4% (was 21.3% in 2019)
30% to 40%
9% (was 14.3% in 2019)
50% to 60%
10.7% (was 14.4% in 2019)
70% to 90%
30.8% (was 29.6% in 2019)
100%
35.2% (was 20.4% in 2019)

Shares are computed over recipients whose rating band VA reported (small counts are suppressed). What each level pays: benefits by rating.

Who they are

Of North Carolina's FY2025 recipients with a reported age, 30% are 17 to 44, 34% are 45 to 64, and 36% are 65 or older. 42,807 are women and 243,567 are men.

North Carolina has 765 VA-accredited VSO representatives recorded in the free directory, about 26.68 per 10,000 compensation recipients. See VSO representatives in North Carolina.

Recipients by county

Every North Carolina county VA reported for FY2025, with the FY2019 comparison where the same county existed. "Rated 100%" is that county's share of recipients at the 100% level. "VSO reps" is the count of VA-accredited VSO representatives whose listed ZIP code falls in that county, an approximate, ZIP-based measure; many representatives serve neighboring counties too.

CountyFY2019FY2025ChangeRated 100%VSO reps
Cumberland26,35132,059+21.7%47.9%7
Onslow16,97322,086+30.1%44.7%22
Wake13,37419,154+43.2%32%28
Mecklenburg12,95316,696+28.9%34%53
Guilford7,1569,354+30.7%30.4%12
Harnett5,2149,068+73.9%48.5%23
Craven5,3737,162+33.3%34.2%9
Forsyth5,2947,014+32.5%29.5%18
Johnston3,3726,800+101.7%33.2%15
Moore3,2416,168+90.3%49.4%26
New Hanover4,5846,001+30.9%31%23
Brunswick4,2705,928+38.8%29.9%24
Wayne4,6805,808+24.1%33.6%6
Hoke2,9615,747+94.1%57.1%3
Buncombe4,0455,088+25.8%23.7%8
Durham4,0934,979+21.6%29.7%11
Cabarrus3,1074,731+52.3%33.1%11
Gaston3,3374,496+34.7%31.3%13
Pitt3,2394,357+34.5%31.1%20
Iredell2,4183,955+63.6%29.2%5
Union2,4063,817+58.6%30.2%11
Carteret2,8823,737+29.7%34.7%15
Rowan2,5073,570+42.4%28%23
Davidson2,1173,380+59.7%29.7%2
Catawba2,4153,330+37.9%29%8
Alamance2,1743,179+46.2%28.5%9
Robeson2,3633,059+29.5%34.6%9
Pender1,6742,946+76%40.6%13
Randolph1,8482,719+47.1%28.9%16
Nash1,6462,642+60.5%32.2%6
Henderson1,7972,488+38.5%22.6%6
Lee1,4762,228+50.9%37.6%4
Cleveland1,4822,026+36.7%29.7%6
Pasquotank1,3491,991+47.6%28%6
Currituck9711,903+96%36.4%1
Burke1,4711,874+27.4%26.6%8
Haywood1,4211,861+31%24.2%10
Lincoln1,0521,842+75.1%28.7%4
Franklin9701,821+87.7%31.5%9
Wilson1,5501,812+16.9%33.4%3
Rockingham1,2771,811+41.8%26.6%2
Caldwell1,2021,727+43.7%25.9%8
Lenoir1,3361,716+28.4%32.9%9
Rutherford1,1031,566+42%29%6
Sampson1,1881,551+30.6%35.5%3
Orange1,3131,491+13.6%25.3%4
Duplin1,0421,378+32.2%34.5%9
Columbus1,0771,365+26.7%32.1%4
Chatham8161,314+61%31.3%3
Beaufort9851,306+32.6%27.9%2
Granville8741,300+48.7%28.3%8
Surry9821,290+31.4%26.1%14
Wilkes9991,200+20.1%27.1%0
Stanly7931,175+48.2%28.9%2
Macon8831,170+32.5%21.5%4
Edgecombe8911,144+28.4%29.6%2
Richmond1,0381,143+10.1%32.9%3
McDowell8651,119+29.4%26.6%2
Cherokee7631,011+32.5%26.8%10
Stokes628999+59.1%29.3%2
Halifax997993-0.4%30.1%2
Scotland684981+43.4%33.6%2
Davie550976+77.5%27.6%6
Bladen634923+45.6%36.1%7
Person561831+48.1%25.2%2
Jackson721830+15.1%18.8%6
Vance638808+26.6%26.9%7
Dare736774+5.2%21.8%2
Camden415757+82.4%34.3%0
Yadkin515733+42.3%26.6%3
Alexander539706+31%25.9%0
Watauga753684-9.2%31.1%5
Transylvania557625+12.2%20.6%4
Ashe461560+21.5%29.8%3
Pamlico363559+54%27.5%3
Perquimans382556+45.5%27.5%2
Montgomery411552+34.3%29.5%2
Martin418528+26.3%28.4%3
Jones343491+43.1%38.9%5
Warren337478+41.8%29.1%1
Hertford397477+20.2%23.7%2
Caswell350475+35.7%34.5%0
Polk332468+41%22.9%0
Madison333433+30%26.6%2
Clay288420+45.8%25.2%3
Yancey367407+10.9%22.9%3
Anson351401+14.2%31.9%6
Chowan281397+41.3%25.2%2
Northampton354388+9.6%27.1%2
Gates268361+34.7%30.5%0
Greene314347+10.5%32.6%4
Mitchell263342+30%24.6%2
Swain297326+9.8%23%0
Bertie279319+14.3%28.5%3
Avery346303-12.4%29.7%3
Washington237277+16.9%26.7%0
Alleghany214260+21.5%24.2%0
Graham143181+26.6%23.8%0
Hyde69103+49.3%18.4%0
Tyrrell6281+30.6%19.8%0