CB02-FF.18
October 28, 2002
Veterans Day 2002: Nov. 11
Note: The data in this fact sheet come from Census 2000, unless otherwise indicated.
26.4 million
Number of veterans in the United States; this is a ratio of about 1-in-8
U.S. civilians 18 and over, or 13 percent. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
6
Percentage of civilian veterans who were women. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
37
Percentage of veterans who were age 65 or over. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
2.6 million
Number of African American veterans. About 22.6 million were White; 1.1 million
were Hispanic; 284,000 were Asian; and 196,000, American Indian or Alaska
Native. (The numbers for African Americans, Whites, Asians and American Indians
or Alaska Natives refer to those reporting a single race only.) <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
Also, among the nation's veterans:
- Nearly 6 million, or a ratio of more than 1-in-5, served in World War II.
- About 4 million, or nearly 1-in-6, served in the Korean War.
- More than 8 million, or almost 1-in-3, served during the Vietnam era.
- About 3 million, or about 1-in-9, served since August 1990, which includes
Persian Gulf War veterans. (Data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
indicates that, as of 1999, there were 2.2 million Gulf War veterans.) <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/01statab/defense.pdf>
Where Do They Live?
7
Number of states with 1 million or more veterans. These states include
California (2.6 million), Florida (1.9 million), Texas (1.8 million), New York
(1.4 million), Pennsylvania (1.3 million), Ohio (1.1 million) and Illinois (1.0
million).<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
17
Percentage of Alaska civilians 18 and over who were veterans, the highest
rate in the country. Other states where 15 percent or more of the adult, civilian
population were veterans included Arizona, Florida, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New
Hampshire, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
Not surprisingly, large concentrations of veterans resided among the population living in or near military installations. Examples follow:
- More than 7-in-10 adult civilians who lived at Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Wyo., and Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, were veterans (76 percent and 75 percent, respectively).
- A ratio of more than 3-in-10 adult civilian residents of West Point, N.Y.; Fort Meade, Md.; and Fort Lewis, Wash., were vets, as were 3-in-10 adult civilians in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; and Fort Belvoir, Va.
- And, near U.S. Navy installations, about 3-in-10 adult civilians in Coronado, Calif., and more than 3-in-10 in Lemoore Station, Calif., were veterans. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>
Benefits
$15.5 billion
Aggregate amount of money received during the 2000 fiscal year by the
2.3 million veterans receiving compensation for service-connected disabilities.
This is according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. <http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/01statab/defense.pdf>
Note: For census data products, a "civilian veteran" is a person 18 years old and over who, at the time of the enumeration, had served on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard in the past (even for a short time), but was not then on active duty, or who had served in the Merchant Marine during World War II.
The preceding facts come from Census 2000 and the Statistical Abstract of the United States. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous 2002 Census Bureau Facts for Features: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), St. Patrick's Day (March 17), Census Bureau Centennial (March 6), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May), Older Americans Month (May), Mother's Day (May 12), Father's Day (June 16), the Fourth of July, 12th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26), Back to School (August), Labor Day (Sept. 2), Grandparents Day (Sept. 8), Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), Halloween (Oct. 31) and American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November). Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office: telephone: (301) 763-3030; fax: (301) 457-3670; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.
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