By the Numbers - Aug. 10, 2015
8.4%
The percentage of Gulf War II Veterans (Post-9/11) living in poverty, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) -- Veteran Poverty Trends (PDF). While this is a higher percentage than among Veterans who served during earlier combat eras (Gulf War I, Vietnam, Korea, WWII), age is a definite factor; 11.9% of Veterans ages 18-34 are impoverished, compared to 4.9% of Veterans ages 65 and older.
Among other notable findings from this analysis:
• Veterans have lower overall rates of poverty than Non-Veterans.
• The Veteran poverty growth rate is less than that of Non-Veterans; however, Veteran poverty is rising.
• Disabled Veterans have higher poverty rates than disabled non-Veterans for all age groups except over age 65. Veteran poverty trends need monitoring due to higher poverty rates in disabled Veterans.
• The rate of Veterans living in households in receipt of SNAP benefits is lower than that of Non- Veterans, however, the growth rate of Veterans in SNAP households is increasing sharply.
• Service-connected disabled Veterans have significantly lower rates of poverty than disabled non-Veterans.
• Veteran poverty is not uniform across America and is clustered in states located in the Southeast and Northwest United States.
8.4%
The percentage of Gulf War II Veterans (Post-9/11) living in poverty, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) -- Veteran Poverty Trends (PDF). While this is a higher percentage than among Veterans who served during earlier combat eras (Gulf War I, Vietnam, Korea, WWII), age is a definite factor; 11.9% of Veterans ages 18-34 are impoverished, compared to 4.9% of Veterans ages 65 and older.
Among other notable findings from this analysis:
• Veterans have lower overall rates of poverty than Non-Veterans.
• The Veteran poverty growth rate is less than that of Non-Veterans; however, Veteran poverty is rising.
• Disabled Veterans have higher poverty rates than disabled non-Veterans for all age groups except over age 65. Veteran poverty trends need monitoring due to higher poverty rates in disabled Veterans.
• The rate of Veterans living in households in receipt of SNAP benefits is lower than that of Non- Veterans, however, the growth rate of Veterans in SNAP households is increasing sharply.
• Service-connected disabled Veterans have significantly lower rates of poverty than disabled non-Veterans.
• Veteran poverty is not uniform across America and is clustered in states located in the Southeast and Northwest United States.