Korean War Veterans
Seventy years ago in 1950, the United States deployed military forces in a brutal war against communist aggressors on the Korean Peninsula. Approximately 6.8 million Americans served in that era worldwide.* Sometimes referred to as the Forgotten War, the Department of Veterans Affairs will always remember, honor and support all who served.
Korean War Era Veterans Are Aging ...
In 2020 there were over one million living Korean War Era Veterans. They represented one of the oldest cohorts of Veterans served by VA: their median age was 88, and most of them were in the 85-89 year-old age group. This age profile is important for understanding their current and future needs.
... and Their Numbers Are Decreasing
Their numbers have diminished substantially since 2000 and are projected to fall below 150,000 by 2030.
Women Also Served in the Korean War Era
Approximately 31,000 living American women served in the Korean War Era. They constituted 2.8% of all living Korean War Era Veterans and 1.5% of all living women Veterans.
Where do Korean War Era Veterans Live Now?
In all states approximately 6% of Veterans served in the Korean War Era. The top five states where Korean War Era Veterans lived in 2020 were California, Florida, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania. Click or hover on a state to see its estimated population. Zoom out and pan to see Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
Invitation to Apply for Benefits
VA encourages these and all Veterans to learn about VA programs and to apply for the benefits and services they have earned. Programs are administered through three VA administrations. Follow these links for detailed information, eligibility criteria and application instructions.
- Veterans Benefits Administration - https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/
- Veterans Health Administration - https://www.va.gov/health-care/
- National Cemetery Administration - https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/
*Congress has defined this era as June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955.
Contact Information, Data Sources and Credits
Department of Veterans Affairs
For questions, please email us at VANCVAS@va.gov
Data sources: VA Veteran Population Projection Model 2018, Census 2000 Brief: Veterans, and the 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
Title photo by U.S. Army in Korea licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0
Women Veterans photo by Arlington National Cemetery licensed under Creative Commons PDM 1.0
Women Veterans photo by Arlington National Cemetery licensed under Creative Commons PDM 1.0