Massachusetts has about half as many veterans as in 2000. Essex County is expected to lose about 1 in 6 more by 2028
The VA counts about 273,934 veterans in Massachusetts in 2023, down from 547,015 in 2000. Explore the numbers by age and sex, and see what the VA expects for Essex County, home of Cape Ann.
· Wednesday, November 4
Trust Check: Checked against public records
Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) keeps estimates of how many veterans live in every state and county. They show a big change. Massachusetts had about 547,015 veterans in 2000. The VA's 2023 estimate is about 273,934, a drop of 49.9%.
The values veterans carried for all of us.
Every number here is a person, and we thank them.
Behind each count on this page is a neighbor, a coworker, a parent or a friend who raised a hand and served. Thank you for your service, and thank you for what it cost you and your family.
The Cape Ann Current is grateful to every veteran of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
Who is left: older and more often women
The count fell in almost every group since 2000. The big exception is the oldest veterans. The number age 85 and older nearly doubled, from 14,801 to 28,386. The number under 45 fell from 109,296 to 47,434.
Because the younger groups shrank, Massachusetts veterans are older on average. In 2000, 43% were 65 or older. In 2023, 52% were.
Women are a growing share even as their number fell a little. There were 30,348 women veterans in 2000 and 22,869 in 2023. That is 5.5% of all veterans in 2000 and 8.3% in 2023.
Explore Massachusetts
Use the buttons to look at men, women or everyone, and turn age groups on or off. Tap a column to see that year.
Loading the VA numbers. If this does not appear, the table is at data.va.gov.
Essex County, where Cape Ann is
Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea are all in Essex County. The VA does not publish counts for single towns, so the county is the closest local number. The VA estimates 29,771 veterans in Essex County in 2023, and expects about 24,836 in 2028, a drop of 16.6%.
Essex County is older than the state as a whole. In 2023, 57% of its veterans were 65 or older, and the VA expects 58% by 2028. Women are 6.6% of Essex County veterans in 2023 and 7.5% in 2028.
Loading the VA numbers. If this does not appear, the table is at data.va.gov.
What the numbers mean for services
These are counts of people, not of the help they need, so they do not say how many veterans need benefits or care. For that, see how many Essex County veterans get VA disability pay in the next story. To talk with someone about benefits, call Cape Ann Veterans Services at 978-325-5730. It is at 12 Emerson Ave., Gloucester.
How to read these numbers
- The VA builds these numbers with a model called VetPop2023. They are estimates, and years after 2023 are projections.
- A veteran is counted by the age group they are in each year, so people move from one group to the next as they age.
- "Everyone" adds men and women. Some very small groups are rounded by the VA.
Earlier coverage: Veterans Day on Cape Ann: ceremonies, a parade, services and a food drive (Nov. 1).
Sources
Do you trust this story?
See something wrong? Email [email protected]. Read our standards and corrections policy.