Today is Veterans Day. Be sure to thank a veteran today.
This important federal holiday is observed to honor, remember and thank our United States veterans.
In 2025 there were 17,587,676 United States Veterans. Of those, 8,060,398 were age 65 and above and 2,112,756 were women veterans.
As of 30 September 2025, Ohio had 640,089 veterans and was ranked no. 8 among other states in their total veteran population. Ohio is among the best states for military benefits and support, VA healthcare, cost of living, job opportunities, and recreation and entertainment.
As of that September 2025 date, Ohio’s Veteran population of 640,089 consisted of 312,810 veterans over 65 years and 64,496 women veterans.
In September 2025, there were 83,424 Ohio veterans less than 40 years old; 243,855 veterans 40-64 years old; and 312,810 veterans 65 years and older.
And in 2025, 293,921 Ohio veterans served during the Gulf War Era; 194,266 served during the Vietnam Era; 12,722 served during the Korean Conflict; and 1,619 served in WWII. [1]
According to the Census Bureau’s estimate, in 2025 Mercer County’s population was 42,737 and Van Wert County’s population was 29,013. Mercer and Van Wert Counties both have a Veteran Population Density of .1%-1.95%. [2]
The 2020-2024 ACS/American Community Survey estimates that about 1,690 veterans lived in Mercer County, ranking Mercer County 72nd among Ohio’s 88 counties by its estimated number of veterans.
That same 2020-2024 ACS survey estimates that about 1,430 civilian veterans lived in Van Wert County, ranking Van Wert County 77th of Ohio’s 88 counties by its estimated number of veterans. [3]
American flag flying at Willshire Cemetery, Memorial Day 2023
Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day and was created to commemorate of the end of World War I. Fighting between the Allied Nations and Germany ceased on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. That date is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
Armistice Day became a legal holiday on 11 November 1938, primarily to honor World War I veterans and was dedicated to the cause of world peace. After World War II and the Korean War, the name was changed to Veterans Day. On 1 June 1954 Veterans Day became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Veterans deserve our thanks and gratitude and so much more.
To all of our veterans, thank you for your service to our country.
[1] DataVA.gov, https://www.data.va.gov/stories/s/8umt-btmv/
[2] Population density of veterans in a county is defined as the number of veterans per 10,000 people in that county. This metric provides insight into how concentrated the veteran population is relative to the total population of the area.
[3] ClaimRaven.com, https://claimraven.com/find-a-vso/ohio/counties/van-wert and https://claimraven.com/find-a-vso/ohio/counties/mercer
