CB12-FF.21 

 Oct. 11, 2012

Veterans Day 2012: Nov. 11 

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of 

World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 

became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation 

in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American 

wars. The day honors military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national 

ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. 

Veterans 

21.5 million 

The number of military veterans in the United States in 2011. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/S2101>

1.6 million 

The number of female veterans in 2011. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001> 

2.3 million 

The number of black veterans in 2011. Additionally, 1.2 million veterans were Hispanic; 

264,695 were Asian; 153,223 were American Indian or Alaska Native; 27,469 were Native 

Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and 17.2 million were non-Hispanic white. (The numbers for 

blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific 

Islanders, and non-Hispanic whites cover only those reporting a single race.) 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001B> 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001D>

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001I> 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/C21001C> 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001E> 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001H> 
9.2 million 

The number of veterans 65 and older in 2011. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.8 million 

were younger than 35. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21001> 

When They Served

7.5 million 

Number of Vietnam-era veterans in 2011: 5.1 million served during the Gulf War (representing 

service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present); 1.8 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.4 million in 

the Korean War (1950-1953); and 5.4 million in peacetime only. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21002> 

51,079 

Number of living veterans in 2011 who served during the Vietnam era and both Gulf War eras 

and no other period. 

Other living veterans in 2011 who served during three wars: 

 43,942 served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam era. 

Living veterans in 2011 who served during two wars and no other period: 

 876,663 served during both Gulf War eras. 

 205,205 served during both the Korean War and the Vietnam era. 

 129,972 served during both World War II and the Korean War. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21002> 

Where They Live 

3 

Number of states with 1 million or more veterans in 2011. These states were California 

 (1.9 million), Florida (1.6 million) and Texas (1.6 million). 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/S2101/0400000US06|0400000U

S12|0400000US48> 

14.0% 

Percent of people 18 and older in Alaska who were veterans in 2011. The percent of the 18-andolder population who were veterans was 12 percent or more in Maine, Montana, Virginia and 

Wyoming. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/DP02/0400000US02|0400000US

23|0400000US30|0400000US51|0400000US56>
Education 

26.3% 

Percent of veterans 25 and older with at least a bachelor’s degree in 2011. In comparison, 

28.5 percent of the total population had a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/S2101>

92.3% 

Percent of veterans 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher in 2011, compared with 

86 percent of the population as a whole. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/S2101>

Income 

$35,821 

Annual median income of veterans, in 2011 inflation-adjusted dollars, compared with 

$25,811 for the population as a whole. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/S2101> 

On the Job 

9.1 million 

Number of veterans 18 to 64 in the labor force in 2011. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/C21005> 

Disabilities 

3.5 million 

Number of veterans with a service-connected disability rating. Of this number, 810,245 have a 

rating of 70 percent or higher. Severity of one’s disability is scaled from 0 to 100 percent and 

eligibility for compensation depends on one’s rating. 

Source: 2011 American Community Survey 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/11_1YR/B21100> 

Voting 

15.8 million 

Number of veterans who voted in the 2008 presidential election. Seventy-one percent of veterans 

cast a ballot in the presidential election. 

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008

<http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/index.html> 
12.4 million 

Number of veterans who voted in the 2010 congressional election. Fifty-seven percent of 

veterans voted in the 2010 congressional election. 

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010 

<http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/index.html> 

Business Owners 

9% 

Percentage of all U.S. nonfarm firms that are majority owned by veterans. Veteran-owned firms 

comprised an estimated 2.4 million of the 27.1 million nonfarm businesses nationwide in 2007. 

Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo> 

75%

Percentage of veteran owners of respondent firms who were 55 or older in 2007. This compares 

with 37 percent of all owners of respondent firms. Similarly, in 2007, 56 percent of veteranowned respondent firms with employees reported that their businesses were originally 

established before 1990. This compares with 39 percent of all employer respondent firms. 

Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo> 

8% 

Percentage of veteran owners of respondent firms who were disabled as the result of injury 

incurred or aggravated during active military service. 

Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo> 

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features

series: 

African-American History Month (February) Labor Day 

Super Bowl Grandparents Day 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) 

Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31) 

 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month 

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November) 

Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) 

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day 

Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December) 

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4) 

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) 

Back to School (August) 

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public 

Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.