Massachusetts Veterans: How Many Have Served?

We celebrate and honor the service of military veterans each Nov. 11. Established as Armistice Day more than 100 years ago, the first reference to "Veterans Day" came in 1947 as Raymond Weeks organized a parade and festivities in Birmingham, Alabama.

Nationally, the veteran population includes 18.8 million men and women who have served in active duty — there were at least than 327,990 veterans in the state of Massachusetts, according to U.S. Census data from 2015. That's 6.1 percent of Bay State adults.

"Unlike the nonveteran population, which increases each year, the veteran population decreases each year as mortality in the draft-era (group) outpaces military discharges," writes Kelly Ann Holder on the U.S. Census blog. "In 2015, the median age of all draft-era veterans was 72 years. The largest living (group) of veterans today, with a median age of 68 years, served during the Vietnam era."

The census breaks it down in periods of service for Massachusetts vets:

• Gulf War (from September 2001 on) - 38,962 veterans
• Gulf War (August 1990 - September 2001) - 40,301
• Vietnam Era - 119,060
• Korean War Era - 39,150
• World War II Era - 25,370

Here is the age breakdown:

• Ages 18-34 - 21,539
• Ages 35-54 - 64,882
• Ages 55-64 - 56,152
• Ages 65-74 - 89,410
• Age 75 or older - 96,007

More data:

• The average income of Bay State veterans was estimated at $39,733, more than the overall average income of $33,534. More than 21,000 of those for whom poverty status was determined were below the poverty level at some point the 12 preceding months.
• More than 93 percent of all veterans in Massachusetts were white.
• Women made up 5.5 percent, or 8,172, of all Mass. vets.
• More than a quarter of Bay State veterans - 89,066 - had some disability.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey data, U.S. Census;

Photo by the U.S. Army via Flickr Commons