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Massachusetts Veterans Fare Better Than Veterans in Other States but Not as Well as Nonveteran Massachusetts Residents

• Massachusetts veterans are slightly older, have higher incomes, and are more likely to have health insurance than veterans in other states.
• Within Massachusetts, veterans are considerably older than nonveterans. Although they have lower incomes, on average, veterans are less likely to live below the poverty line and more likely to own their home. However, veterans have poorer health and higher rates of chronic health conditions than their nonveteran peers.

Post-9/11 Veterans and National Guard/Reserve Members Have More Unmeet Needs Than Veterans from Earlier Service Eras

• Veterans who served after 9/11 and current National Guard/reserve members were considerably more likely to screen positive for depression and posttraumatic stress disorder than veterans from earlier service eras, and almost half reported binge drinking.
• While most Massachusetts veterans reported that their income was sufficient to cover basic expenses, almost 40 percent of National Guard/reserve members reported having difficulty covering basic expenses.
• Around 20 percent of post-9/11 veterans and National Guard/reserve members reported an unmet need for employment services — rates much higher than those of their peers from earlier service eras.
• Not knowing how to access services or being unaware of eligibility for services were the primary barriers to using available resources.