Texas · Houston + Waco VAROs · ~1.5M veterans

Texas VA Disability Claims Guide

Last updated 2026-05-22 · VAROs: Houston, Waco · Texas Veterans Commission

The Texas veteran population

Texas is home to roughly 1.5 million veterans — the second-largest state veteran population in the United States after California. The state's veteran community is shaped by its enormous active-duty footprint: Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) is the largest U.S. Army installation in the continental U.S.; Joint Base San Antonio (Randolph + Fort Sam Houston + Lackland) is the largest joint base; Sheppard AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, and Naval Air Station Kingsville round out a major military presence.

The geographic distribution mirrors these installations. Veteran population concentrations: San Antonio (largest Texas veteran community), Killeen/Belton/Temple (Fort Cavazos retiree zone), Houston metro, Dallas-Fort Worth, Wichita Falls (Sheppard), and the Rio Grande Valley.

The two Texas VAROs

The dividing line between the two VAROs follows Texas county boundaries; your county determines which VARO processes your claim. Houston is the smaller VARO geographically but handles the higher claim volume per VARO because of the Houston metro's veteran population density. Waco handles a larger land area with similar total volume.

Both VAROs process claims under the same federal regulations, with identical processing times and standards. There is no advantage to one VARO over the other; you cannot choose between them.

Filing a VA disability claim in Texas

The standard filing process applies. See our how-to-file guide for the full procedure. Texas-specific paths:

1. Online via VA.gov. Same as anywhere — fastest path for most claims.
2. Through a Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) representative. TVC is the state agency for veteran services. TVC claims counselors are VA-accredited and provide free representation. Find your TVC office at tvc.texas.gov.
3. Through a County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO). Most Texas counties have a CVSO. The Texas Association of County Veterans Service Officers maintains a directory.
4. Through a national VSO chapter. DAV, American Legion, VFW, and AMVETS have particularly strong Texas presence given the state's large veteran population.

Texas state benefits that supplement federal VA compensation

100% Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption

Texas Tax Code §11.131 provides a TOTAL property tax exemption on the residence homestead for veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA OR receiving compensation at the 100% rate due to TDIU. Features:

• No income limit. Available regardless of household income.
• No value cap. The entire property value is exempt, no matter how high.
• Surviving spouse retention. The surviving spouse keeps the exemption indefinitely (subject to remarriage and continued residence).
• Lower-percentage partial exemptions. Veterans rated 10–90% receive partial exemptions ranging from $5,000 to $12,000 of assessed value.

Applied through your county appraisal district. Most counties accept the federal VA decision letter or a state Disabled Veteran ID (DV) license plate as proof of qualification.

This is one of the most generous state exemptions in the United States. A 100% disabled veteran in Austin with a $500,000 home pays zero property tax on it — saving roughly $10,000/year compared to a non-disabled neighbor.

Hazlewood Act education benefits

The Hazlewood Act (Texas Education Code §54.341) provides up to 150 credit hours of tuition and fee exemption at any Texas public college or university. Eligibility:

• Honorably discharged Texas veteran (Texas resident at time of enlistment, OR Texas resident for at least one year before enrollment);
• Federal education benefits exhausted (GI Bill, etc.) OR not eligible for federal benefits;
• Currently a Texas resident at the time of enrollment.

The Hazlewood Legacy Act extension transfers unused Hazlewood credits to the veteran's spouse or child. Requirements: child under 25, full-time enrollment, GPA standards, Texas residency.

Hazlewood covers tuition and mandatory fees at all 38 Texas public universities and 50 public community colleges. It does NOT cover books, housing, food, or personal expenses.

Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) loans

The VLB offers three loan programs to Texas veterans:

• Land Loan: Up to $150,000 to purchase 1+ acres of land in Texas. Fixed-rate, 30-year loan with low down payment.
• Home Loan: Up to $766,550 (2026 conforming limit) for primary residence. Fixed-rate with competitive terms.
• Home Improvement Loan: Up to $50,000 for improvements to the veteran's primary residence.

Apply directly through the VLB at vlb.texas.gov. VLB loans can be COMBINED with federal VA loan eligibility for additional funding power.

State Veterans Homes

The Texas Veterans Land Board operates 8 state veterans homes:

• Amarillo — Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home
• Big Spring — Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home
• Bonham — William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home
• El Paso — Texas State Veterans Home
• Floresville — Texas State Veterans Home
• McAllen — Texas State Veterans Home
• Temple — Olin E. Teague Texas State Veterans Home
• Tyler — Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home

Each provides skilled nursing care with reduced rates for service-connected veterans. The 100% service-connected rate qualifies for the highest level of subsidy — care can be essentially free for the qualifying veteran.

State employment preferences

Texas Government Code §657.003 provides veterans' preference in Texas state employment. Disabled veterans receive an additional preference boost. The preference applies to entry-level state positions and to layoffs/RIFs.

Texas State Cemetery + State Veterans Cemeteries

Texas operates state veterans cemeteries in Killeen, Mission, Abilene, and Corpus Christi (in addition to the federal Houston National Cemetery, Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery). Burial benefits include free interment for the veteran and spouse, plot, headstone, perpetual care, and military honors.

Accredited representation in Texas

• Texas Veterans Commission (TVC): State agency with VA-accredited claims counselors across Texas. Free service. Largest single accredited representative network in the state.
• County Veteran Service Officers: Most Texas counties have one or more CVSOs, also free.
• National VSO chapters: DAV, American Legion, VFW, AMVETS, MOPH, PVA, Wounded Warrior Project — strong Texas presence.
• Accredited attorneys and claims agents: Filter the VA OGC directory by Texas. Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio have particularly large pools of VA-accredited attorneys for appeal work.

Crisis and emergency resources

• Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 24/7 nationwide.
• Texas Veterans Commission (TVC): 1-800-252-8387 for state-level questions.
• Texas Veterans Portal: veterans.portal.texas.gov — single-point-of-entry for state services.

Use the calculator

Federal VA compensation is the same in Texas as everywhere else. Use the VA Combined Rating Calculator to estimate your monthly amount based on your service-connected ratings. Texas state benefits (property tax exemption, Hazlewood, VLB loans) supplement but do not affect federal compensation.

Sources cited in this guide

• Texas Veterans Commission
• Texas Comptroller — Property Tax Exemptions
• Texas Veterans Commission — Hazlewood Act
• Texas Veterans Land Board
• VA OGC accreditation directory

VetDisabilityCalc is an independent reference site operated by Zoom Lifestyle LLC. We are not VA-accredited and we do not prepare or present VA claims. State benefit information verified against TVC sources as of May 2026; verify with the Texas Veterans Commission before relying on dollar amounts or eligibility for a real-world decision.