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Using Veteran Benefits Administration (VBA) published claims data, we’ve created a chart of the current VA claims backlog by state in 2025.
It should come as no surprise that the backlog of VA disability claims is highest in the states where more veterans live (more veterans = more VA disability claims).
For example, Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, and North Carolina have the highest number of backlogged claims of the 50 states.
The District of Columbia, Vermont, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Delaware have the lowest number of backlogged claims.
Table of Contents
Key Findings of Our Research
- The number of backlogged VA claims, which reached a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has dropped significantly by 42.2%, declining to 241,601 as of December 2024.
- Likewise, the number of pending VA claims has also seen substantial improvement. After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have decreased by 13.3%, falling to 952,173 as of December 2024.
- Texas (26,173), Florida (23,950), California (17,870), Georgia (11,593), and North Carolina (10,797) have the highest number of backlogged VA claims.
- The District of Columbia (307), Vermont (312), North Dakota (560), Rhode Island (660), and Delaware (703) have the lowest number of backlogged VA claims.
Current VA Claims Backlog by State in 2025
| State | Total Backlogged Claims (High to Low) |
|---|---|
| Texas | 26,173 |
| Florida | 23,950 |
| California | 17,870 |
| Georgia | 11,593 |
| North Carolina | 10,797 |
| Virginia | 9,313 |
| Ohio | 7,081 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,929 |
| South Carolina | 6,403 |
| Arizona | 6,271 |
| New York | 6,052 |
| Illinois | 5,947 |
| Alabama | 5,944 |
| Tennessee | 5,843 |
| Washington | 5,222 |
| Michigan | 5,145 |
| Maryland | 4,713 |
| Louisiana | 4,495 |
| Missouri | 4,246 |
| Colorado | 4,235 |
| Indiana | 4,133 |
| Oklahoma | 4,061 |
| Mississippi | 3,565 |
| Kentucky | 3,508 |
| Wisconsin | 3,312 |
| New Jersey | 3,309 |
| Nevada | 3,240 |
| Arkansas | 3,008 |
| Minnesota | 2,688 |
| Massachusetts | 2,622 |
| Oregon | 2,569 |
| Kansas | 2,043 |
| Iowa | 2,018 |
| New Mexico | 1,838 |
| West Virginia | 1,659 |
| Hawaii | 1,659 |
| Connecticut | 1,494 |
| Nebraska | 1,486 |
| Utah | 1,485 |
| Idaho | 1,465 |
| Maine | 1,207 |
| Montana | 909 |
| South Dakota | 854 |
| Alaska | 839 |
| New Hampshire | 819 |
| Delaware | 703 |
| Wyoming | 675 |
| Rhode Island | 660 |
| North Dakota | 560 |
| Vermont | 312 |
| District of Columbia | 307 |
Source: VBA claims data workload reports as of December 2024.
Pending and Backlogged VA Claims by State 2025
According to VBA data as of December 2024, here’s the total number of pending and backlogged claims by state, including the District of Columbia.
- A pending claim “includes VA disability compensation and VA pension claims received by VA that normally require a rating decision.”
- A backlogged claim is a “VA disability claim that requires a rating decision but has been pending for more than 125 days since receipt without a decision.”
- The average days to complete is the “average number of days it takes for the VBA to make a decision on a submitted VA disability claim.”
| State | Pending Claims | Backlogged Claims | Average Days to Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 109,956 | 26,173 | 137.5 |
| Florida | 89,527 | 23,950 | 139.8 |
| California | 73,532 | 17,870 | 135.6 |
| Georgia | 46,165 | 11,593 | 141.5 |
| North Carolina | 43,248 | 10,797 | 134.3 |
| Virginia | 38,332 | 9,313 | 136.8 |
| Ohio | 28,300 | 7,081 | 141.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 26,244 | 6,929 | 146.7 |
| South Carolina | 25,524 | 6,403 | 139.6 |
| Arizona | 23,611 | 6,271 | 141.2 |
| New York | 22,955 | 6,052 | 143.6 |
| Illinois | 22,944 | 5,947 | 147.4 |
| Alabama | 23,346 | 5,944 | 143.3 |
| Tennessee | 24,209 | 5,843 | 139.5 |
| Washington | 20,407 | 5,222 | 136.5 |
| Michigan | 20,060 | 5,145 | 145.6 |
| Maryland | 19,023 | 4,713 | 141.7 |
| Louisiana | 17,288 | 4,495 | 141.8 |
| Missouri | 16,898 | 4,246 | 138.6 |
| Colorado | 17,433 | 4,235 | 135.7 |
| Indiana | 17,383 | 4,133 | 140.7 |
| Oklahoma | 16,821 | 4,061 | 137.9 |
| Mississippi | 13,379 | 3,565 | 147.2 |
| Kentucky | 13,250 | 3,508 | 149.6 |
| Wisconsin | 12,979 | 3,312 | 139.5 |
| New Jersey | 12,087 | 3,309 | 155.2 |
| Nevada | 12,519 | 3,240 | 142.7 |
| Arkansas | 11,254 | 3,008 | 142.2 |
| Minnesota | 10,906 | 2,688 | 135.0 |
| Massachusetts | 10,092 | 2,622 | 143.6 |
| Oregon | 9,954 | 2,569 | 141.5 |
| Kansas | 8,173 | 2,043 | 141.7 |
| Iowa | 8,031 | 2,018 | 145.0 |
| New Mexico | 6,657 | 1,838 | 146.2 |
| West Virginia | 6,099 | 1,659 | 145.8 |
| Hawaii | 6,250 | 1,659 | 133.4 |
| Connecticut | 5,710 | 1,494 | 141.2 |
| Nebraska | 6,155 | 1,486 | 135.5 |
| Utah | 5,818 | 1,485 | 138.9 |
| Idaho | 6,078 | 1,465 | 143.0 |
| Maine | 4,066 | 1,207 | 151.5 |
| Montana | 3,775 | 909 | 139.4 |
| South Dakota | 3,322 | 854 | 140.9 |
| Alaska | 3,165 | 839 | 138.6 |
| New Hampshire | 3,077 | 819 | 147.1 |
| Delaware | 2,931 | 703 | 141.2 |
| Wyoming | 2,333 | 675 | 147.8 |
| Rhode Island | 2,452 | 660 | 138.3 |
| North Dakota | 2,023 | 560 | 152.8 |
| Vermont | 1,053 | 312 | 150.3 |
| District of Columbia | 1,192 | 307 | 151.9 |
Source: VBA claims data workload reports as of December 2024.
Conclusion and Wrap-Up
Significant progress is being made in processing VA disability claims across all 50 states and territories, as efforts to reduce the backlog continue to yield positive results.
For instance, the number of backlogged VA disability claims, which hit a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has decreased by an impressive 42.2%, dropping to 241,601 as of December 2024.
Similarly, the number of pending VA disability claims has also seen a meaningful decline. After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have fallen by 13.3%, down to 952,173 as of December 2024.
These improvements over the past year underscore the VA’s commitment to streamlining the claims process and ensuring veterans get closer to receiving the benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
About the Author
Brian Reese
Brian Reese is a world-renowned VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Motivated by his own frustration with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans secure their VA disability compensation faster, regardless of their past struggles with the VA. Since 2013, he has positively impacted the lives of over 10 million military, veterans, and their families.
A former active-duty Air Force officer, Brian has extensive experience leading diverse teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, where he was a National Honor Scholar, ranking in the top 1% of his class.
