The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is proud to release, in partnership with We the Veterans and Military Families, the 2025 Veterans Civic Health Index. This new report provides the most comprehensive look yet at how veterans and military-connected communities contribute to the civic life of our nation. As America reflects on 250 years of military service and democratic growth, the Index offers both a clear snapshot of current engagement and a call to action to recognize and empower veterans as essential civic leaders.
Veterans as Civic Leaders
For decades, veterans have exemplified the ethos of service not only in uniform but as neighbors, community organizers, and public leaders. Veterans vote, volunteer, participate in community groups, and engage with civic institutions at higher rates than non-veterans across almost every measure.
Key Findings:
80.8 percent of veterans were registered to vote in the 2024 federal election (compared to 73.9 percent of non-veterans).
72.9 percent of registered veterans cast ballots, surpassing non-veterans by more than seven percentage points.
Veterans are 40 percent more likely to contact public officials and 50 percent more likely to donate to political causes.
Through Vet the Vote, more than 163,000 veterans and military family members served as poll workers in 2022 to 2024, reinforcing trust in elections.
Service Beyond the Uniform
Veterans bring the values of teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving into civilian life in powerful ways:
Veterans volunteer 35 percent more hours per year than non-veterans, the equivalent of 220,000 full-time workers worth of service annually.
Veterans are more likely to speak with and assist their neighbors, building social trust and community resilience.
Veterans are more engaged with news and public affairs and 30 percent more likely to belong to civic groups.
However, the report also notes modest declines in several civic indicators since 2021, reflecting broader post-pandemic trends in civic life. While veterans still lead, efforts to support and sustain this engagement are essential for the future.
Expanding the Lens: Military-Connected Communities
For the first time, this year’s VCHI examines the military-connected population, including spouses, children, and family members of those who have served. Numbering over 100 million Americans, this community plays a vital but often underrecognized role in civic life.
Military-connected individuals are more likely to vote, volunteer, and serve as election workers than the general population. Their civic participation is multigenerational, often passing values of service to children and communities.
Why It Matters
In an era of declining trust in institutions, veterans remain one of America’s most trusted groups. Yet too often, that trust is underutilized. Veterans are thanked but not always heard. They are respected as symbols, but not always empowered as civic actors.
The 2025 Veterans Civic Health Index challenges that dynamic. It argues that empowering veterans and military families as civic leaders is essential to strengthening democratic resilience and rebuilding trust in American institutions.
About the Report
The Veterans Civic Health Index is produced by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), in partnership with We the Veterans and Military Families, with support from The Heinz Endowments and Leidos.
The report analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (2023 Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement, 2022 and 2024 Voting and Registration Supplements), providing the most comprehensive picture of veteran civic engagement available today.
Download the full 2025 Veterans Civic Health Index
About the Partners
We the Veterans and Military Families
A national nonpartisan nonprofit founded by veterans and military family members to strengthen America’s civic life through continued service.
https://www.wetheveterans.us/
The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC)
A congressionally chartered nonprofit dedicated to strengthening civic life through data, partnerships, and action.
https://ncoc.org
