OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence and incidence rates of patients with depressive disorder (DD) in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) population.  METHODS: The study sample was based on the VHA Medical SAS data sets from fiscal year 2011-2015. All patients diagnosed with DD during the study period were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 9^th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code 311. Prevalence and incidence rates were calculated among these patients. Patients with continuous health plan enrollment throughout that calendar year and ≥2 years prior were restricted. Using sex-specific age groups, age- and sex-adjusted prevalence and incidence rates were calculated by using direct standardization for the U.S. population aged ≥65 years in 2010. RESULTS: The annual adjusted overall prevalence of patients with DD increased from 2.54% (2011) to 3.77% (2015), whereas annual overall incidence decreased from 3.77% (2011) to 2.02% (2015). Female patients had higher prevalence and incidence rates compared to male patients across all study years. From 2011 to 2015, prevalence and incidence among patients aged 65-69 years was highest, ranging from 5.99% to 8.85%, and 5.08% to 2.66%, respectively. Incidence was observed to decrease with advancing age. The prevalence rate was highest among White patients in 2011 (2.68%), 2012 (3.10%), 2013 (3.39%), 2014 (3.70%), and highest among Black patients in 2015 (3.97%). Incidence rates for DD were highest among White patients in 2011 (4.07%), 2012 (3.18%), and 2014 (2.78%), and highest among Black patients in 2013 (2.71%) and 2015 (2.29%). CONCLUSIONS: As compared to 2011, U.S. veterans diagnosed with DD had higher prevalence, but lower incidence rates from 2012 to 2015. Age-, sex- and race-adjusted incidence decreased from 2011 to 2015.