CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Van Buren

Arkansas · 14,930 residents · 15.5 sq mi

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Van Buren is a city of 14,930 people in Arkansas. The typical home is worth $44,400. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has fallen 21% since 2000. Renters pay $283 a month at the median. The median household earns $21,105, about 30% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 31.2

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 19%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

14,930

−21%vs 2000

vs 18,986 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

31.2

−4%vs 2000

vs 32.6 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

15.5 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202424K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 58.8%(1,311)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98.1%(1,214)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.7%(1,299)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.4%(1,108)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.8%(1,020)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3417.1%(2,548)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.5%(2,022)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.1%(1,515)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 646.8%(1,015)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 745.9%(874)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 844.6%(692)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.1%(312)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$21,105

−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $33,608 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,531

−36%vs 2000

vs $14,948 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

18.6%

+1.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.7% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$44,400

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $72,300 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$283

−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $418 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

68.2%

+1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 66.8% in 2000

31.8% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic85.1%(16,152)

Black1.6%(311)

Hispanic / Latino6%(1,147)

Asian2.8%(528)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic93.9%(14,019)

Black1.6%(240)

Hispanic / Latino1.2%(185)

Asian1.7%(257)

Other2.8%(414)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Central American9%(2,127)

Salvadoran7.1%(1,690)

Mexican5.1%(1,219)

Guatemalan1.7%(393)

South American0.5%(118)

Peruvian0.5%(118)

Cuban0.3%(72)

Spaniard0.3%(69)

Nicaraguan0.1%(24)

Puerto Rican0.1%(20)

Honduran0.1%(20)

Asian origin

Laotian1.1%(254)

Chinese0.6%(149)

Korean0.4%(105)

Filipino0.2%(59)

Vietnamese0.1%(21)

Pakistani0.1%(18)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(4)

Ancestry

English13.4%(3,193)

Irish12.7%(3,010)

German10.4%(2,473)

American9.1%(2,161)

Polish1.5%(365)

French1.3%(304)

Scottish1.2%(278)

Italian1.1%(264)

Armenian0.8%(191)

Subsaharan African0.8%(182)

Scotch-Irish0.7%(158)

Arab0.7%(155)

+ 17 more ancestry groups with data

British0.6%(153)

Egyptian0.6%(137)

Dutch0.5%(121)

Czech0.5%(112)

Welsh0.2%(57)

Belgian0.2%(48)

French Canadian0.2%(38)

Norwegian0.2%(37)

Russian0.1%(30)

Swedish0.1%(30)

Portuguese0.1%(23)

Greek0.1%(20)

Swiss0.1%(20)

Danish0.1%(18)

Jordanian0%(8)

Austrian0%(8)

Ukrainian0%(3)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Central American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

10.0%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

64.6%

−7.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 71.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.9%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.0% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

16.0 min

+37%vs 2000

vs 11.7 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married28.2%(2,567)

Married58.4%(5,325)

Widowed2.1%(187)

Divorced11.4%(1,036)

Women 15+

Never married22.4%(2,196)

Married51.6%(5,053)

Widowed9.8%(962)

Divorced16.2%(1,591)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

12.2%

−4.3 ptssince 2013

from 16.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

41.3%

−2.2 ptssince 2020

from 43.5% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

13.1%

−1.3 ptssince 2020

from 14.4% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

19.9%

−1.1 ptssince 2020

from 21.0% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

31.6%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 30.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.6%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 3.4% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

53.8%

−3.8 ptssince 2020

from 57.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

47.5%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 46.1% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024

Gulf War (2001 or later)34.9%(531)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)24.9%(379)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era28.7%(437)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3.8%(57)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.5%(8)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,520 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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