Van Buren County is a county of 15,998 people in Arkansas. At a median age of 49.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $135,700. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. 2% of residents were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $50,354, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Van Buren County
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree10.5% → 15.0%(+4.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
White share98.6% → 91.6%(−7.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$103,923 → $135,700(+31%)US over the same years: +67%
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)16.7%(238)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.6%(337)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.6%(623)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.9%(85)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(1)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,429 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
Over time
Van Buren County, decade by decade
Van Buren County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,008
$41,048
$103,923
10.5%
3.5
2000
16,192
$49,192
$105,474
11.5%
9.6
2010
17,295
$45,977
$113,935
13.2%
14.0
2020
15,796
$49,017
$127,870
15.8%
22.0
2024
15,998
$50,354
$135,700
15.0%
19.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
