COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Van Buren County

Arkansas · 16,192 residents · 710 sq mi

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With 16,192 people, Van Buren County is a county in Arkansas. At a median age of 44.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. Median home value sits at $57,900. The median household earns $27,004, about 37% below the national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Older

median age 44.2

US median: 35.2

Less educated

11% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

16,192

+16%since 1990

from 14,008 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

44.2

+1%since 1990

from 43.7 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

710 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202416K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 55.1%(833)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 95.9%(962)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.4%(1,031)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 196.3%(1,021)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 244.4%(713)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 349.8%(1,589)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4413.2%(2,131)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5412.8%(2,074)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 6412.7%(2,061)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 7412.5%(2,032)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 848%(1,300)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over2.7%(445)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$27,004

+20%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $17,103 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$16,603

+91%since 1990

from $8,706 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

15.4%

−6.7 ptssince 1990

from 22.2% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$57,900

+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $43,300 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$372

−2%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $288 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

81.1%

−1.2 ptssince 1990

from 82.3% in 1990

18.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.1%(13,883)

Black0.1%(17)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(78)

Asian0.1%(9)

2000

White, non-Hispanic96%(15,550)

Black0.3%(50)

Hispanic / Latino1.3%(215)

Asian0.2%(39)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.6%(414)

Central American0.3%(48)

Guatemalan0.3%(48)

Spaniard0.2%(31)

Cuban0.1%(18)

Puerto Rican0.1%(16)

South American0%(6)

Peruvian0%(6)

Asian origin

Filipino0.3%(52)

Japanese0.1%(11)

Ancestry

English15.9%(2,536)

Irish15.2%(2,436)

German13.6%(2,180)

American10.9%(1,745)

Scottish2.8%(448)

French2.5%(401)

Italian2.2%(357)

Dutch1.6%(254)

Polish1.3%(210)

Scotch-Irish1.3%(201)

Welsh1.1%(168)

Norwegian0.9%(141)

+ 15 more ancestry groups with data

Swedish0.6%(92)

Czech0.5%(74)

Portuguese0.3%(44)

Greek0.2%(36)

British0.2%(30)

Danish0.2%(26)

Canadian0.1%(22)

West Indian0.1%(20)

Austrian0.1%(12)

Swiss0.1%(10)

French Canadian0.1%(9)

Finnish0%(5)

Hungarian0%(4)

Turkish0%(4)

Subsaharan African0%(1)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.5%

+1.0 ptssince 1990

from 10.5% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

71.6%

+9.1 ptssince 1990

from 62.6% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

3.5%

−0.2 ptssince 1990

from 3.6% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

24.5 min

−14%since 1990

from 28.6 min in 1990

US average: 17.6

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status

Men 15+

Never married18.6%(1,199)

Married67.3%(4,339)

Widowed3.6%(233)

Divorced10.5%(674)

Women 15+

Never married11.8%(812)

Married63.7%(4,397)

Widowed14.2%(977)

Divorced10.3%(713)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

8.2%

−12.3 ptssince 2013

from 20.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

31.5%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 31.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

16.0%

−1.9 ptssince 2020

from 17.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

31.8%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 31.6% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

36.3%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 34.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

6.1%

+0.6 ptssince 2020

from 5.5% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

48.1%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 48.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

61.8%

+1.6 ptssince 2020

from 60.2% 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)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.

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