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COUNTY

Van Buren County

Tennessee · 6,874 residents (2025 est.) · 273 sq mi
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The short version

Van Buren County is home to 6,437 people in Tennessee. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 47.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 86% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $159,200.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

6,437
+17%since 2000
from 5,508 in 2000
6,874 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
24 / sq mi
+19%since 2009
from 20 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
47.2
+22%since 2000
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
273 sq mi
Population, 19902024
5K5K6K6K7K19902000201020202024Van Buren County
20246K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.4%(345)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(324)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(390)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(364)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.1%(331)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.1%(652)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.1%(651)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.4%(862)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.1%(973)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7414.4%(924)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.2%(525)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(96)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$54,931
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,165 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$27,757
+59%since 2000
from $17,497 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.3%
+24.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
16.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.420
−14%since 2010
from 0.490 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade25.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade9.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Information4.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services3.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$159,200
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$700
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $346 in 2000
US average: $1,442
86.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 85.3% in 2000
13.6% rent
12.1%
−8.8 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.47 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
15.7%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
22.6%
−14.0 ptssince 2009
from 36.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.9
+16%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
74
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.7%(5,437)
Black0.1%(7)
Hispanic / Latino0.3%(18)
Asian0.1%(4)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(6,092)
Black0.3%(17)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(144)
Asian0.1%(8)
Other2.7%(176)
13
+201%since 2009
from 4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
11
+17%since 2020
from 10 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(115)
Puerto Rican0.3%(19)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(8)
Ancestry
American16.9%(1,087)
English14.3%(919)
Irish14.2%(912)
German10.1%(652)
Scotch-Irish3.6%(232)
Swiss2.2%(139)
Scottish1.9%(124)
Italian1.7%(112)
French1.1%(69)
Dutch0.6%(36)
Swedish0.5%(33)
Polish0.4%(24)
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(21)
Norwegian0.3%(21)
Ukrainian0.2%(12)
Belgian0.2%(10)
Lithuanian0.2%(10)
Welsh0.1%(5)
Slovak0%(3)
Section 05

Education

13.7%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.3%
+24.3 ptssince 2000
from 62.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
4.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

29.6 min
+40%since 2000
from 21.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
74.1%
−13.2 ptssince 2009
from 87.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
10.7%
+4.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
9.7%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
3.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
8.1%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.3%
−5.0 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
52.0%
−5.0 ptssince 2011
from 57.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
62.6%
−4.9 ptssince 2020
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
22.8%
+8.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
30.9%
+11.6 ptssince 2009
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

51.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
48.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
0.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
10.0%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
20.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2012
from 17.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
15.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
85.6%
+19.9 ptssince 2017
from 65.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
88.7%
+11.0 ptssince 2020
from 77.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
92.6%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
93.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2016
from 95.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
1.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24.8%(671)
Married59.9%(1,625)
Widowed2.2%(60)
Divorced13.1%(355)
Women 15+
Never married16.9%(450)
Married61.4%(1,638)
Widowed11.4%(303)
Divorced10.3%(276)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

15.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
47.2%
+7.2 ptssince 2020
from 40.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
26.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
16.6%
−7.6 ptssince 2020
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
56.6%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 53.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.1%
−6.2 ptssince 2020
from 47.3% 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)12.3%(63)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.9%(102)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era59.8%(306)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(4)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 512 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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Van Buren County, Tennessee?

Van Buren County, Tennessee has about 6,437 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Van Buren County, Tennessee?

The typical household in Van Buren County, Tennessee earns about $54,931 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Van Buren County, Tennessee expensive?

In Van Buren County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $159,200, and the typical rent is about $700 a month.

How educated are people in Van Buren County, Tennessee?

About 13.7% of adults age 25 and over in Van Buren County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Van Buren County, Tennessee?

About 16.1% of people in Van Buren County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.

Has Van Buren County, Tennessee grown since 1990?

Yes, Van Buren County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,591 residents, a change of about 33 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →