Population 15,998 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Van Buren County
Household size in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Van Buren County are small: just 2.19 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.45 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Van Buren County has the smallest households of any Arkansas county.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.4 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.7 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Van Buren County skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 45.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Arkansas counties are older: only six of 75.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Van Buren County (12.7%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Arkansas. The single-parent share has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Van Buren County
Renters in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.5% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.1% of households in Van Buren County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly six in ten owners (56.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.5% of the housing in Van Buren County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Van Buren County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $540 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $601 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $626 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $809 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$270 | +$346 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Van Buren County costs $809 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $270 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Van Buren County
Bachelor's degrees in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Van Buren County: 14.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.6% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Van Buren County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Arkansas. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Van Buren County
| Period | Van Buren County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Van Buren County than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Van Buren County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County | 2.19 | 48.8 | 12.7% | 22.1% | 22.5% | 1987 | $809 | 14.5% | 87.4% | 3.8% |
| Cleburne County | 2.42 | 48.1 | 9.1% | 19.4% | 29.4% | 1988 | $903 | 18.1% | 88.3% | 6.3% |
| Johnson County | 2.47 | 40.5 | 10.1% | 25.9% | 10.3% | 1984 | $653 | 18.4% | 83.8% | 4.4% |
| Jackson County | 2.42 | 39.0 | 13.4% | 34.5% | 16.4% | 1973 | $708 | 14.7% | 84.9% | 9.3% |
| Franklin County | 2.43 | 43.0 | 8.8% | 22.0% | 9.5% | 1985 | $822 | 15.5% | 87.4% | 5.2% |
| Poinsett County | 2.60 | 39.6 | 13.7% | 35.6% | 17.2% | 1980 | $689 | 11.4% | 80.7% | 8.5% |
| Crawford County | 2.62 | 39.8 | 13.2% | 24.5% | 9.7% | 1988 | $867 | 20.0% | 87.2% | 3.9% |
| Sequoyah County | 2.59 | 40.2 | 11.6% | 29.2% | 14.2% | 1986 | $824 | 15.1% | 85.0% | 4.9% |
| Tipton County | 2.73 | 39.2 | 11.8% | 23.7% | 7.1% | 1992 | $1,110 | 21.1% | 90.0% | 6.0% |
| Haywood County | 2.49 | 42.8 | 18.6% | 39.3% | 13.2% | 1978 | $827 | 14.3% | 83.2% | 6.2% |
| Okmulgee County | 2.53 | 39.3 | 13.1% | 29.9% | 14.5% | 1975 | $838 | 17.1% | 88.4% | 7.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wolfe County, KY · Holt County, NE · Hopewell City, VA · Hormigueros Municipio, PR · Houston County, MN · Hughes County, SD · Humboldt County, IA · Humphreys County, MS · Hutchinson County, SD · Worth County, IA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Van Buren County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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