1st Advantage MortgageVan Buren County (15,998 residents) has a $50,354 median household income and $722 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. Borrow only what the expense needs, pick the shortest affordable term, and walk away from any lender asking a Van Buren County applicant for an upfront fee.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Van Buren County
- Where Van Buren County differs from the rest of Arkansas
- Rent, home values and ownership in Van Buren County
- Jobs and commutes in Van Buren County
- What Van Buren County households earn
- Van Buren County next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up Van Buren County
- Van Buren County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- A Van Buren County household budget, worked through
- Reading the Van Buren County data as a borrower
- A Van Buren County borrower's checklist
- Arkansas lender licensing
- Keep exploring
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Van Buren County
Van Buren County is home to about 15,998 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 48th most populous of 75 county-level areas in Arkansas. Density: about 22.5 residents per square mile across 710 square miles of land. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 5 Census places inside Van Buren County, Fairfield Bay leads by population with about 2,515; 3 of the 5 are incorporated.
Where Van Buren County differs from the rest of Arkansas
Ranked against the other 74 county-level areas in Arkansas, these are the Van Buren County figures furthest from the middle.
- The share of commutes over 45 minutes: 29% in Van Buren County. Only 2 of 75 Arkansas counties are higher. Long drives make car repairs a common emergency; get two written quotes.
- Van Buren County ranks 5th highest of 75 Arkansas counties for median age: 49.6, against 38.5 statewide. Retirement income counts when documented; favor loans with no prepayment penalty.
- Van Buren County ranks 10th highest of 75 Arkansas counties for the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 54%, against 45% statewide. Make sure a consolidation loan lowers what you pay each month.
Rent, home values and ownership in Van Buren County
Van Buren County rent at the median: $722 a month, utilities in ($947 in Arkansas). Rent takes 30% or more of income for 54% of renter households here. With a median value of $135,700, a typical Van Buren County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. In Van Buren County, 78% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. Nationally, Van Buren County's $722 rent is 18% below the middle county.
| Cost | Van Buren County | Arkansas figure | Higher or lower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burdened owners | 38% | 22% | +15.6 pts |
| Owners | 78% | 66% | +11.5 pts |
| Vacant units | 24% | 14% | +10.0 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 45% | +9.2 pts |
| Mobile homes | 20.1% | 11.0% | +9.2 pts |
| Median home value | $135,700 | $188,000 | 28% lower |
| Median gross rent | $722/mo | $947/mo | 24% lower |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Jobs and commutes in Van Buren County
The biggest employer of Van Buren County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 20% of workers, followed by retail trade (16%). Relative to Arkansas (7%), construction is 4 points bigger in Van Buren County (11%). Unemployment in Van Buren County, ACS five-year: 3.8%; Arkansas: 4.9%. About 75% drive to work alone and 29% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 6.4% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Van Buren County | Gap to Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.8% | -4.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 15.6% | +2.4 pts |
| Construction | 11.2% | +3.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 10.1% | +3.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.8% | -3.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.3% | 0.0 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What Van Buren County households earn
Half of Van Buren County households take in less than $50,354 a year and half take in more, 17% below the Arkansas median of $60,773.
| Yearly household income | Van Buren County | Gap to Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.8% | +5.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 48.4% | +5.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 14.6% | -6.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.2% | -4.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 17% of Van Buren County households make $100,000 or more, and 35% make less than $35,000. Poverty rate, Van Buren County: 19.1%; Arkansas: 16.0%. None of these numbers decides a Van Buren County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Van Buren County next to its neighbors
Searcy County is closest, 24 miles from center to center; the sixth, Faulkner County, is 32 miles off. Richest neighbor: Faulkner County, $67,289. Poorest: Stone County, $40,943. Van Buren County: $50,354.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County | - | $50,354 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Searcy County, AR | 24 mi | $44,426 | $606/mo | 79% |
| Conway County, AR | 24 mi | $54,187 | $755/mo | 74% |
| Stone County, AR | 28 mi | $40,943 | $626/mo | 76% |
| Cleburne County, AR | 29 mi | $55,798 | $859/mo | 81% |
| Pope County, AR | 30 mi | $57,344 | $859/mo | 70% |
| Faulkner County, AR | 32 mi | $67,289 | $1,005/mo | 62% |
The communities that make up Van Buren County
5 Census places fall mainly inside Van Buren County; the 5 biggest are below. They account for 5,804 residents, leaving about 64% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. This guide covers each of the 5 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield Bay | city | 2,515 | $56,594 | $838 | 14 mi |
| Clinton | city | 2,509 | $42,946 | $712 | 3 mi |
| Dennard | CDP | 315 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Shirley | town | 269 | $37,344 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Bee Branch | CDP | 196 | $76,205 | n/a | 11 mi |
Van Buren County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Bachelor's degree or higher: 15% of Van Buren County adults. The uninsured rate is 8.2%, against 9.0% for Arkansas.
| Measure | Van Buren County | Gap to Arkansas | Gap to typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.6 | +11.1 yrs | +8.1 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.0% | -10.7 pts | -7.2 pts |
| Poverty rate | 19.1% | +3.1 pts | +5.9 pts |
| No high school diploma | 12.7% | +1.4 pts | n/a |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.8% | -1.2 pts | -0.6 pts |
| No health insurance | 8.2% | -0.8 pts | +0.4 pts |
| Work from home | 8.3% | -0.5 pts | -0.4 pts |
| No vehicle | 6.4% | +0.5 pts | +1.0 pts |
| One-way commute | Share of Van Buren County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 29.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.9% |
| 60+ min | 23.3% |
A Van Buren County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Van Buren County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Van Buren County: $4,196
- Housing at the median rent of $722 uses 17%
- Under a 36% cap, $1,511 total minus rent leaves $789
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Reading the Van Buren County data as a borrower
- Car trouble. For Van Buren County drivers (29% with 45-minute-plus trips), price the repair against the car's value first.
- Mobile home upkeep. 20% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Retirees. At a median age of 49.6, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Free help first. 19% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
A Van Buren County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Van Buren County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Van Buren County.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Arkansas lender licensing
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Van Buren County, check the Arkansas State Bank Department. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Arkansas guide.
Keep exploring
The Arkansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Van Buren County a high-income county?
Its $50,354 median ranks 43rd of 75 Arkansas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Van Buren County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $722 a month; 54% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Van Buren County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 78% of Van Buren County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Is Bee Branch covered?
Yes. Bee Branch is one of 5 Census places in Van Buren County, and this guide covers all of them.
Does living in Van Buren County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Van Buren County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.