© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Van Buren.
About
Life in Van Buren
Van Buren is a community of 23,545 people in Arkansas. The median household income is $61,149, median rent runs about $847 per month, and median home values are around $182,000. Unemployment is low at 4.3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Van Buren at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.3%
Foreign-Born
8.6%
Broadband Internet
91.8%
of households
Population Growth
+5.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.6% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Van Buren: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Van Buren, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (46.9%), and 11.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.3%
of households
Married Couples
51.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% below AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Van Buren
In Van Buren, rent runs 11% below the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,047
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $209,496 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AR
Unemployment in Van Buren
Unemployment in Crawford County, which includes Van Buren, is close to the AR average.
Unemployment rate
Van Buren: Crawford County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Crawford County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Van Buren Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.8 min avg
How Van Buren residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Van Buren, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM)
Regional airport · few flights60k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 36% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Van Buren runs 36% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
210.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,101.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Van Buren Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Crawford County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Crawford County, which includes Van Buren, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Hail | $604,000 |
| 2024 | 18 | Excessive Heat | $589,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $345,000 |
| 2022 | 22 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 7 | Winter Storm | $15.0M |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $95,000 |
| 2019 | 13 | Flash Flood | $184,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.3M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Crawford County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sequoyah County, OK (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Van Buren) is typically good — 258 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
258
per year
Moderate Days
99
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Sequoyah County, OK (23 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Van Buren has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.3"
Annual Snowfall
2.9"
Hot Days/Year
78
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
99
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 30°F | 2.91" |
| Feb | 57°F | 33°F | 2.69" |
| Mar | 66°F | 42°F | 3.90" |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 4.87" |
| May | 81°F | 60°F | 5.63" |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.56" |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.39" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.60" |
| Sep | 87°F | 63°F | 4.04" |
| Oct | 76°F | 51°F | 4.42" |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 3.85" |
| Dec | 53°F | 32°F | 3.48" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Van Buren
Van Buren has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.2%
of residents
Baptist Health - Van Buren
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Fort Smith
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Fort Smith
Valley Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric · 7.7 mi away · Barling
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Van Buren
Van Buren's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Van Buren (within 15 miles)
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
4.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,091 students · in-state tuition $7,888 · 45% graduate · median earnings $44,252 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Smith National Historic Site, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Van Buren
Van Buren has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Smith National Historic Site (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Smith National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayPea Ridge National Military Park
National Military Park
72 mi awayBuffalo National River
National River
91 mi awayHot Springs National Park
National Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Van Buren
Crawford County Library System
1409 Main St., Van Buren
Van Buren Public Library
1409 Main St., Van Buren
Cities Near Van Buren
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Van Buren?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Van Buren FAQ
Is Van Buren, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Van Buren's median rent is $847/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,149/year. Median home value is $181,500.
Is Van Buren, Arkansas safe?⌄
Van Buren's violent crime rate was 211 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2102 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Van Buren, Arkansas?⌄
Crawford County, which includes Van Buren, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Van Buren, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Van Buren is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $847/month and median household income is $61,149/year. The median home value is $181,500. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Van Buren, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Van Buren is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from