Van Buren County, Iowa Demographics 2026

Name: Van Buren County, Iowa Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Van Buren County, Iowa has a population of 7,241, the 90th most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $61,161 and the median home value is $114,600. The poverty rate is 15.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Van Buren County Quick Facts

Population 7,241

Median Household Income $61,161

Median Home Value $114,600

Poverty Rate 15.1%

Unemployment Rate 4.1%

Median Age 44.7 years

Homeownership Rate 81.6%

Affordability Ratio 1.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.8%

High School Graduation 85.7%

Cities/Places 10

Population 7,241 90th of 99

Median Income $61,161 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.1%

Unemployment 4.1%

How Van Buren County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	7,236	7,241	+0.1%
Median household income	$60,183	$61,161	+1.6%
Median home value	$118,800	$114,600	-3.5%

Median Household Income

Van Buren

$61,161

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Van Buren

$114,600

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.4%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 26.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.9%

$10K-$15K

5.8%

$15K-$20K

2.9%

$20K-$25K

6.7%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

3.1%

$35K-$40K

4.8%

$40K-$45K

5.4%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

6.0%

$60K-$75K

9.6%

$75K-$100K

14.7%

$100K-$125K

10.2%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

4.1%

$200K+

5.3%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

58.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.6%

Renter 18.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $622/mo 12.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.6%

18-34

16.5%

35-54

21.7%

55-74

28.4%

75+

9.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 31 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Van Buren County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Keosauqua	914	$51,136	8.8%	$98,500
Farmington	540	$53,333	16.3%	$81,400
Milton	493	$51,500	21.7%	$61,400
Birmingham	454	$65,000	13.1%	$96,300
Cantril	335	$40,000	8.1%	$80,000
Bonaparte	302	$40,909	16.6%	$69,600
Douds	243	N/A	41.6%	$96,700
Stockport	210	$53,125	22.4%	$57,500
Leando	74	N/A	13.5%	N/A
Mount Sterling	36	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Iowa Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Van Buren County is located in Iowa with a total population of 7,241. It is the 90th most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Van Buren County is 44.7 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Van Buren County is $61,161. This is 19% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.1%. This is 36% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $114,600. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Van Buren County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Van Buren County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.8%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

18.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Van Buren County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Van Buren County, Iowa?

Van Buren County has a population of 7,241, making it the 90th most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Van Buren County?

The median household income in Van Buren County is $61,161 with a poverty rate of 15.1%.

How many cities are in Van Buren County, Iowa?

Van Buren County contains 10 Census-designated places.