Van Buren County, Michigan Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Van Buren County, Michigan has a population of 75,795, the 26th most populous county in Michigan. The median household income is $68,114 and the median home value is $206,500. The poverty rate is 14.3%.

Van Buren County Quick Facts

Population 75,795

Median Household Income $68,11490% MOE ±$2,018

Median Home Value $206,50090% MOE ±$6,313

Poverty Rate 14.3%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.2%90% MOE ±0.6 pts

Median Age 41.2 years90% MOE ±0.4 years

Homeownership Rate 80.6%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 23.0%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 89.5%

Cities/Places 10

Population 75,795 26th of 83

Median Income $68,114 7% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.3%

Unemployment 4.2%

How Van Buren County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	75,358	75,795	+0.6%
Median household income	$67,055	$68,114	No clear change (+1.6%)
Median home value¹	$171,561	$206,500	+20.4%
Median gross rent	$868	$870	No clear change (+0.3%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Van Buren

$68,114

$72,875

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Van Buren

$206,500

$231,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.6%

$25K-$50K 20.7%

$50K-$100K 30.6%

$100K+ 32.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

3.5%

$15K-$20K

3.7%

$20K-$25K

3.7%

$25K-$30K

4.9%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

5.4%

$40K-$45K

2.7%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

10.3%

$75K-$100K

13.3%

$100K-$125K

10.8%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

8.0%

$200K+

6.2%

Employment

4.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.7%|National: 5.2%

58.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.6%

Renter 19.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $870/mo 15.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.9%

18-34

18.9%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

27.0%

75+

7.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

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

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Van Buren County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Paw Paw	3,289	$41,587	21.9%	$148,200
Mattawan	2,692	$61,587	12.1%	$181,600
Hartford	2,458	$42,171	16.3%	$108,700
Bangor	2,129	$49,764	19.9%	$111,200
Lawton	2,104	$52,652	19.3%	$171,100
Decatur	1,835	$61,806	19.7%	$137,500
Lawrence	942	$36,058	28.9%	$133,900
Gobles	595	$44,250	22.8%	$104,200
Bloomingdale	522	$66,250	23.8%	$117,500
Breedsville	288	$98,750	4.9%	$217,200

Explore Michigan 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 Michigan with a total population of 75,795. It is the 26th most populous county out of 83 in Michigan. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Van Buren County is 41.2 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Van Buren County is $68,114. This is 7% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.3%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 27% lower than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $206,500. Housing costs are 11% lower than the state median of $231,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 80.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Van Buren County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.5%. The Black or African American population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 13.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (12.5% vs 5.9%). The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.4%.

Education

23.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.5%.

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 Michigan 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, Michigan?

Van Buren County has a population of 75,795, making it the 26th most populous county in Michigan.

What is the median income in Van Buren County?

The median household income in Van Buren County is $68,114 with a poverty rate of 14.3%.

How many cities are in Van Buren County, Michigan?

Van Buren County contains 10 Census-designated places.