Van Buren County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

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

Van Buren County, Tennessee has a population of 6,437, the 94th most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $54,931 and the median home value is $159,200. The poverty rate is 16.1%.

Van Buren County Quick Facts

Population 6,437

Median Household Income $54,93190% MOE ±$11,768

Median Home Value $159,20090% MOE ±$10,494

Poverty Rate 16.1%90% MOE ±5.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 2.3%90% MOE ±1.6 pts

Median Age 47.2 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 86.4%90% MOE ±3.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 13.7%90% MOE ±3.3 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.3%

Cities/Places 1

Population 6,437 94th of 95

Median Income $54,931 21% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.1%

Unemployment 2.3%

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	5,760	6,437	+11.8%
Median household income	$52,581	$54,931	No clear change (+4.5%)
Median home value¹	$120,609	$159,200	+32.0%
Median gross rent	$629	$700	No clear change (+11.3%)

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

$54,931

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Van Buren

$159,200

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.2%

$25K-$50K 27.7%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 24.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.5%

$10K-$15K

3.6%

$15K-$20K

5.1%

$20K-$25K

3.9%

$25K-$30K

7.5%

$30K-$35K

5.4%

$35K-$40K

5.2%

$40K-$45K

5.5%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

5.8%

$60K-$75K

13.0%

$75K-$100K

9.7%

$100K-$125K

10.2%

$125K-$150K

5.3%

$150K-$200K

7.2%

$200K+

1.9%

Employment

2.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

52.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 86.4%

Renter 13.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $700/mo 15.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.2%

18-34

17.1%

35-54

23.5%

55-74

29.5%

75+

9.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Van Buren County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Spencer	1,511	$46,705	8.8%	$150,800

Explore Tennessee 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 Tennessee with a total population of 6,437. It is the 94th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Van Buren County is 47.2 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Van Buren County is $54,931. This is 21% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.1%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $159,200. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Van Buren County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 86.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Van Buren County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.2%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 15.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

13.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.3%.

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 Tennessee 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, Tennessee?

Van Buren County has a population of 6,437, making it the 94th most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Van Buren County?

The median household income in Van Buren County is $54,931 with a poverty rate of 16.1%.

How many cities are in Van Buren County, Tennessee?

Van Buren County contains 1 Census-designated place.