Van Buren County, Michigan Income Statistics
Van Buren County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Van Buren County Below averageWealthier than 71% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,304 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,847 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.8% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.1% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Van Buren County is about 6% lower than in Michigan. Income has been growing faster in Van Buren County (4.8%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Van Buren County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Michigan average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Van Buren County, Michigan grew by 55.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $68,304 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Van Buren County has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2021, at 11% lower. The gap has held fairly steady over the period.
Income Distribution in Van Buren County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 9,834 households (32.1% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 26.1% of households in Van Buren County had an income under $35,000 and 14.1% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Van Buren County has a larger share of households earning $25,000 to $34,999 (9.5% vs 6.7%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (6.1% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,760 | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,080 | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,244 | 7.3% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,919 | 9.5% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,420 | 11.2% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 5,298 | 17.3% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,067 | 13.3% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,501 | 18.0% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,450 | 8.0% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,883 | 6.1% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 30,622 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 5,403 residents (8.8% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 9.9% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 11.5% of Van Buren County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 32.3% had some income but less than $25,000, and 16.0% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Van Buren County has a larger share of residents earning $15,000 to $24,999 (13.4% vs 10.5%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (8.8% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 7,060 | 11.5% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 6,479 | 10.5% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 5,119 | 8.3% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8,234 | 13.4% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 6,613 | 10.8% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 8,272 | 13.5% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 9,867 | 16.1% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,425 | 7.2% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 5,403 | 8.8% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 61,472 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 11.5% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Van Buren County
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.531 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,562 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,162 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.3% | 21.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Van Buren County, it is 0.531, lower than Michigan's 0.539, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 29% more than women's income in Van Buren County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 29% wage gap accumulates to roughly $504,000 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Van Buren County, Michigan has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,391 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Van Buren County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.5% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,473 people are unemployed in Van Buren County, Michigan.
The average commute time in Van Buren County is 22 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Van Buren County, Michigan has fallen from 10.6% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2012.
Van Buren County started 1.9 points above the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had dropped below it by 2020, and has not been above it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.1 points lower.
Van Buren County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Van Buren County, MI is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 75,795 residents against a local median of 153,288. Van Buren County, MI's unemployment, at 4.2%, runs 17% below the 5.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.2% on unemployment, so Van Buren County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Van Buren County, MI has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County, MI | 75,795 | $68,304 #4/6 | 4.8%/yr #4/6 | 4.2% #3/6 | 0.531 #4/6 |
| Allegan County, MI | 121,456 | $83,773 | 5.2%/yr | 3.0% | 0.514 |
| Berrien County, MI | 153,288 | $65,853 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.542 |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $70,806 | 5.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.526 |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 273,015 | $66,946 | 4.8%/yr | 5.2% | 0.541 |
| Ottawa County, MI | 301,203 | $90,732 | 5.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.529 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Van Buren County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Michigan, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Van Buren County, Michigan.
How Rich Is Van Buren County, Michigan?
Van Buren County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $68,304, about 6% lower than the Michigan average of $72,977.
How has median household income changed in Van Buren County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Van Buren County, Michigan rose 56%, from $43,831 to $68,304. Over the same years, income here outpaced Michigan as a whole: +56% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Van Buren County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Van Buren County, Michigan was $67,901, up 3% from $65,725 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in Van Buren County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Van Buren County, Michigan was $57,339. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $68,304.
Is unemployment high in Van Buren County, Michigan?
Unemployment in Van Buren County, Michigan is only 4.2%, well below the Michigan rate of 5.7%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Van Buren County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in Van Buren County is 0.531. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Van Buren County, Michigan?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Van Buren County, Michigan has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 20% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,391 since 2009.
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