Van Buren County, Tennessee Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Van Buren County, TN Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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D
Health Well below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Tennessee
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 79% of counties in Tennessee
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,437 | 7,058,506 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 23.5 | 167.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.67% | 0.94% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 48.4 | 37.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,569 | 2,819,839 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Van Buren County grew by 18.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,437 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Van Buren County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 24.6% of residents. That is 4.4 points above Tennessee as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,108 17.2% -4.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,130 17.6% -4.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,585 24.6% +4.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,420 22.1% +4.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Tennessee, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.1% of the people living in Van Buren County and men 50.9%.
- Women 49.1% Tennessee 50.9%
- Men 50.9% Tennessee 49.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Van Buren County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Van Buren County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,402 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.26% | 5.19% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Van Buren County is about 21% lower than in Tennessee.
Housing
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $327,778 | $255,786 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $700 | $1,188 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.4% | 66.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Van Buren County is about 39.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $700 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Van Buren County spend about 61 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 253 hours, about 10.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 30.4 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 60.7 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 253 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,842 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,661 | 9,259 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 349 | 1,225 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Tennessee:
Dyer County (15.9 min), Henry County (16.7 min), Obion County (17.1 min).
Slowest:
Cannon County (33.3 min), Union County (33.2 min), Fayette County (33.1 min).
The average commute time in Van Buren County is 30 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Van Buren County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.0% | 27.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.47 | 2.45 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.4), Davidson County (0.3), Knox County (0.3).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.1), Van Buren County (0.1), Lauderdale County (0.1).
Health
Van Buren County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Tennessee Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.4 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.8% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 29.5% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Tennessee:
Williamson County (0.8), Rutherford County (0.8), Wilson County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clay County (0.8), Lake County (0.8), Hancock County (0.8).
Van Buren County, TN Compared With Nearby Counties
How Van Buren County, TN compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County, TN | 6,437 | $55,402 #2/3 | $327,778 #1/3 | 30.4 min #3/3 |
| White County, TN | 28,160 | $54,822 | $162,499 | 20.1 min |
| Warren County, TN | 42,165 | $55,751 | $214,873 | 20.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Van Buren County, Tennessee.
How big is Van Buren County, Tennessee by population?
About 6,437 people live in Van Buren County, Tennessee, in 2,569 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 48.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
Is Van Buren County, Tennessee mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Van Buren County, Tennessee has 23 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 27% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Van Buren County, Tennessee an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 5.9 times the median household income ($327,778 against $55,402), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $700 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Van Buren County, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Van Buren County, Tennessee is only 2.3%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Van Buren County, Tennessee?
10.0% of adults in Van Buren County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 10), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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