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Van Buren, MO
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
1,161
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
41.2
years ∙ half population younger than 41.2, half older
Diversity Index
4.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Van Buren is a town within Carter County, Missouri, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC37.014426° N, 91.006880° W
DMS37° 00′ 51.93″ N, 91° 00′ 24.77″ W
Population Density & area
580.5/sq mi
(224.1/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
45.5%
male
Male
45.5%
Female
54.5%
males per 100 females
Van Buren
83.4
Carter County
91.6
Missouri
97.2
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Van Buren
0%
Carter County
1.5%
Missouri
4.5%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
41.2
years ∙ half population younger than 41.2, half older
Dependency ratio
102.3
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Van Buren
102.3
Carter County
81.5
Missouri
67.3
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 33.9% | 24.3% | 22.3% |
| Working age (18-64) | 49.4% | 55.1% | 59.8% |
| Senior (65+) | 16.7% | 20.6% | 17.9% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 102.3 | 81.5 | 67.3 |
| Child dependency ratio | 68.5 | 44.1 | 37.4 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 33.8 | 37.4 | 29.9 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
4.3%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Van Buren
4.3%
Carter County
14%
Missouri
40%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Van Buren population
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.2% | 2.3% | 5.2% |
| Mexican | 0.2% | 1.8% | 3.2% |
| Puerto Rican | 0% | 0% | 0.4% |
| Cuban | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 0% | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 99.8% | 97.7% | 94.8% |
| One race | 97.9% | 93% | 90% |
| White | 97.8% | 92.6% | 76.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 0% | 0% | 2.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race | 0% | 0% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 1.9% | 4.7% | 4.8% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
36.7%
family
Family
36.7%
Non family
63.3%
% family households
Van Buren
36.7%
Carter County
60.5%
Missouri
62.1%
Average household size
2.74
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Van Buren population
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 409 | 2,038 | 2,508,227 |
| Average houshold size | 2.74 | 2.58 | 2.4 |
| Family households | 150 | 1,234 | 1,558,009 |
| Average family size | 4.69 | 3.34 | 3.03 |
| Married couple family | 65 | 762 | 1,166,368 |
| Other families | 85 | 472 | 391,641 |
| Male householder | 22 | 117 | 115,975 |
| Female householder | 63 | 355 | 275,666 |
| Non-family households | 259 | 804 | 950,218 |
| One-person households | 232 | 717 | 781,034 |
| Male householder | 55 | 285 | 351,809 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 30 | 99 | 107,203 |
| Female householder | 177 | 432 | 429,225 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 67 | 199 | 215,073 |
| Other living arrangements | 27 | 87 | 169,184 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
515
housing units
Van Buren
515
Carter County
2,676
Missouri
2,825,287
Occupancy status
79.4%
occupied
Occupied
79.4%
Vacant
20.6%
vacancy rate
Van Buren
20.6%
Carter County
23.8%
Missouri
11.2%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
59.8%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1970
Half of houses were built before 1970, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 4.6 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| 1–3 rooms | 30.8% | 15.7% | 11.5% |
| 4–6 rooms | 48% | 64.9% | 53.4% |
| 7+ rooms | 21.2% | 19.5% | 35% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 0% | 2.1% | 2% |
| 1 bedroom | 27.6% | 9.9% | 9.7% |
| 2 bedrooms | 21.6% | 27% | 26.1% |
| 3 bedrooms | 38.3% | 45.8% | 41.3% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 12.6% | 15.2% | 20.9% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1970 | 1980 | 1979 |
| Total housing units | 515 | 2,676 | 2,825,287 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
42.3%
owners
Renter-occupied
57.7%
Owner-occupied
42.3%
homeownership rate
Van Buren
42.3%
Carter County
60.7%
Missouri
68.1%
Average household size
3.88
Owner-occupied
1.9
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Van Buren
3.88
Carter County
2.88
Missouri
2.54
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 409 | 2,038 | 2,508,227 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 25% | 28% | 24.7% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 57.2% | 33.3% | 40% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 9.3% | 17.2% | 16.5% |
| 1999 or earlier | 8.6% | 21.7% | 18.8% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 100% | 99.9% | 98.3% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 0% | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| 1.51 or more | 0% | 0% | 0.5% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 37.4% | 13.2% | 6.6% |
| 1 vehicle | 24.9% | 28.1% | 33% |
| 2 vehicles | 28.1% | 30.5% | 37.5% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 9.5% | 28.2% | 22.8% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 46% | 35.9% | 57.7% |
| Electricity | 44.7% | 52.4% | 38.8% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 0% | 0.2% |
| All other fuels | 9.3% | 11.6% | 2.8% |
| No fuel used | 0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 1% | 0.4% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 0% | 1.2% | 0.9% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$103,400
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
54.5%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $103,400 | $159,400 | $230,300 |
| Under $100,000 | 48% | 31.5% | 15.9% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 35.2% | 26.6% | 25.7% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 15% | 14.6% | 24.1% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 0% | 20.2% | 23.6% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 1.7% | 5.1% | 9.1% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 83.8% | 46.2% | 60.2% |
| Without a mortgage | 16.2% | 53.8% | 39.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $905 | $992 | $1,524 |
| Without a mortgage | $482 | $463 | $546 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $313 | $656 | $1,033 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
9.6%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Van Buren
9.6%
Carter County
10.1%
Missouri
32.4%
Adults without a high school diploma
19.3%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Van Buren
19.3%
Carter County
19.4%
Missouri
8.2%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
386
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
40.5%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 386 | 1,282 | 1,440,482 |
| Nursery / preschool | 1.3% | 4.8% | 6.3% |
| K–12 | 93.8% | 69% | 69.4% |
| Kindergarten | 0% | 2.2% | 5.1% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 24.6% | 18.3% | 20.5% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 39.6% | 28.7% | 21.7% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 29.5% | 19.8% | 22% |
| College or graduate school | 4.9% | 26.3% | 24.3% |
| College, undergraduate | 4.9% | 25.9% | 18.7% |
| Graduate, professional school | 0% | 0.4% | 5.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 40.5% | 54.6% | 38.1% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 100% | 91.7% | 80.3% |
| Private school | 0% | 8.3% | 19.7% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
726
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 726 | 3,562 | 4,243,115 |
| Less than 9th grade | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 16.1% | 16.6% | 5.5% |
| High school diploma or GED | 44.5% | 44.5% | 30.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 13.6% | 15.2% | 20.8% |
| Associate's degree | 12.9% | 10.9% | 8.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 10.1% | 32.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 8.3% | 6.7% | 19.8% |
| Graduate or professional | 1.4% | 3.3% | 12.6% |
| High School or higher | 80.7% | 80.6% | 91.9% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$21,223
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
44.6%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Van Buren | Carter County | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $21,223 | $32,232 | $49,030 |
| Less than high school graduate | $— | $28,427 | $32,024 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $— | $31,808 | $38,607 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $35,764 | $32,682 | $44,914 |
| Bachelor's degree | $— | $53,750 | $61,818 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $— | $44,063 | $75,454 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 15.7% | 25.6% | 26.4% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 69.1% | 21% | 14.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 19.5% | 6.5% | 9.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 9.3% | 4.3% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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