Van Buren County, Arkansas

Van Buren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,796.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Clinton.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was formed on November 11, 1833, and named for Martin Van Buren, President of the United States, who was Vice President at the time of the county's formation. Van Buren County was a dry county until November 3, 2020, as the county residents voted to make it a wet county. Van Buren County, not be confused with the city of Van Buren, which is located approximately 100 miles to the west in Crawford County just north of Fort Smith.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

• File:US 65.svg U.S. Highway 65
• File:Arkansas 9.svg Arkansas Highway 9
• File:Arkansas 16.svg Arkansas Highway 16
• File:Arkansas 27.svg Arkansas Highway 27
• File:Arkansas 92.svg Arkansas Highway 92
• File:Arkansas 95.svg Arkansas Highway 95
• File:Arkansas 110.svg Arkansas Highway 110
• File:Arkansas 124.svg Arkansas Highway 124
• File:Arkansas 254.svg Arkansas Highway 254
• File:Arkansas 285.svg Arkansas Highway 285
• File:Arkansas 330.svg Arkansas Highway 330
• File:Arkansas 336.svg Arkansas Highway 336
• File:Arkansas 337.svg Arkansas Highway 337
• File:Arkansas 356.svg Arkansas Highway 356

Transit

• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Searcy County (north)
• Stone County (northeast)
• Cleburne County (east)
• Faulkner County (southeast)
• Conway County (southwest)
• Pope County (west)

National protected area

• Ozark National Forest (part)

Demographics

File:USA Van Buren County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid Van Buren County<ref>Based on 2000 census data</ref>

2020 census

Van Buren County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	14,319	90.65%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	71	0.45%
Native American	110	0.7%
Asian	56	0.35%
Other/Mixed	739	4.68%
Hispanic or Latino	501	3.17%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,796 people, 6,813 households, and 4,631 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 16,192 people, 6,825 households, and 4,804 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 9,164 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 96.79% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, but the percentage could increased 3 or 4 times by seasonal migrant laborers in the county's shiitake mushroom harvest and hospitality jobs provided by the Fairfield Bay resort hotel. Template:Citation needed

There were 6,825 households, out of which 25.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.50% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 23.00% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 23.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,004, and the median income for a family was $32,284. Males had a median income of $25,821 versus $18,862 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,603. About 11.60% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.90% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

File:Quorum Court Chambers of Van Buren County, Arkansas.jpg

The Van Buren County Quorum Court meets at the courthouse annex, 1414 Hwy. 65 South in Clinton

Template:See also The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Van Buren County Quorum Court has nine members.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Van Buren County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>

Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Dale James	Republican
County Clerk	Pam Bradford	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Debbie Gray	Republican
Sheriff	Eric Koonce	Republican
Treasurer	Mistie Wilson	Republican
Collector	Laura Shannon	Republican
Assessor	Emma R. Smiley	Republican
Coroner	Joe Tsosie	Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans and 2 Independents. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• District 1: David Holcomb (R)
• District 2: Nickie Brown (Independent)
• District 3: Sarah Brown (R)
• District 4: Mary Philips (R)
• District 5: Michael Bradford (R)
• District 6: Bailee Fowler Roberson (R)
• District 7: Becky Page (R)
• District 8: Virgil Lemings (R)
• District 9: Ester Bass (I)

Additionally, the townships of Van Buren County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Archey Valley: Steven R. Bannick (R)
• Bradley: William Fosse (R)
• Culpepper: Scott Bramlett (R)
• East Griggs: William Fosko (R)
• Holly Mountain: Rance Dean (R)
• Red River: Devon Laubenthal (I)
• Union: Allen Dale Roberson (R)
• Washington: Thomas Bryan Turcol (Libertarian)

Politics

Over the past few election cycles Van Buren County, like all of the traditionally secessionist and Democratic Upland South, has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Communities

Cities

• Clinton (county seat)
• Fairfield Bay (partly in Cleburne County)

Towns

• Damascus (partly in Faulkner County)
• Shirley

Census-designated place

• Bee Branch
• Dennard

Other unincorporated communities

• Alread
• Archey Valley
• Austin
• Botkinburg
• Chimes
• Choctaw
• Choctaw Pines
• Claude
• Copeland
• Crabtree
• Culpepper
• Dabney
• Eglantine
• Elba
• Fairbanks
• Formosa
• Gravesville
• Gravel Hill
• Green Tree
• Half Moon
• Morganton
• Old Botkinburg
• Palisades
• Pee Dee
• Plant
• Pleasant Grove
• Rabbit Ridge
• Rex
• Rocky Hill
• Rumley
• Rupert
• Scotland
• Southside
• Stumptoe
• Sulphur Springs
• Walnut Grove
• Whipple
• Woodlum
• Zion Hill

Townships

File:Van Buren County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large.jpg

Townships in Van Buren County, Arkansas, as of 2010

Template:Arkansas Townships About <ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi2)	Pop. density (/km2)	Total area (mi2)	Total area (km2)	Land area (mi2)	Land area (km2)	Water area (mi2)	Water area (km2)	Geographic coordinates
Archey Valley	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		144	6.40	2.47	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Barnett	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Damascus	786	32.49	12.54	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Bradley	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		1,237	32.83	12.68	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Cadron	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		160	8.92	3.44	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Cargile	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		395	26.72	10.32	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Choctaw	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Clinton (small part)	1,226	58.20	22.47	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Craig	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		739	15.19	5.87	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Culpepper	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		362	17.65	6.82	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Davis	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		892	24.70	9.54	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
East Griggs	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Clinton	1,544	66.04	25.50	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Formosa	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		675	33.13	12.79	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Holly Mountain (fka Holley<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>)	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		523	18.21	9.91	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Indian Rock	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Fairfield Bay	2,227	160.85	62.10	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Liberty	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		240	2.47	0.95	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Linn Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		655	19.35	7.47	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Mountain	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		390	8.30	3.20	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Red River	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		447	40.90	15.80	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Union	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Shirley	1,497	33.68	13.01	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Washington	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Dennard	850	13.82	5.34	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
West Griggs	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Clinton	1,970	67.78	26.17	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Wheeler	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		336	6.16	2.38	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Source: U.S. Census Bureau<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref> Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite map - Text list</ref>

• Clinton School District
• Quitman School District
• Searcy County School District
• Shirley School District
• South Side-Bee Branch School District
• West Side School District

See also

• Arkansas Highway 336 (1965–2013), former state highway in Van Buren County
• List of lakes in Van Buren County, Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Van Buren County, Arkansas

External links

• Map of Van Buren County from the U. S. Census Bureau
• Van Buren County official website
• Van Buren County, Arkansas entry on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture