Van Buren County, Michigan
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
- top 14% for comfortable days
- top 16% for sales tax
- bottom 3% for annual snowfall
Van Buren County is a county in Michigan with about 76,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and C for weather. Standout strengths include comfortable days, sales tax, and airport distance. It rates lower on sunny days and annual snowfall.
- The median home value in Van Buren County is $172k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Van Buren County is $66k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Van Buren County is $843 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Van Buren County has a violent crime rate of 1492/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Van Buren County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
71%26%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.8 in2.4 in
humid 90%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 75% of US counties
Home Value$172k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$843better than 44% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$24kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.38%better than 19% of US counties
Income Tax4.30%better than 71% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.91%better than 41% of US counties
Unemployment4.7%better than 51% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.1 in41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall92.5 inbetter than 3% of US counties
Sunny Days197 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 67% of US counties
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 86% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.5better than 39% of US counties
School Quality63.9better than 66% of US counties
Violent Crime1492/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Crime1232/100kbetter than 35% of US counties
Community
Population75,63677th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.844th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1224th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)79.8%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.4%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.9%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 52% of US counties
Walkability5.3/20better than 27% of US counties
Airport Distance52 mibetter than 79% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.8%better than 72% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.32better than 40% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 54% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Van Buren County an affordable place to live?
- Van Buren County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 75% of comparable areas. Median rent is $843.
- Is Van Buren County safe?
- Van Buren County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1492/100k (better than 16%). Property crime is 1232/100k.
- What is the weather like in Van Buren County?
- Van Buren County averages 72°F in July and 26°F in January, with 39.1 in of annual precipitation and about 197 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Van Buren County?
- Public-school quality in Van Buren County is above average, scoring better than 66% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Van Buren County?
- The average one-way commute in Van Buren County is 24 min.