County profile · Iowa
Van Buren County, IA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Van Buren County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 7,131
- −1.2% since 2020
- Households
- 2,896
- Median household income
- $61,161
- Median home value
- $114,600
- Jobs located here
- 1,765
- Market scores
- Not scored
- Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Van Buren County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Van Buren County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 7,131 people live in Van Buren County, in 2,896 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Van Buren County declined 1.2%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Van Buren County is $61,161 a year, 24% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in Van Buren County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (56).
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
For its number of households, Van Buren County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for grocery and convenience stores (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for sit-down restaurants (38% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Van Buren County
Counties under 10,000 people aren’t given a market score, since a few businesses can swing their figures. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | 27 | 93.2 | $363K | 98 | 7 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 12 | 41.4 | $1.3M | 40 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 11 | 38.0 | $309K | 115 | 5 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 11 | 38.0 | $890K | 134 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 8 | 27.6 | $425K | 95 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 8 | 27.6 | $1.1M | 46 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 6 | 20.7 | $1.6M | 44 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 6 | 20.7 | $421K | 198 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 5 | 17.3 | $3.2M | 41 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 5 | 17.3 | $730K | 479 | 3 |
| Hair salons | 5 | 17.3 | $505K | 117 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 4 | 13.8 | $2.4M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 4 | 13.8 | $4M | 43 | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 3 | 10.4 | $1.2M | 51 | 3 |
| Home repair trades | 3 | 10.4 | $2.3M | 95 | 3 |
| Funeral homes | 2 | 6.9 | $259K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 2 | 6.9 | $1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 2 | 6.9 | $4.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 2 | 6.9 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 2 | 6.9 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 2 | 6.9 | $1.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 1 | 3.5 | $2.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 1 | 3.5 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 1 | 3.5 | $6.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 1 | 3.5 | $2.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 1 | 3.5 | $6.9M | Too few | 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 1 | 3.5 | $3.2M | Too few | 4 |
| Laundromats | 1 | 3.5 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 1 | 3.5 | $3.2M | Too few | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 1 | 3.5 | $2.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 1 | 3.5 | $2.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 1 | 3.5 | $6.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 1 | 3.5 | $2.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Van Buren County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $3.4M | $1,173 | 122 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $8.8M | $3,038 | 117 |
| Food away from home | $9.8M | $3,382 | 83 |
| Groceries | $16.1M | $5,562 | 88 |
| Personal care products and services | $2.5M | $872 | 87 |
| Child care and other personal services | $947K | $327 | 56 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $2.1M | $712 | 72 |
| Medical and dental services | $3.6M | $1,260 | 98 |
| Pets | $2.1M | $723 | 79 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $5M | $1,743 | 85 |
| Vehicle insurance | $5.3M | $1,846 | 94 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $6.9M | $2,400 | 80 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $3.2M | $1,093 | 77 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $36.9M | $12,743 | 76 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Van Buren County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 7,131−1.2% since 2020
- Households
- 2,896
- Median age
- 45.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 82%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 485 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 15
- Median household income
- $61,161
- Average household income
- $82,878
- Median home value
- $114,600
- Jobs located here
- 1,765
- Daytime population
- 6,351Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Van Buren County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Van Buren County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Iowa 8
- Jefferson County, IA15,705 people
- Davis County, IA9,157 people
- Henry County, IA20,004 people
- Wapello County, IA35,362 people
- Lee County, IA32,893 people
- Keokuk County, IA9,924 people
- Des Moines County, IA38,487 people
- Washington County, IA22,561 people
Questions
How fast is Van Buren County, IA growing?
Population estimates put Van Buren County at 7,131 people in 2025, down 1.2% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 2,896 households.
How much do households in Van Buren County, IA spend?
Households in Van Buren County spend about $36.9M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $16.1M on groceries and $9.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Van Buren County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (56).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Van Buren County, IA?
The score leaves out counties under 10,000 people, where a handful of businesses would swing it.
How does Van Buren County, IA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Van Buren County is $61,161, 24% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $114,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for grocery and convenience stores (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for sit-down restaurants (38% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Markets with fewer than 5 map listings of the type, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored, since a few businesses can swing their figures.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Van Buren County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Van Buren County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Van Buren County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.