Cost of living in Van Buren research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Van Buren is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Arkansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Van Buren is 91, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Van Buren is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Van Buren ranks as the #39 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.
Van Buren ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Van Buren is $199,071.
The median income in Van Buren is $59,420.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Van Buren has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arkansas, Van Buren has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Arkansas's index of 85.
The standard of living in Van Buren ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Van Buren ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Natural State.
For more reading on life in Van Buren, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Van Buren. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Van Buren is 101.
The Groceries index in Van Buren is 93.
The Health index in Van Buren is 101.
The Housing index in Van Buren is 70.
The Transportation index in Van Buren is 95.
The Utilities index in Van Buren is 95.
| Living Expense | Van Buren | Arkansas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 91 | 85 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 89 | 100 | |
| Housing | 70 | 65 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arkansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Van Buren is $199,071.
The Median Rent in Van Buren is $820.
The Median Income in Van Buren is $59,420.
The Home Value To Income in Van Buren is 3.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Van Buren is 0.17x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Van Buren. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Fayetteville, AR has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Van Buren.
Fort Smith, AR has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Van Buren.
Tahlequah, OK has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x Van Buren.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Van Buren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | 97,227 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Fort Smith, AR | 89,496 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Tahlequah, OK | 16,513 | 85 | 0.9x |
| Greenwood, AR | 9,570 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Clarksville, AR | 9,500 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Poteau, OK | 8,903 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Sallisaw, OK | 8,553 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Farmington, AR | 8,469 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Alma, AR | 5,879 | 91 | 1.0x |