CostBy County

Cost of Living in Van Buren County, Tennessee

$700/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$159,200
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$700/mo
22% below state average
Median Home Value
$159,200
52% below national
Census GRAPI
19.8%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Van Buren County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Van Buren County$700/mo
Tennessee Average$893/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$700/mo
Median Gross Rent
$159,200
Median Home Value
$563/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
19.8%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Van Buren County ranks #232 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 7%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Van Buren County Median Gross Rent as Percentage of Household Income

The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) in Van Buren County is 19.8% according to the ACS 5-Year Estimates. This official B25071 metric is 7.1 percentage points below the Tennessee unweighted county mean of 26.9%. In terms of nominal costs, the median gross rent in the county was estimated at $700 per month, which is $193 below the Tennessee unweighted county mean of $893. For owner-occupied housing units, the median selected monthly owner cost is $563, whereas the unweighted county mean across the state is $788. The median home value in Van Buren County was recorded at $159,200, a figure that differs from the Tennessee unweighted county mean of $223,385. For renter-occupied households, the median household income was estimated at $36,343 during this period. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Van Buren County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 19.8% of renter household income in Van Buren County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $700 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $563. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $28,000 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Tennessee unweighted mean of county median rents is $893 per month. Van Buren County's $700 median is 21.6% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Van Buren County

$

Rent Burden

15.3%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,282

per month

Owner Cost Burden

12.3%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Van Buren County

Median home value is $159,200. Estimated monthly cost: $1,271 vs. your max of $1,282.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income15.3%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $54,931Needed: $28,000
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $54,931Needed: $24,129
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $54,931Needed: $37,050

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Van Buren County, Tennessee?
Van Buren County, Tennessee has a median monthly rent of $700/mo and a median home value of $159,200. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 19.8% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Van Buren County?
The median gross rent in Van Buren County is $700/mo. This is 22% below state average for Tennessee.
Is Van Buren County affordable?
Van Buren County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 19.8%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Van Buren County's rent compare to the state average?
Van Buren County's median rent of $700/mo is 22% below state average of $893/mo for Tennessee.
What is the median home value in Van Buren County?
The median home value in Van Buren County, Tennessee is $159,200. This is 52% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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