Van Buren County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Van Buren County, Michigan has a population of 75,795 across 607 square miles, up 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $3.31 bn in 2024, 1,327 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 89 7(a) approvals worth $45.7 m.
126 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Van Buren County
How many people live in Van Buren County
- Population75,795
- Households30,622
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$68,114
- Median age41.2
- Median gross rent$870 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$206,500
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over52,835
- Population under 1817,385
- Share under 1822.9 percent
- Population 65 and over15,078
- Share 65 and over19.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6443,332
- Civilian labor force35,342
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.5 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties26th of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents749th
Van Buren County is the 26th largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.9 percent against 19.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Van Buren County
Is Van Buren County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.73 percent
- Census 2020 base population75,575
- Births, 2024807
- Deaths, 2024810
- Natural change, 2024-3
- Net domestic migration, 202450
- Net international migration, 2024178
- Total net migration, 2024228
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024468
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1581st
The county has grown 0.73 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Van Buren County
Where people moving to Van Buren County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,116
- People arriving, from those returns3,882
- Adjusted gross income arriving$154.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$72,845
- Largest single originVan Buren County Non-migrants (28,675 households)
- Largest single destination (28,675 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County Non-migrants | 28,675 | 58,719 | $1.96 bn |
| Kalamazoo County | 546 | 953 | $35.8 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 535 | 996 | $53.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 214 | 412 | $11.7 m |
| Allegan County | 206 | 415 | $9.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 195 | 355 | $13.1 m |
| Berrien County | 194 | 390 | $9.6 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 170 | 297 | $26.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Van Buren County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Van Buren County
What the Van Buren County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$3.31 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.35 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.0 percent
- GDP change over five years6.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among Michigan counties25th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents913th
- GDP per resident$43,713
Output grew -1.0 percent in the latest year and 6.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Van Buren County
Who employs people in Van Buren County
- Covered employment, annual average21,597
- Establishments reporting1,643
- Average annual pay$51,293
- Average weekly wage$986
- Sector 31-33, employment3,524
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$63,637
- Sector 44-45, employment2,574
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$31,825
- Sector 72, employment2,200
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,925
- Sector 54, employment2,178
- Sector 54, average annual pay$76,053
- Sector 62, employment1,388
- Sector 11, employment1,312
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 3,524 | 108 | $63,637 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,574 | 218 | $31,825 |
| Sector 72 | 2,200 | 155 | $21,925 |
| Sector 54 | 2,178 | 88 | $76,053 |
| Sector 62 | 1,388 | 204 | $44,705 |
| Sector 11 | 1,312 | 122 | $36,172 |
| Sector 56 | 758 | 76 | $56,748 |
| Sector 23 | 696 | 149 | $60,149 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,524 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Van Buren County
What businesses operate in Van Buren County
- Establishments, all industries1,327
- Employment at those establishments17,635
- Annual payroll$970.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Van Buren County
What is being built in Van Buren County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024212
- Declared construction value permitted$67.5 m
- Single family units authorised208
- Multifamily units authorised4
- Multifamily share of units1.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$318,569
- Units authorised per 1,000 households6.9
Multifamily is 1.9 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Van Buren County
How much SBA lending happens in Van Buren County
- 7(a) approvals recorded89
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$45.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$513,580
- Median 7(a) approval$198,800
- 10th percentile approval$38,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,294,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,492
- Jobs per approval16.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active24
- Distinct industries receiving approvals58
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms20
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter65
- Franchise loans7
- Franchise share of approvals7.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countClothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (3)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (42)
- 504 approvals recorded28
- 504 gross approval dollars$19.2 m
- Average 504 approval$684,750
- Median 504 approval$512,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval6.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.4
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (18)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals76.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$64.9 m
The average approval of $513,580 sits well above the median of $198,800, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 22.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Van Buren County
Do SBA loans in Van Buren County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure70
- Status: Cancelled11
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 6 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Van Buren County
Which parts of Van Buren County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending14
- South Haven, approvals22
- Paw Paw, approvals20
- Mattawan, approvals15
- BLOOMINGDALE, approvals8
- LAWTON, approvals5
- Gobles, approvals5
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| South Haven | 22 | $11,325,100 |
| Paw Paw | 20 | $16,187,800 |
| Mattawan | 15 | $5,729,100 |
| BLOOMINGDALE | 8 | $2,349,000 |
| LAWTON | 5 | $2,774,000 |
| Gobles | 5 | $1,423,200 |
| Decatur | 4 | $1,493,400 |
| DOWAGIAC | 2 | $2,153,000 |
South Haven accounts for 22 approvals against 20 in Paw Paw. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Van Buren County
How big is Van Buren County
- Land area607 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties35th of 83
- Width, east to west30.8 mi
- Height, north to south24.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land125
- Establishments per square mile2.19
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Van Buren County
What hazards affect Van Buren County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book22
- Of those, participating in the NFIP17
- NFIP participation rate77.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Van Buren County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Van Buren County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population75,795
- Households30,622
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$68,114
- Median age41.2
Common questions
Van Buren County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Van Buren County, Michigan?
75,795, in 30,622 households, ranking 26th of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Van Buren County growing?
The population has grown 0.73 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 807 births against 810 deaths, with net migration of 228. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Van Buren County?
$68,114. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $206,500, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $870 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Van Buren County?
1,327 establishments, employing 17,635 people with an annual payroll of $970.2 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Van Buren County?
Average annual pay is $51,293, or $986 a week, across 21,597 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Van Buren County?
89 7(a) approvals totalling $45.7 m since FY2020, across 24 lenders, with a median approval of $198,800, plus 28 504 approvals worth $19.2 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Van Buren County?
212 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $67.5 m. Multifamily was 1.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Van Buren County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Van Buren County come from?
The largest single origin is Van Buren County Non-migrants, with 28,675 households. Arriving households report an average income of $72,845 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Van Buren County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Van Buren County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.