ZIP Code 72956

Van Buren (van BURE-n) is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas. The city was incorporated in 1845 and as of the 2010 census had a population of 22,791, ranking it as the state's 22nd largest city, behind Searcy. The area was settled by David Boyd and Thomas Martin in 1818. On December 28, 1862, Union and Confederate forces clashed in and around Van Buren, resulting in a defeat for the Confederates, led by Major General T. C. Hindman. In late May to early June 2019, the Arkansas River was suspected to crest at nearly 43 feet (13 m), which is 21 feet (6.4 m) above the flood stage. This flood would have destroyed a lot of land, homes and businesses if the levies had not been reconstructed after the earlier 1940s flood. On April 21, 1996, at 11:12 p.m., an F3 tornado hit theFort Smith/ van Buren area causing extensive damage. The tornado, which spawned in Oklahoma and crossed into west Fort Smith near the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, killed two, injured 89 and caused $300 million in damage. At its worst, the tornado was one half mile across. In total, there were around 1,800 homes damaged, the majority of which were in Van Buran. The Arkansas River forms the southern boundary of the city, separating it from Fort Smith of Sebastian County.

History

Van Buren is located in southwest Crawford County at 35°2640N 94°2048W (35.444339, -94.346737) The Arkansas River forms the southern boundary of the city, separating it from Fort Smith of Sebastian County. The city also lies on the eastern edge of the region known as Tornado Alley. According to the United States Census Bureau, Van Buren has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km²), of which 15.4 sq miles (40.0 km²) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.7km²), or 6.34%, is water. In late May to early June 2019, the Arkansas River was suspected to crest at nearly 43 feet (13 m), which is 21 feet (6.4 m) above the flood stage. This flood would have destroyed a lot of land, homes and businesses if the levies had not been reconstructed after the earlier 1940s flood. On April 21, 1996, at 11:12 p.m., an F3 tornado hit the Fort Smith/ van Buren area causing extensive damage. The tornado, which spawned in Oklahoma and crossed into west Fort Smith near the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, killed two, injured 89 and caused $300 million in damage. At its worst, the tornado was one half mile across. In total, there were around 1,800 homes damaged, the majority of which were in Van Buran.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 23,218 people, 8,990 households, and 6,011 families residing in the city. Of 6,947 households, 362 were unmarried partner households: 304 heterosexual, 12 same-sex male, and 46Same-sex female households. The city's population was 87.37% White, 1.64% Black or African American, 1.96% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 3.17% from other races, and 3.03% from two or more races. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.12. The median income for a household in theCity was $33,608, and the median income. for a family was $37,198. About 13.5% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% ofThose age 65 or over. The per capita income for the city was $14,948. For every 100 females age 18 or over, there are 86.8 males. The median age was 33.0 years. There were 7,427 housing units at an average density of 493.2 per square mile (190.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 87. 37% White. 6.04% of people were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Economy and infrastructure

Van Buren is home to many large corporations within the state and employs a great deal of the city's population within its Port and Industrial Park district. Major employers include poultry processors Tyson Foods and Simmons, the Van Buren School District, USA Truck, and Baptist Health. Manufacturing, food processing, and medicine are sustaining industries in the city. The city's economy is based on manufacturing and food processing. It also relies heavily on agriculture and other non-manufacturing industries for its economy. It is also home to a large number of health care facilities, including Baptist Health and the University of Arkansas at Van Buren. It has a population of about 3,000 people, with a population growth rate of about 1.5% per year. The town has a low crime rate and a high rate of homeownership, with the majority of the population living in the Port and industrial park district. Its economy is centered around manufacturing, food production, and agriculture. It also has a high unemployment rate, with about 10% of its residents working in manufacturing or food production. It suffers from a poor infrastructure, with many roads, bridges, and other infrastructure problems. It was the site of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which began in the early 20th century. In the 1930s and 1940s, the city was one of the largest cities in the state, with more than 1,000 residents living in Van Bureans. The Port and Industrial Park district is located in the town's central area.

Culture

Van Buren is home to the King Opera House, a Victorian-style performance hall from the late 19th century. The Crawford County courthouse is the oldest functioning courthouse west of the Mississippi River. Many Fort Smith based television stations including KHBS and KFSM, whose radio mast is built in Van Buren, provide local news and weather. The city's major newspaper is the Van Buran Press Argus-Courier; however many people also read Fort Smith's Southwest Times Record, as well as the Northwest Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The town is part of the primary Fort Smith metropolitan area, with many residents living in the Fort Smith suburb of Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is located on the Arkansas River, which runs through the center of the city. It has a population of around 2,000. It was the site of the World War I Battle of the Bulge, which took place in 1858. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which built Fort Smith in 1871, was based in the city until the end of the Civil War, when it was moved to Fort Smith. The Fort Smith area was once part of Arkansas, and was known as the "Red River Valley" because of the Red River. The Red River Valley is now part of Missouri, and is known as "The Red River State" due to its red sandy soil. It also has a large amount of undeveloped land, which is used for farming and other agricultural purposes.

Transportation

Van Buren's location at the junction of Interstate 40, Interstate 540, and the Arkansas/Oklahoma border yields surprisingly large tourism and hospitality industries. A private airport, Twin Cities Airport (code 39AR), was operational to the southeast of the city, but has been closed for many years. Modern railroads in the city include the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad. The city is also located at the junctions of several state and U.S. highways including Arkansas Highway 59, US 64, and US 71. Van Buren is home to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which was founded in 1883. It is also home to Arkansas State University, which opened in 1894. The University of Missouri at Little Spring is located in the town's downtown area. It was the first state university in the state, opening in 1881. The town is also the home of the Arkansas Institute of Technology, which began in 1891. The university is located on the Arkansas River, which runs through the city. The Arkansas River is a tributary of the Little Piney River which runs into the Mississippi River. It also runs along the border of Oklahoma and Oklahoma. The river is crossed by several major highways, including US 71, US 40, US 59 and US 540. It has a population of around 2,000. The U.N. World Heritage Site is located near the city's downtown. The American Museum of Natural History is based in the downtown area and is open to tourists.

Education

The Van Buren School District is the largest school district in Crawford County, Arkansas. It consists of six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one ninth grade academy. The district's high school is in the 5A/6A-West Division of Arkansas high school sports. The school district has a population of about 2,000 people. It is located in the eastern part of the county, near the town of Crawford. It has an enrollment of about 1,500 people, with the majority of its students living in the rural areas of Crawford County. The high school has a student population of around 1,200. The elementary schools have a total enrollment of around 2,200 people, and the middle schools have about 1.5,000 students. It also has a high school with a enrollment of more than 1,100 people, which is the second largest high school in the state. The district also has one academy with grades 9 and 9.5 and one middle school with grades 68 and 1012. It has one ninth-grade academy (grade 9) and one high-school (grade 1012) with a total of six schools. The Van Buran School District has a total population of 1,400 people, including the high school, which has a enrollment of 1,300 people. Its schools have an average of about 100 students in each grade level. The highest school is the ninth-grader academy with a student enrollment of 9.6.

Sites of interest

King Opera House, performance hall and historic landmark. Old Frisco Station-Victorian style railroad station; used for a scene in the film Biloxi Blues. It was part of the now defunct St. Louis-San Francisco Railway also known as the Frisco. Historic Main Street, used for scenes in The Blue and the Gray as well as scenes in the movie Frank & Jesse. It is located on the banks of the San Francisco Bay, near San Francisco and San Francisco. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1966. It also appears on the list of sites of interest to visitors to the city of San Francisco in the city's historic district. The city is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the City of Culture section of the World Heritage List. It can be reached by phone at (415) 615-4157 or by visiting the city’s official website at: http://www.san Francisco.gov/city/frisco-county/historic-council/county-sites-of-interest.html.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas = 86. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 55. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Van Buren = 5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 23,218 individuals with a median age of 34.4 age the population grows by 18.73% in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,505.61 residents per square mile of area (581.34/km²). There are average 2.64 people per household in the 8,370 households with an average household income of $39,696 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.20% of the available work force and has dropped -1.28% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 30.24%. The number of physicians in Van Buren per 100,000 population = 79.1.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Van Buren = 40.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 5.9 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 96. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 220. 93 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 29.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 25, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas which are owned by the occupant = 64.50%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 24 years with median home cost = $101,870 and home appreciation of 1.57%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $5.80 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,261 per student. There are 13.5 students for each teacher in the school, 489 students for each Librarian and 391 students for each Counselor. 6.32% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 8.16% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 3.97% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).