Van Buren

Background Image

Van Buren, AR Area Guide

A picturesque riverside community with Fort Smith at your fingertips

Suburb Commuter River Historic Interstate Affordable Parks

Van Buren is a suburban city positioned just north of Fort Smith on the bank of the Arkansas River. The city is home to a beautifully preserved Main Street historic district, featuring magnificent Victorian buildings such as the stunning Crawford County Bank Building and the Italian-style county courthouse. The easy access to Fort Smith makes Van Buren a great option for commuters, with the local rental market offering a broad selection of affordable apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes. Lee Creek Park provides a great venue for spending quality time outdoors with scenic views of the river, and Ozark National Forest sits just a short drive to the northeast.

Rent Trends

As of March 2026, the average apartment rent in Van Buren, AR is $624 for one bedroom, $840 for two bedrooms, and $896 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Van Buren has increased by 5.1% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$624/month
642 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Van Buren, AR

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Van Buren, AR is for everyday living.

Car-Dependent

35 / 100

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

Somewhat Bikeable

31 / 100

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Parkview Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

Rena Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

King Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

Northridge Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

Van Buren Freshman Academy

Public

Grades 6-12

Coleman Junior High School

Public

Grades 7-9

744 Students

Van Buren High School

Public

Grades 9-12

Van Buren Freshman Academy

Public

Grades 6-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Fort Smith National Historic Site
  • Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center

Airports

  • Fort Smith Regional

Top Apartments in Van Buren

Houses for Rent in Van Buren

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.