The town is named after then-Senator Martin Van Buren, who would later become the eighth president of the United States.

The portion of the town north and east of New York State Route 690 and south of the Seneca River is suburban in character, consisting primarily of single-family tract housing, some low-rise apartment buildings, park land, and some light industry.

The town was part of the Central New York Military Tract of 1789 used to pay soldiers for service in the American Revolution.

Most of the soldiers chose to sell their allotments for cash so that the town was briefly in the hands of land speculators until the actual residents purchased lots.

The Baldwinsville Central School District, formed in 1949, includes most of the area of both Van Buren and Lysander.

New York State Route 690 is a limited access highway connecting with Thruway Exit 39 and bypassing Baldwinsville on the west.

New York State Route 173 runs northwest—southeast, connecting Van Buren with Fairmount and Onondaga Hill.