[3] As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,796 people, 6,813 households, and 4,631 families residing in the county.

1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, but the percentage could increased 3 or 4 times by seasonal migrant laborers in the county's shiitake mushroom harvest and hospitality jobs provided by the Fairfield Bay resort hotel.

The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection.

Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year.

[14][15] Over the past few election cycles Van Buren County, like all of the traditionally secessionist and Democratic Upland South, has trended heavily towards the GOP.

Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries.

However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions").

Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications.