Van Buren County is a county in Tennessee, United States, about 30 miles south of Cookeville
on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau. It had a population of 6,168 at the 2020 census,
an estimated 6,874 by 2025, and covers 275 square miles (710 km2) centred near 35°41′N 85°28′W.
Spencer is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated town; its postal code is 38585.
The county holds 1 incorporated town and 19 unincorporated communities across a single ZIP code
area, and it runs on Central Time. Its FIPS code is 47175.
Towns & Villages in Van Buren County
Van Buren County has 20 named places on record: Spencer, the only incorporated town, and 19
unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. All 20 sit within the county’s
single ZIP code, so ZIP is listed only where a place has its own recognized post office town.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer | Town · seat | 1,462 | 38585 |
| Bone Cave | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cane Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chalybeate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cummingsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harmony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Laurel Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Laurelburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lonewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McElroy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mooneyham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Phiferes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sparkman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sweetgum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Welchland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 38585 — Spencer, the only ZIP code assigned in Van Buren County
All 19 unincorporated communities — Bone Cave, Cane Creek, Cedar Grove, Chalybeate,
Cummingsville, Harmony, Laurel Creek, Laurelburg, Lonewood, McElroy, Mooneyham, Phiferes, Pine
Creek, Pine Grove, Riverview, Sparkman, Sweetgum, Welchland and White Hill — use the 38585
ZIP; none has ever had its own post office code, since Van Buren is small enough that a single
ZIP covers its entire 275 square miles.
Geography
Van Buren County sits on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau, a landscape of sandstone
ridges, narrow gorges and hundreds of caves cut into the plateau’s limestone base. Of its 275
square miles, 273 are land and 1.1 are water, about 0.4 percent — the county has no large
natural lake, and its surface water is limited to Cane Creek and other short plateau streams. The
county holds more than 850 documented caves, more than any other county in the eastern United
States except Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave country, and Big Bone Cave, near the community of Bone
Cave, was mined for saltpeter during both the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Fall Creek Falls
State Park, which the county shares with neighboring Bledsoe County, holds Fall Creek Falls
itself, a 256-foot drop that is among the tallest waterfalls in the eastern United States.
White County lies to the north, Bledsoe County to the east, Sequatchie County to the south, and
Warren County to the west. White
County, Bledsoe County, Sequatchie County and Warren County all border Van
Buren directly.
Demographics
Van Buren County had a population of 6,168 at the 2020 census, Tennessee’s second-smallest
county total, and the latest estimate puts the county near 6,874 residents by 2025. Spencer, the
only incorporated town, holds roughly 1,462 people, less than a quarter of the county’s
population; nearly all other residents live scattered across the 19 unincorporated communities
and the rural land between them. Median household income runs $54,931, well below
Tennessee’s statewide figure of $67,631 (2023 ACS). Population density works out to about 23
people per square mile of land, among the lowest in Tennessee outside its far eastern mountain
counties.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 677 people, followed by public
administration at 272 and health care and social assistance at 267. Fall Creek Falls State Park,
with its 85-room inn, restaurant, 18-hole golf course and campgrounds, is one of the county’s
largest employers outside government and manufacturing, and the loss of lodging and sales tax
revenue during the inn’s long closure for renovation was significant enough that both Van
Buren and Bledsoe counties objected publicly. Van Buren County Schools operates the county’s
public school system. Spencer was once home to Burritt College, a coeducational institution that
ran from 1848 until 1939, one of the first schools in the South to teach men and women together.
History
The Tennessee General Assembly formed Van Buren County on 3 January 1840, combining parts of
White, Warren and Bledsoe counties. It was named for Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of
the United States and the sitting president at the time. Spencer was incorporated as the county
seat in 1909. Burritt College opened in Spencer in 1848 and admitted women alongside men from
1850, decades ahead of most Southern colleges, before it closed in 1939 as state normal schools
drew away its students and funding.
Getting There
No interstate crosses Van Buren County. State Route 30 runs west to east through the county,
climbing the Cumberland Plateau from Warren County to reach Spencer before descending toward
Bledsoe County and Pikeville. State Route 111 runs north from Spencer toward Cookeville.
- Cookeville — about 30 miles north
- Pikeville — about 25 miles east
Nashville International Airport, reached via Cookeville and Interstate 40, is the nearest
commercial airport. Tennessee has no Amtrak passenger rail service, so the nearest passenger
trains run in neighboring states.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Van Buren County located?
It sits on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee, about 30 miles south
of Cookeville, bordered by White, Bledsoe, Sequatchie and Warren counties.
What is the population of Van Buren County?
6,168 at the 2020 census, with an estimate near 6,874 by 2025 — Tennessee’s
second-smallest county.
How big is Van Buren County?
275 square miles (710 km2), of which 273 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Van Buren County?
Spencer, incorporated in 1909, is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated town.
How many towns and villages are in Van Buren County?
One incorporated town, Spencer, plus 19 unincorporated communities: Bone Cave, Cane Creek, Cedar
Grove, Chalybeate, Cummingsville, Harmony, Laurel Creek, Laurelburg, Lonewood, McElroy, Mooneyham,
Phiferes, Pine Creek, Pine Grove, Riverview, Sparkman, Sweetgum, Welchland and White Hill.
What ZIP code does Van Buren County use?
38585, assigned to Spencer — the only ZIP code in the county.
What is Van Buren County known for?
Fall Creek Falls State Park, home to a 256-foot waterfall, and more than 850 documented caves,
including Big Bone Cave, once mined for saltpeter.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.