Van Buren at a glance
- Population: about 24,138, 20th by size in Arkansas of 500 places (Census Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 23,210 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: an increase of about 4.0% since the 2020 count (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Arkansas places: 20th of the state's 500 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: roughly 96% of places in Arkansas rank below it by population (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 35.4512, -94.3540 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities (120-mile radius): Fort Smith, AR (7 mi); Fayetteville, AR (44 mi); Springdale, AR (52 mi); Muskogee, OK (60 mi); Rogers, AR (61 mi) (US Census Bureau).
- Smaller places nearby: Moffett, OK (7 mi); Kibler, AR (7 mi); Rudy, AR (8 mi), per US Census Bureau estimates.
What a personal loan costs in Van Buren
The defining feature of a personal loan is the fixed installment: the same payment every month until the term ends.
APR, not the simple interest rate, reflects what the loan actually costs once fees are included; the personal loan calculator puts a figure on it.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
Set the loan amount from the expense itself rather than the maximum you are approved for, and keep the payment within your existing budget.
Arkansas lending rules that apply in Van Buren
The sourced rows below are the rules a licensed lender must follow when lending in Arkansas, and therefore in Van Buren.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". | Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". | Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". | Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Van Buren
Run through this list before signing anything in Van Buren:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Arkansas using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.