Van Buren County, TN - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Van Buren County

Van Buren County serves a small, rural student population from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is the only public school system in its county, so there are no neighboring districts within the county for comparison. The enrollment is modest for a PK–12 system, and the student body is overwhelmingly white, with very small numbers of students identifying as Hispanic, Black, Asian, or multiracial. The share of students from low-income households is not reported in the data we reviewed, nor are counts of students with disabilities or English learners, which means key dimensions of student support and need are not available from this source.

State assessment results are reported for grades three through eight across four subjects. In math, less than half of students scored at the proficient level or above, a pattern that also holds for English language arts, science, and social studies. Participation in the state tests was universal, and the district reports results for all students together without subgroup breakdowns. The data we examined does not include high school end-of-course exam results, so the full picture of academic performance through graduation is incomplete. The graduation rate is also missing; it is a metric that typically applies to this grade span, so its absence is a gap a parent may want to follow up on directly.

The housing market in the area is relatively affordable. Typical home values are below the statewide and national medians, though values vary across the zip codes that serve the district. Some areas show modest year-over-year price increases, while one has seen a decline. Rental data is limited, covering only a portion of the district’s geography. Based on the available figures, renting appears to consume a smaller share of typical income, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment runs somewhat higher than rent, which is a common pattern nationally. The economic context includes a national unemployment rate hovering in the low four percent range and mortgage rates near a multi-year high, factors that shape the local housing picture as well.

The schools that make up the district are Spencer Elementary and Van Buren County High School. We looked for recent, parent-relevant changes to the district—such as boundary adjustments, program launches, or leadership transitions—but publicly reported information was limited. No such changes surfaced in the research. A resident or incoming family would likely want to reach out to the district directly for updates on anything that affects day-to-day operations.

A family considering Van Buren County will find a very small, homogenous district in a rural Tennessee setting where home prices are generally lower than state and national averages. Academic proficiency in the middle grades sits below the halfway mark across tested subjects, and several pieces of information that many families use to evaluate a district—economic disadvantage rates, special education and English learner enrollment, and graduation outcomes—are not available from the data at hand. Without those details, a parent may want to ask the district directly about student supports, postsecondary pathways, and how the high school prepares its graduates.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

754

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 1%

Black 1%

White 98%

Asian 0%

Two+ 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

26%

37%

Gr 4

52%

61%

Gr 5

20%

46%

Gr 6

29%

28%

Gr 7

21%

20%

Gr 8

56%

36%

Gr 38

34%

38%

Math

Gr 3

26%

52%

Gr 4

39%

31%

Gr 5

20%

43%

Gr 6

35%

37%

Gr 7

38%

43%

Gr 8

67%

64%

Gr 38

38%

45%

Science

Gr 3

30%

44%

Gr 4

26%

44%

Gr 5

33%

54%

Gr 6

41%

47%

Gr 7

25%

30%

Gr 8

50%

46%

Gr 38

33%

44%

Social studies

Gr 6

35%

Gr 7

25%

43%

Gr 8

44%

41%

Gr 38

34%

39%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

Spencer Elementary

Van Buren Co High School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

42%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

37%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

40%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

37%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$217,828

Year-over-year change-0.6%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$201K to $282K

vs. state typical0.65x

vs. national typical0.59x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
38585	Spencer	$201K	-3.2%	66.1%
38581	Rock Island	$247K	+3.7%	16.3%
38559	Quebeck	$240K	+5.1%	5.1%
37367	Pikeville	$242K	+8.8%	4.2%
37110	McMinnville	$254K	+1.8%	4.1%
38583	Sparta	$282K	+5.8%	3.1%
37327	Dunlap	$275K	+3.8%	1.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$940/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
37110	McMinnville	$940	—	4.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,099/mo

Home price / national median income2.6x

Annual rent / national median income13.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$159/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$334,075 (+0.3% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.