Van Buren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,295. The county seat is Clinton. The county was formed on November 11, 1833, and named for Martin Van Buren, President of the United States, who was Vice President at the time of the county's formation. Van Buren County was a dry county until November 3, 2020 as the county residents voted to make it a wet county. Van Buren County should not be confused with the city of Van Buren, which is located approximately 100 miles to the west in Crawford County just north of Fort Smith.