Van Buren County, Michigan
Use this county page to find the right government office or narrow down to a city or township. The service directory covers common county jobs; the local pages add property-tax context, school-district rate ranges, nearby places, and Porch Notes tied to each community.
County snapshot
Cities
4
Townships
18
School districts
17
Primary home (PRE) rates, for homes with Michigan's Principal Residence Exemption, range from 23.036 mills to 49.6813 mills.
Other property, often called non-homestead, usually means rentals, vacation homes, and second homes. Those rates range from 41.036 mills to 67.6813 mills.
Rate rows come from the official Michigan Treasury millage-rate reports . Data used: 2025 Michigan Treasury Total Property Tax Rates. Last reviewed July 12, 2026.
Use this carefully: Michigan Porch uses the statewide published rates as a planning aid. The local assessor or treasurer controls parcel-specific values, due dates, and special assessments.
County service directory
Find the office before you make the trip
Some questions stay with the city or township. Others move to the county, a health district, or a court. Start with the job you need done, then confirm hours, fees, and forms with the office.
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Marriage licenses, local vital records, and elections
Van Buren County clerk
Start with the clerk for a marriage license, a county-filed birth or death record, election information, and other county records.
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Deeds, mortgages, and recorded land documents
Van Buren County register of deeds
Use this office for recorded property documents. It does not decide ownership disputes or tell you whether a deed is legally sufficient.
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Delinquent real-property tax and foreclosure questions
Van Buren County treasurer
Current bills usually begin with the city or township treasurer. After the local collection period, delinquent real-property tax moves to the county or the state foreclosing unit.
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Private wells, septic systems, and local health services
Local health department
Michigan has county and multi-county health departments. Use the state finder to see which department serves this county before applying or making an appointment.
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District, circuit, probate, or family-court business
Michigan trial courts serving this county
The court depends on the case type and sometimes the city or district. The judiciary directory lists court locations, websites, and contact information by county.
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Countywide assessment data and equalization
Van Buren County equalization
Your local assessor and Board of Review handle an individual parcel first. County equalization studies values across local units and supports assessment administration.
County websites are checked against the State of Michigan county website directory . State and court finders are used where one office or district can serve more than one county. Directory reviewed July 12, 2026. Office roles were checked against Michigan Vital Records, Michigan Treasury taxpayer resources, and State Tax Commission guidance.
Local pages
Places in Van Buren County
City
Bangor
1 school district available.
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City
Gobles
1 school district available.
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City
Hartford
1 school district available.
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City
South Haven
1 school district available.
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Township
Almena Township
3 school districts available.
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Township
Antwerp Township
3 school districts available.
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Township
Arlington Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Bangor Township
4 school districts available.
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Township
Bloomingdale Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Columbia Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Covert Township
5 school districts available.
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Township
Decatur Township
3 school districts available.
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Township
Geneva Township
3 school districts available.
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Township
Hamilton Township
1 school district available.
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Township
Hartford Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Keeler Township
3 school districts available.
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Township
Lawrence Township
4 school districts available.
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Township
Paw Paw Township
4 school districts available.
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Township
Pine Grove Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Porter Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
South Haven Township
2 school districts available.
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Township
Waverly Township
5 school districts available.
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Porch Notes
Local notes from Van Buren County
Stories, practical notes, and local details tied to places in this county.
Van Buren County · History and culture
Lawton: the grape town Prohibition couldn't break
Welch's opened a grape juice plant in Lawton in 1919, the same year Prohibition arrived — and more than a century later it still presses local Concord grapes a few blocks off the main drag.
Read this note ->Van Buren County · History and culture
The South Haven farmhouse that raised the father of modern horticulture
Liberty Hyde Bailey, the man who taught universities to take garden plants seriously, was born in a small frame house outside South Haven in 1858 — and that house is now a museum and garden.
Read this note ->Van Buren County · Outdoors
Wolf Lake hatchery: where six-foot sturgeon live near Mattawan
The state fish hatchery west of Mattawan has been raising Great Lakes fish since 1927, and its free visitor center includes a show pond where lake sturgeon glide along the bottom.
Read this note ->Van Buren County · History and culture
Paw Paw's name runs from fruit to river to village
The village traces its name to the Paw Paw River, which local history says Indigenous people named for the native pawpaw fruit.
Read this note ->Van Buren County · Rules and licenses
South Haven puts short-term rentals through zoning and licensing
South Haven requires a short-term rental to clear zoning review, obtain a city license, and pass inspection; a new rental in the overlay district also needs special land-use approval.
Read this note ->Van Buren County · History and culture
South Haven's tall ship fought in the War of 1812
The Michigan Maritime Museum on South Haven's Black River sails a replica sloop, Friends Good Will, whose namesake was captured, recaptured, and named in Oliver Perry's famous victory dispatch.
Read this note ->Next steps
What to check next in Van Buren County
Start with a local page, then move into the Michigan rule or tool that matches the question in front of you.
- Tool Estimate a buyer tax bill Use the Michigan homebuyer tax calculator when you have a price, place, and school district. Open calculator ->
- Question Understand uncapping See why a buyer's first full-year tax bill can differ from the seller's old bill. Read the guide ->
- Places Search statewide Look up another city, township, village, county, or school district. Browse places ->
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