diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/array-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/array-test.cc
index 65e0e26fd38e7..16afb9bef348c 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/array-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/array-test.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "arrow/types/primitive.h"
 #include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/memory-pool.h"
+#include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
 using std::string;
 using std::vector;
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/array.h b/cpp/src/arrow/array.h
index c95450d12a419..0eaa28d528e37 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/array.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/array.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define ARROW_ARRAY_H
 
 #include <cstdint>
-#include <cstdlib>
 #include <memory>
 
 #include "arrow/type.h"
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h b/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
index 3a16b7ff16810..456bb04ae090a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/builder.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "arrow/type.h"
-#include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/macros.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ namespace arrow {
 
 class Array;
 class MemoryPool;
+class PoolBuffer;
 
 static constexpr int64_t MIN_BUILDER_CAPACITY = 1 << 8;
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive-test.cc
index 80f191b321782..3484294a39f9a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive-test.cc
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
 #include <cstdint>
-#include <cstdlib>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive.h b/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive.h
index e270c810c6950..c5ae0f78a991b 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/primitive.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "arrow/array.h"
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/string-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/types/string-test.cc
index 0788dabfdee10..a2d87ead59c59 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/string-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/string-test.cc
@@ -31,12 +31,9 @@
 #include "arrow/types/test-common.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
-using std::string;
-using std::unique_ptr;
-using std::vector;
-
 namespace arrow {
 
+class Buffer;
 
 TEST(TypesTest, TestCharType) {
   CharType t1(5);
@@ -45,7 +42,7 @@ TEST(TypesTest, TestCharType) {
   ASSERT_TRUE(t1.nullable);
   ASSERT_EQ(t1.size, 5);
 
-  ASSERT_EQ(t1.ToString(), string("char(5)"));
+  ASSERT_EQ(t1.ToString(), std::string("char(5)"));
 
   // Test copy constructor
   CharType t2 = t1;
@@ -63,7 +60,7 @@ TEST(TypesTest, TestVarcharType) {
   ASSERT_EQ(t1.size, 5);
   ASSERT_EQ(t1.physical_type.size, 6);
 
-  ASSERT_EQ(t1.ToString(), string("varchar(5)"));
+  ASSERT_EQ(t1.ToString(), std::string("varchar(5)"));
 
   // Test copy constructor
   VarcharType t2 = t1;
@@ -78,7 +75,7 @@ TEST(TypesTest, TestStringType) {
   StringType str_nn(false);
 
   ASSERT_EQ(str.type, TypeEnum::STRING);
-  ASSERT_EQ(str.name(), string("string"));
+  ASSERT_EQ(str.name(), std::string("string"));
   ASSERT_TRUE(str.nullable);
   ASSERT_FALSE(str_nn.nullable);
 }
@@ -111,11 +108,11 @@ class TestStringContainer : public ::testing::Test  {
   }
 
  protected:
-  vector<int32_t> offsets_;
-  vector<char> chars_;
-  vector<uint8_t> nulls_;
+  std::vector<int32_t> offsets_;
+  std::vector<char> chars_;
+  std::vector<uint8_t> nulls_;
 
-  vector<string> expected_;
+  std::vector<std::string> expected_;
 
   std::shared_ptr<Buffer> value_buf_;
   std::shared_ptr<Buffer> offsets_buf_;
@@ -188,8 +185,8 @@ class TestStringBuilder : public TestBuilder {
  protected:
   TypePtr type_;
 
-  unique_ptr<StringBuilder> builder_;
-  unique_ptr<StringArray> result_;
+  std::unique_ptr<StringBuilder> builder_;
+  std::unique_ptr<StringArray> result_;
 };
 
 TEST_F(TestStringBuilder, TestAttrs) {
@@ -197,8 +194,8 @@ TEST_F(TestStringBuilder, TestAttrs) {
 }
 
 TEST_F(TestStringBuilder, TestScalarAppend) {
-  vector<string> strings = {"a", "bb", "", "", "ccc"};
-  vector<uint8_t> is_null = {0, 0, 0, 1, 0};
+  std::vector<std::string> strings = {"a", "bb", "", "", "ccc"};
+  std::vector<uint8_t> is_null = {0, 0, 0, 1, 0};
 
   int N = strings.size();
   int reps = 1000;
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/string.h b/cpp/src/arrow/types/string.h
index c36a51dc077b4..d0690d9a7d2a4 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/string.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/string.h
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@
 #include "arrow/type.h"
 #include "arrow/types/integer.h"
 #include "arrow/types/list.h"
-#include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
 namespace arrow {
 
 class ArrayBuilder;
+class Buffer;
+class MemoryPool;
 
 struct CharType : public DataType {
   int size;
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/struct.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/types/struct.cc
index b7be5d8245f1d..a245656b516cc 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/struct.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/struct.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "arrow/types/struct.h"
 
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <memory>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
index 54f41a7eef6be..db3f81795eae2 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/types/union.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "arrow/types/union.h"
 
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/bit-util.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/bit-util.h
index 61dffa30423b1..9ae6127c5ea9c 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/bit-util.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/bit-util.h
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <memory>
 
-#include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
-
 namespace arrow {
 
+class Buffer;
 class Status;
 
 namespace util {
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer-test.cc
index 444c371bb1b08..9f1fd91432b4d 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer-test.cc
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@
 // under the License.
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
-#include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <limits>
-#include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "arrow/test-util.h"
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer.h
index 71c8061b3ad5e..8704723eb0a89 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/buffer.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define ARROW_UTIL_BUFFER_H
 
 #include <cstdint>
-#include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <memory>
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
index 899ecc31974cd..954b5f951b558 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
@@ -20,12 +20,9 @@
 #include <limits>
 
 #include "arrow/test-util.h"
-#include "arrow/util/buffer.h"
 #include "arrow/util/memory-pool.h"
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
 
-using std::string;
-
 namespace arrow {
 
 TEST(DefaultMemoryPool, MemoryTracking) {
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
index 178ab7f799877..5820346e5a739 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <sstream>
-#include <thread>
 #include <mutex>
 
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.h
index 24abfc251fae4..a7cb10dae1703 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.h
@@ -19,11 +19,9 @@
 #define ARROW_UTIL_MEMORY_POOL_H
 
 #include <cstdint>
-#include <memory>
 
 namespace arrow {
 
-class Buffer;
 class Status;
 
 class MemoryPool {