Buchanan County vs Buena Vista County
A side-by-side comparison of Buchanan County and Buena Vista County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buchanan County and Buena Vista County are counties in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Buena Vista County has the higher population (20,684 vs 20,645 in Buchanan County). Buchanan County has the higher median household income ($78,430 vs $66,564 in Buena Vista County). Buchanan County has the higher median home value ($171,400 vs $146,900 in Buena Vista County).
Population, income & housing
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,645 | 20,684 |
| Median age | 39.9 yrs | 35.7 yrs |
| Median household income | $78,430 | $66,564 |
| Median home value | $171,400 | $146,900 |
| Median gross rent | $802 | $835 |
| Housing units | 8,946 | 8,241 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 72.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 22.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 5.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,118 → 20,645 (-2.2%) | 20,058 → 20,684 (+3.1%) |
| Median household income | $64,837 → $78,430 (+21.0%) | $57,125 → $66,564 (+16.5%) |
| Median home value | $142,500 → $171,400 (+20.3%) | $115,600 → $146,900 (+27.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $678 → $802 (+18.3%) | $706 → $835 (+18.3%) |
Buchanan County
21,11820,645
$64,837$78,430
$142,500$171,400
$678$802
Buena Vista County
20,05820,684
$57,125$66,564
$115,600$146,900
$706$835
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.6% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 19.1% | 19.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.1% | 10.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.9% | 11.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.5% | 10.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 12.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 9.4% |
| 75 and over | 7.4% | 6.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 95.2% | 53.5% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% | 3.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 10.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 2.5% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.8% | 28.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.4% | 19.5% |
| High school graduate | 36.1% | 31.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.2% | 26.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.9% | 15.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.4% | 7.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.2% | 69.9% |
| Carpooled | 8.9% | 17.3% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 3.1% | 5.9% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 8.9% | 6.3% |
| Other means | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 81.8% | 75.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.7% | 2.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.3% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.1% | 9.9% |
| 20 or more units | 1.6% | 3.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.5% | 2.3% |
Poverty & households
| Buchanan County | Buena Vista County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 8.2% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.61 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 15 |
| Median year structure built | 1971 | 1963 |
Full profiles
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