Buena Vista County, Iowa

10 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 20,684
Median household income: $66,564
Median home value: $146,900

Home to 20,684 residents, Buena Vista County is one of Iowa's counties. 10 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $66,564 runs below the Iowa figure of $73,147.

From 2019 to 2023, Buena Vista County's population grew 3.1% from 20,058 to 20,684, while its median household income rose 16.5% from $57,125 to $66,564.

The typical home was built around 1963. 8.2% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 20,684
Median age: 35.7 yrs
Median household income: $66,564
Median home value: $146,900
Median gross rent: $835
Housing units: 8,241
Homeownership rate: 72.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.1%
Unemployment rate: 5.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

20,05820,684

Median household income

$57,125$66,564

Median home value

$115,600$146,900

Median gross rent

$706$835

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	20,058	$57,125	$115,600	$706
2020	19,950	$54,014	$120,300	$706
2021	20,723	$53,645	$126,300	$737
2022	20,687	$62,662	$138,100	$781
2023	20,684	$66,564	$146,900	$835

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.0%

5 to 1719.7%

18 to 2410.1%

25 to 3411.9%

35 to 4412.3%

45 to 5410.8%

55 to 6412.1%

65 to 749.4%

75 and over6.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,439	7.0%
5 to 17	4,082	19.7%
18 to 24	2,091	10.1%
25 to 34	2,463	11.9%
35 to 44	2,547	12.3%
45 to 54	2,232	10.8%
55 to 64	2,513	12.1%
65 to 74	1,954	9.4%
75 and over	1,363	6.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	11,058	53.5%
Black or African American	637	3.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	14	0.1%
Asian	2,073	10.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	519	2.5%
Some other race	61	0.3%
Two or more races	398	1.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,924	28.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma19.5%

High school graduate31.8%

Some college or associate's26.7%

Bachelor's degree15.1%

Graduate or professional degree7.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,543	19.5%
High school graduate	4,151	31.8%
Some college or associate's	3,493	26.7%
Bachelor's degree	1,975	15.1%
Graduate or professional degree	910	7.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 15 min

Drove alone69.9%

Carpooled17.3%

Public transit0.0%

Walked5.9%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home6.3%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	7,054	69.9%
Carpooled	1,743	17.3%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	598	5.9%
Bicycle	32	0.3%
Worked from home	634	6.3%
Other means	34	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	6,211	65.6%
15 to 29 min	2,031	21.5%
30 to 44 min	699	7.4%
45 to 59 min	225	2.4%
60+ min	295	3.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.61
Poverty rate: 8.2% (1,624 of 19,716)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,558	60.4%
Nonfamily households	2,985	39.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1963

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	7,543	91.5%
Vacant	698	8.5%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,465	72.5%
Renter-occupied	2,078	27.5%

1-unit, detached75.1%

1-unit, attached2.9%

2 to 4 units6.2%

5 to 19 units9.9%

20 or more units3.7%

Mobile home & other2.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	6,186	75.1%
1-unit, attached	237	2.9%
2 to 4 units	509	6.2%
5 to 19 units	812	9.9%
20 or more units	309	3.7%
Mobile home & other	188	2.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 19021
State: Iowa
Land area: 575 sq mi
Water area: 5.33 sq mi
Center point: 42.7415, -95.1414