Buchanan County, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Buchanan County is located in Virginia with a total population of 19,857. It is the 81st most populous county out of 133 in Virginia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Buchanan County is 47.3 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Buchanan County is $42,216. This is 54% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.9%. This is 141% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $91,400. Housing costs are 75% lower than the state median of $360,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Buchanan County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 82.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Buchanan County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.7% vs 59.0%). The Black or African American population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

10.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 74% lower than the state rate of 41.5%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 77.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Buchanan County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Virginia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.