Buena Vista, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Buena Vista is located in Virginia with a total population of 6,612. It is the 125th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Buena Vista is 36.2 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Buena Vista is $54,458. This is 40% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 22.0%. This is 122% 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 2.2%. This is 48% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $153,500. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $360,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Buena Vista is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 57.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% lower than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Buena Vista has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.6%. The Black or African American population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 18.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

24.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% 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 83.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Buena Vista 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.