United States › Iowa › Buchanan County COUNTY
Buchanan County Iowa · 20,883 residents (2025 est.) · 571 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Buchanan County is home to 20,694 people in Iowa. That puts it in the top 6% of US counties for household income. 82% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The foreign-born share is 1%. The typical home is worth $176,000, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,093 in 2000
20,883 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 37 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 21K 21K 21K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Buchanan County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $78,236
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,036 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,405 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.379 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.1%
Public administration 5.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 2.5%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$176,000
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$848
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $376 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.2% in 2000
17.9% rent
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.44 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98%(20,667)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(131)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95%(19,649)
Hispanic / Latino 1.9%(400)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 23 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 12.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.5%(2,281)
Women 15+
Never married 19.8%(1,616)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20.1%(213)
Share of the 1,059 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Buchanan County Head to head
Compare Buchanan County to nearby counties BUCHANAN COUNTY VS
Black Hawk County
Income $66,417 −15%
Home value $188,900 +7%
Population 131,532 +530%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUCHANAN COUNTY VS
Delaware County
Income $74,989 −4%
Home value $177,900 +1%
Population 17,674 −15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUCHANAN COUNTY VS
Fayette County
Income $60,165 −23%
Home value $136,800 −22%
Population 19,047 −9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUCHANAN COUNTY VS
Benton County
Income $86,962 +11%
Home value $208,200 +18%
Population 26,004 +25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Buchanan County, Iowa? Buchanan County, Iowa has about 20,694 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Buchanan County, Iowa? The typical household in Buchanan County, Iowa earns about $78,236 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Buchanan County, Iowa expensive? In Buchanan County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $176,000, and the typical rent is about $848 a month.
How educated are people in Buchanan County, Iowa? About 22.4% of adults age 25 and over in Buchanan County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Buchanan County, Iowa? About 8.6% of people in Buchanan County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Buchanan County, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Buchanan County, Iowa has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 150 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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