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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Buena Vista County

Iowa · 20,411 residents · 575 sq mi
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The short version

Buena Vista County is a county of 20,411 people in Iowa. The typical home is worth $65,900, having risen by half since 1990. Getting to work takes 11 minutes on average. About 19% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median rent is $417 a month. Households take in $35,300 at the median, 17% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 36.4
US median: 35.2
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

20,411
+2%since 1990
from 19,965 in 1990
1990 – 2025
36.4
+8%since 1990
from 33.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
575 sq mi
Population, 19902024
19K20K20K21K21K19902000201020202024Buena Vista County
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.9%(1,209)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(1,431)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.7%(1,573)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 199.1%(1,852)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.8%(1,595)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.7%(2,180)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.7%(3,002)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.7%(2,602)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.5%(1,526)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.9%(1,607)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 846.3%(1,280)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.7%(554)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$35,300
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,311 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$16,042
+40%since 1990
from $11,423 in 1990
US average: $21,522
10.5%
+1.8 ptssince 1990
from 8.7% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$65,900
+22%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $41,100 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$417
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $298 in 1990
US average: $602
70.4%
+2.6 ptssince 1990
from 67.8% in 1990
29.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic97.5%(19,463)
Black0.3%(52)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(108)
Asian1.9%(388)
2000
White, non-Hispanic82.1%(16,758)
Black0.3%(61)
Hispanic / Latino12.5%(2,560)
Asian4.3%(870)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican21.8%(4,518)
Cuban2.2%(461)
Salvadoran1.8%(382)
Guatemalan1.5%(301)
Honduran0.3%(61)
Costa Rican0.1%(31)
Puerto Rican0.1%(21)
Nicaraguan0.1%(20)
Dominican0.1%(13)
Venezuelan0.1%(11)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Laotian4.1%(842)
Hmong2.8%(575)
Burmese1.9%(395)
Filipino0.3%(55)
Thai0.2%(43)
Korean0.2%(36)
Japanese0.1%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German23.7%(4,910)
Irish6.2%(1,295)
English5%(1,037)
Swedish3.7%(765)
Norwegian3.3%(693)
American2.2%(464)
Danish2%(422)
Dutch1.8%(367)
Czech1.7%(343)
Italian1%(201)
Scottish0.7%(139)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
French0.7%(135)
Welsh0.4%(85)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(65)
Polish0.3%(58)
British0.3%(56)
West Indian0.2%(39)
Russian0.1%(29)
Jamaican0.1%(23)
Hungarian0.1%(16)
Latvian0.1%(11)
Haitian0%(10)
Belgian0%(9)
Arab0%(6)
Syrian0%(5)
Swiss0%(5)
Slovak0%(3)
Greek0%(2)
Section 05

Education

18.7%
+3.5 ptssince 1990
from 15.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.3%
−0.7 ptssince 1990
from 82.1% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
4.7%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 3.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

11.2 min
−42%since 1990
from 19.3 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.1%(2,498)
Married59.9%(4,808)
Widowed2.3%(182)
Divorced6.7%(534)
Women 15+
Never married23%(1,872)
Married57.1%(4,643)
Widowed13.6%(1,103)
Divorced6.3%(512)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.2%
−6.2 ptssince 2013
from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
57.2%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.8%
−4.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
17.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
25.5%
+4.3 ptssince 2020
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 35.1% 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)19.4%(121)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)7.7%(48)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.4%(240)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War15.8%(99)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 625 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Buena Vista County, Iowa?

Buena Vista County, Iowa has about 20,411 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Buena Vista County, Iowa?

The typical household in Buena Vista County, Iowa earns about $35,300 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Buena Vista County, Iowa expensive?

In Buena Vista County, Iowa, the median home is worth about $65,900, and the typical rent is about $417 a month.

How educated are people in Buena Vista County, Iowa?

About 18.7% of adults age 25 and over in Buena Vista County, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa?

About 10.5% of people in Buena Vista County, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.

Has Buena Vista County, Iowa grown since 1990?

Yes, Buena Vista County, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 446 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →