Buchanan County is a county of 19,415 people in Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. The median age is 47.8, about 9 years above the US median. Households here earn about 54% less than in Virginia as a whole. Owners hold 83% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $94,900, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $42,886, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Buchanan County
What changed most since 1990
Median age32.2 → 47.8(+15.6 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Population31,333 → 19,415(−38%)US over the same years: +35%
White share99.1% → 93.2%(−5.9 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
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)21.6%(171)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27%(213)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.6%(297)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War11.5%(91)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 790 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
Over time
Buchanan County, decade by decade
Buchanan County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
31,333
$47,644
$101,763
6.4%
2.3
2000
26,978
$40,464
$77,967
8.0%
8.7
2010
24,098
$41,982
$89,191
8.9%
9.0
2020
20,355
$41,575
$84,237
11.8%
13.5
2024
19,415
$42,886
$94,900
11.5%
16.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
