Housing data for Buena Vista, VA
Buena Vista, VA has an estimated 6,593 residents and 2,949 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Buena Vista city.
43.5% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,112 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+1.7%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 6,593 (exact)
- Housing units
- 2,949 (±15)
- Households that rent
- 43.5%
- Median gross rent
- $1,112
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +1.7%
Housing in Buena Vista at a glance
- Median rent: $1,112 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $878 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 49.2% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 43.5% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $57,833 median household income
- Home values: $156,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $968 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,421 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 8.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 79.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 66.7% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 0.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 53.9% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 17.4 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 106 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +1.7% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 23.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 3.5% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Buena Vista against Buena Vista city, its state and the nation
| Buena Vista | Buena Vista city | Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,593 (exact) | 6,593 (exact) | 8,705,170 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,949 (±15) | 2,949 (±15) | 3,684,756 (±486) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 43.5% (±7.7 points) | 43.5% (±7.7 points) | 32.7% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,112 (±$127) | $1,112 (±$127) | $1,579 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $57,833 (±$8,629) | $57,833 (±$8,629) | $93,170 (±$458) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $156,200 (±$14,139) | $156,200 (±$14,139) | $383,700 (±$1,024) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,421 (±$133) | $1,421 (±$133) | $2,790 (±$10) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 66.7% (±11.2 points) | 66.7% (±11.2 points) | 43.5% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 17.4 minutes (±2.2) | 17.4 minutes (±2.2) | 27.3 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 86.6% (±5.3 points) | 86.6% (±5.3 points) | 91.0% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 35.9 years (±1.9) | 35.9 years (±1.9) | 39.0 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Buena Vista covers 6.4 square miles of land, about 1,024 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Buena Vista has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,484 (exact) | 6,593 (exact) | +1.7% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 2,866 (±73) | 2,949 (±15) | +2.9% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $795 (±$103) | $1,112 (±$127) | +39.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $126,600 (±$11,455) | $156,200 (±$14,139) | +23.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $32,455 (±$10,103) | $57,833 (±$8,629) | +78.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,012 (±$130) | $968 (±$130) | −4.3% | Down after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,220 (±$83) | $1,421 (±$133) | +16.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 32.0% (±6.7 points) | 43.5% (±7.7 points) | +11.5 percentage points | Measurable increase |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.0% (±6.2 points) | 0.8% (±1.3 points) | −6.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Buena Vista
In 2025, the Buena Vista Police Department reported 106 violent and 607 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Buena Vista city, the departments that report recorded 106 violent and 607 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Buena Vista
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24416 | 10% | 9,082 | $1,069 | $158,600 | $54,882 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Buena Vista
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lexington | 5.9 mi | $954 | $275,700 | 50.6% |
| Lexington | 6.0 mi | $1,081 | $275,200 | 46.2% |
| Glasgow | 8.7 mi | $764 | $131,300 | 30.6% |
| Amherst | 20 mi | $718 | $220,700 | 29.6% |
| Goshen | 20 mi | $750 | $136,100 | 24.6% |
| Greenville | 22 mi | — | $199,200 | 41.8% |
| Buchanan | 23 mi | $958 | $187,500 | 19.5% |
| Madison Heights | 24 mi | $871 | $191,300 | 28.6% |
Places in Virginia most like Buena Vista
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone Gap | $797 | $163,000 | $54,581 | 36.7% |
| Chilhowie | $802 | $153,600 | $51,429 | 33.3% |
| Bloxom | $1,114 | $133,300 | $66,875 | 41.0% |
| Blackstone | $1,123 | $140,900 | $54,570 | 41.8% |
| Collinsville | $746 | $146,700 | $52,158 | 43.2% |
| Clintwood | $714 | $162,800 | $52,083 | 40.9% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Virginia.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Buena Vista, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $896 | $971 | $1,057 | $1,464 | $1,767 |
HUD income limits for Buena Vista, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $18,000 | $30,000 | $48,000 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $34,300 | $54,850 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $38,600 | $61,700 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $42,850 | $68,550 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $46,300 | $74,050 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $49,750 | $79,550 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $53,150 | $85,050 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $56,600 | $90,500 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Rockbridge County-Buena Vista city-Lexington city, VA HUD Nonmetr, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $85,700.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Buena Vista
What is the average rent in Buena Vista, VA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Buena Vista is $1,112 (±$127) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Buena Vista?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Buena Vista, VA is $673 (±$43) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Buena Vista rent-burdened?
49.2% of renting households in Buena Vista pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Buena Vista?
Buena Vista has an estimated 1,111 (±214) renting households, 43.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Buena Vista?
The median household income in Buena Vista is $57,833 (±$8,629) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Buena Vista, VA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $156,200 (±$14,139) for owner-occupied homes in Buena Vista (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Buena Vista growing?
In Buena Vista, the number of residents went from 6,484 in 2015–2019 to 6,593 in 2020–2024 (+1.7%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Buena Vista?
The ZIP code that covers Buena Vista is 24416.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 24416?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 24416 is $1,069 (±$120) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Buena Vista city, Virginia
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Rockbridge County-Buena Vista city-Lexington city, VA HUD Nonmetro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Rockbridge County-Buena Vista city-Lexington city, VA HUD Nonmetr
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Buena Vista Police Department (ORI VA1010000)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Buena Vista city, Virginia (place:11032, in state:51).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .