The Town FilesBuena Vista, Georgia
City in Marion County · population 1,585 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,900
- Household income
- $28,878
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 37.0
Buena Vista is a city of 1,585 people in Marion County, Georgia. The median home is worth $80,900, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks better for retirees than 70% of Georgia towns.
How Buena Vista ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buena Vista is worth $80,900, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $28,878, which is more affordable than 73% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $592 a month. 40.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buena Vista | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,900 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $592 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $28,878 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 40.2% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Buena Vista
| People | Buena Vista | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.4% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.8% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.9% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 62.7% | 88.0% |
Weather in Buena Vista
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 35.9°F. About 50.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 72 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 42 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 5, 1954 about 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on December 28, 2005.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657: Hurricane Isaias |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Marion County
Marion County had 1,282 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,419 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Buena Vista itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Buena Vista
2 public schools with 1,294 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County Middle/High School | 6-12 | 695 | 17.0 |
| L. K. Moss Elementary School | PK-5 | 599 | 16.2 |
Towns near Buena Vista
- Ellaville, GA13.4 mi · 1,595 people · home $160,500
- Cusseta-Chattahoochee County unified government, GA15.9 mi · 9,565 people · home $102,700
- Richland, GA18.0 mi · 1,370 people · home $47,600
- Webster County unified government, GA18.9 mi · 2,348 people · home $82,600
- Plains, GA21.0 mi · 573 people · home $254,900
- Butler, GA23.2 mi · 1,881 people · home $81,300
- Americus, GA24.1 mi · 16,230 people · home $107,500
- Columbus, GA24.7 mi · 206,922 people · home $193,900
Buena Vista questions
Is Buena Vista, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buena Vista scores better for retirees than 70% of Georgia towns and quieter than 68%. 18.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Buena Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Buena Vista is valued at $80,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $28,878, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $592 a month.
What is the weather like in Buena Vista?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 35.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Buena Vista get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 5, 1954. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)