The Town FilesBuena Vista, Virginia
City in Buena Vista city · population 6,641 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,200
- Household income
- $57,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 35.9
Buena Vista is a city of 6,641 people in Buena Vista city, Virginia. The median home is worth $156,200, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Virginia towns, hipper than 85% of Virginia towns, better for retirees than 77% of Virginia towns.
How Buena Vista ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buena Vista is worth $156,200, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $57,833, which is more affordable than 87% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,112 a month. 56.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buena Vista | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,200 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,112 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $57,833 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 56.5% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Buena Vista
| People | Buena Vista | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 91.8% |
Weather in Buena Vista
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 42.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.0 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 16, 1998.
Severe weather in Buena Vista city since 1996
Buena Vista city has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3359: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Buena Vista city
Buena Vista city had 2,512 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,168 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Buena Vista itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Buena Vista
6 public schools with 996 students, about 6.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parry McCluer High | 8-12 | 314 | 3.2 |
| Enderly Heights Elementary | 2-5 | 247 | 11.8 |
| F.W. Kling Jr. Elementary | PK-1 | 176 | 11.7 |
| Mountain View Elementary | PK-5 | 140 | 10.8 |
| Parry McCluer Middle | 6-7 | 119 | 9.9 |
| Regional Alternative Education Center/Buena Vista | Other | — | — |
Towns near Buena Vista
- Lexington, VA6.0 mi · 7,320 people · home $275,200
- Madison Heights, VA23.6 mi · 10,893 people · home $191,300
- Lynchburg, VA24.5 mi · 79,009 people · home $229,800
- Forest, VA24.9 mi · 11,709 people · home $319,800
- Clifton Forge, VA26.3 mi · 3,555 people · home $109,500
- Stuarts Draft, VA26.7 mi · 12,142 people · home $294,300
- Bedford, VA28.2 mi · 6,657 people · home $222,500
- Timberlake, VA29.1 mi · 13,267 people · home $235,900
Buena Vista questions
Is Buena Vista, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buena Vista scores better for retirees than 77% of Virginia towns and quieter than 25%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Buena Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Buena Vista is valued at $156,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,833, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,112 a month.
What is the weather like in Buena Vista?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.9 inches of precipitation a year and 11.0 inches of snow.
Does Buena Vista get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Buena Vista in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)