The Town FilesBuena Vista, Wisconsin
Town in Richland County · population 1,807 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $195,400
- Household income
- $73,281
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 42.2
Buena Vista is a town of 1,807 people in Richland County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $195,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 84% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Buena Vista ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buena Vista is worth $195,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $73,281, which is more affordable than 79% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,107 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buena Vista | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $195,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,107 | $951 |
| Median household income | $73,281 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 86.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.2% | — |
Who lives in Buena Vista
| People | Buena Vista | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Buena Vista
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 34.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 3, 1964 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 13, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 5,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,821 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Buena Vista itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Buena Vista
- Lone Rock, WI4.3 mi · 829 people · home $115,900
- Avoca, WI5.4 mi · 553 people · home $115,400
- Bear Creek, WI6.5 mi · 641 people · home $347,700
- Ithaca, WI6.8 mi · 633 people · home $228,900
- Orion, WI7.0 mi · 541 people · home $236,400
- Spring Green, WI7.7 mi · 1,828 people · home $241,300
- Richland, WI9.2 mi · 1,175 people · home $264,100
- Spring Green, WI9.8 mi · 1,566 people · home $248,800
Buena Vista questions
Is Buena Vista, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buena Vista scores better for retirees than 75% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 84%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Buena Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Buena Vista is valued at $195,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,281, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,107 a month.
What is the weather like in Buena Vista?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.1 inches of precipitation a year and 39.6 inches of snow.
Does Buena Vista get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 3, 1964. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)