Buena Vista County, Iowa Population 2024

20,490
05K10K15K20K186018801900192019401960198020002020YearPopulation

Buena Vista County, Iowa's estimated 2024 population is 20,490 with a growth rate of -0.37% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Buena Vista County, Iowa is the 32nd largest county in Iowa. The 2010 population was 20,356 and has seen a growth of 0.66% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202920,105-77-0.38%
202820,182-77-0.38%
202720,259-77-0.38%
202620,336-77-0.38%
202520,413-77-0.38%
202420,490-77-0.37%
202320,567-77-0.37%
202220,644-146-0.7%
202120,790-16-0.08%
202020,8061,1165.67%
201919,690-117-0.59%
201819,807-347-1.72%
201720,154-173-0.85%
201620,327-46-0.23%
201520,373-235-1.14%
201420,608-41-0.2%
201320,649910.44%
201220,5582481.22%
201120,310-46-0.23%
201020,35600%
199019,965-809-3.89%
198020,774810.39%
197020,693-496-2.34%
196021,189760.36%
195021,1131,2756.43%
194019,8381,1716.27%
193018,6671110.6%
192018,5562,57516.11%
191015,981-994-5.86%
190016,9753,42725.3%
189013,5486,01179.75%
18807,5375,952375.52%
18701,5851,5282680.7%
186057-20,048-99.72%
2024 Growth Rate
-0.37% (-77)
County Website
Buena Vista County
State
Iowa
County Seat
Storm Lake
2020 Population
20,806
Area
575 mi²
Density
36 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-1.52% (-316)
Founded
1851

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White14,16068.45%
Asian2,12110.25%
Other race1,7918.66%
Two or more races1,5317.4%
Black or African American6062.93%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander4302.08%
Native American480.23%
68.45%10.25%8.66%7.4%Race

White

Asian

Other race

Two or more races

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Native American

Buena Vista County, Iowa Population by Race

Buena Vista County, Iowa Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070801K900800700600500400300200100001002003004005006007008009001KMaleFemale

Buena Vista County, Iowa Median Age

35.6

Total

33.7

Male

36.6

Female

Buena Vista County, Iowa Adults

There are 15,249 adults, (3,375 of whom are seniors) in Buena Vista County, Iowa.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Age Dependency

74.2

Age Dependency Ratio

28.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

45.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Buena Vista County, Iowa Sex Ratio

Female10,08848.76%
Male10,59951.24%

Buena Vista County, Iowa Population by Age

Buena Vista County, Iowa Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All7,5382.617030
Married3,6023.5486.513.5
Non Family3,0501.249.750.3
Female6673.4378.921.1
Male2194.4456.643.4

3.47

Average Family Size

2.61

Average Household Size

70.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

47.78%8.85%40.46%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedFemaleAllMaleNon Family00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

Buena Vista County, Iowa Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree05001K1.5K2K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,2169.31%
Associates Degree1,39110.65%
Bachelors Degree1,88914.47%
Graduate Degree9357.16%
High School Graduate4,09831.39%
Less Than 9th Grade1,48111.34%
Some College2,04515.66%
11.34%9.31%31.39%15.66%10.65%14.47%7.16%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Buena Vista County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Buena Vista County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Race

WhiteIslanderBlackNative AmericanAsianOther Race2+ RacesHispanic0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White8,3427,8272,506
Hispanic2,7951,357172
Asian1,15063035
Other Race96451111
2+ Races68535659
Black43128611
Islander19013155
Native American23150

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 93.83%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 30.04%.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$56,310$66,481$49,279
Graduate Degree$67,264$79,911$65,051
High School Graduate$36,521$44,583$28,750
Less Than 9th Grade$37,639$40,375$34,898
Overall$42,599$47,384$35,595
Some College$42,047$51,850$34,527

$42,599

Average Earnings

$47,384

Average Male

$35,595

Average Female

Buena Vista County, Iowa Earnings by Educational Attainment

Buena Vista County, Iowa Language by Age

65.07%22.53%10.29%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Buena Vista County, Iowa Language

65.07% of Buena Vista County, Iowa residents speak only English, while 34.93% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 22.53% of the population.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Language

Buena Vista County, Iowa Poverty by Race

NativeOtherHispanicIslanderWhiteMultipleAsianBlack0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White10,6376716.31%
Hispanic5,5105459.89%
Other1,77019911.24%
Asian2,110914.31%
Multiple1,494755.02%
Islander430388.84%
Black535203.74%
Native33618.18%

7.08%

Overall Poverty Rate

6.78%

Male Poverty Rate

7.39%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Buena Vista County, Iowa

The race most likely to be in poverty in Buena Vista County, Iowa is Native, with 18.18% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Buena Vista County, Iowa is Black, with 3.74% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.78%. Among those working part-time, it was 8.77%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 16.1%.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade14.67%
High School6.01%
Some College3.95%
Bachelors or Greater1.6%

Buena Vista County, Iowa Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed14.91%
Female Unemployed12.12%
Female Employed5.27%
Male Employed2.96%

Buena Vista County, Iowa Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Buena Vista County, Iowa Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k0510152025

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$87,475$104,006
Households$62,662$85,747
Married Families$91,298$-999,999,999
Non Families$47,095$55,929
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Buena Vista County, Iowa Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

48.7%

Overall Marriage Rate

48.4%

Male Marriage Rate

49.0%

Female Marriage Rate

Buena Vista County, Iowa Married by Age and Sex

45-5455-6435-44Over 6520-3401020304050607080

male

female

Buena Vista County, Iowa Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Marital Status by Race

WhiteNonHispanicWhiteHispanicOtherRaceTwoOrMoreRacesIndianAsianHawaiianBlack0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Buena Vista County, Iowa Marital Status

15.18%9.73%54.86%19.84%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

646

Number of Veterans

628

Male Veterans

18

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam282
Korea102
Second Gulf War78
First Gulf War50
World War II2

Buena Vista County, Iowa Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+020406080100120140160180200220240260280

count

Age Group
Veterans
75+278
65 to 74194
35 to 54104
55 to 6461
18 to 349

Buena Vista County, Iowa Veterans by Age

White2+ RacesHispanicAsianOther Race050100150200250300350400450500550600650

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White6025.43%
2+ Races425.54%
Hispanic210.61%
Asian10.07%
Other Race10.08%

Buena Vista County, Iowa Veterans by Race

Buena Vista County, Iowa Veterans by Education

25.85%42.11%28.48%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

3.12%

Veteran Poverty Rate

34.32%

Veteran Disability Rate

Buena Vista County, Iowa Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

68.3%

Labor Force Participation

64.9%

Employment Rate

5%

Unemployment Rate

Buena Vista County, Iowa Employment by Age

BlackNative AmericanOther RaceHispanic2+ RacesIslanderWhiteWhite Non-HispanicAsian0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

Buena Vista County, Iowa Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0102030405060708090100

LaborForceParticipation

Buena Vista County, Iowa Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

28.28%11.88%55.9%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

33.13%57.23%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

58.98%

Born in Buena Vista County, Iowa

78.99%

Native Born

21.01%

Foreign Born

12.29%

Non Citizen

8.73%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

78.99% of Buena Vista County, Iowa residents were born in the United States, with 58.98% having been born in Iowa. 12.29% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Buena Vista County, Iowa Place of Birth

Sources