Population 3,480 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Buchanan
Household size in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Buchanan has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.2 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Buchanan skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.9 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Buchanan (11.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Virginia as a whole (10.7%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Buchanan
Renters in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Buchanan is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (45.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.9% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Buchanan: 18.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Buchanan leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $684 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $776 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $784 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $929 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$245 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Buchanan costs $929 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 29.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Buchanan
Bachelor's degrees in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Buchanan: 23.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.7% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Buchanan have finished high school (92.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Virginia.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Buchanan
| Period | Buchanan | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Buchanan has been strong: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Buchanan compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan | 2.45 | 47.4 | 11.9% | 12.8% | 18.0% | 1975 | $929 | 23.0% | 92.2% | 3.3% |
| Springwood | 2.66 | 50.8 | 9.4% | 17.2% | 15.7% | 1986 | $969 | 20.1% | 94.5% | 2.2% |
| Pico | 2.39 | 54.9 | 8.4% | 10.4% | 12.2% | 1985 | $891 | 26.4% | 92.4% | 1.4% |
| Lithia | 2.69 | 49.9 | 10.5% | 20.4% | 13.7% | 1988 | $1,000 | 23.5% | 95.3% | 2.8% |
| Nace | 2.60 | 51.1 | 6.3% | 18.1% | 15.6% | 1978 | $1,008 | 20.1% | 89.4% | 0.8% |
| Fincastle | 2.64 | 46.7 | 5.2% | 14.8% | 16.0% | 1979 | $978 | 30.5% | 94.7% | 1.3% |
| Reba | 2.39 | 46.6 | 5.4% | 17.5% | 10.1% | 1987 | $583 | 18.8% | 90.0% | 0.4% |
| Eagle Rock | 2.36 | 51.8 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 21.0% | 1978 | $852 | 12.9% | 96.3% | 1.5% |
| Flatwoods | 2.35 | 48.7 | 7.5% | 9.4% | 19.2% | 1983 | $893 | 24.7% | 98.7% | 0.7% |
| Rapps Mill | 2.11 | 51.7 | 2.7% | 15.3% | 19.2% | 1982 | $671 | 33.8% | 87.0% | 0.3% |
| Gala | 2.47 | 51.1 | 3.8% | 6.6% | 13.6% | 1971 | $851 | 7.4% | 94.8% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Newtown, OH · Brown City, MI · Pecatonica, IL · Reno, TX · Twin City, GA · Sneedville, TN · Dodge Center, MN · Shannon, MS · Mill Spring, NC · Kirkwood, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Buchanan. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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