Population 6,146 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Buena Vista
Household size in Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.24 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.24 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.83 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.38 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Buena Vista are small: just 1.83 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.21, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people, only two have smaller households.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.2 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.3 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.8 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.7 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.7, Buena Vista is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has edged down from 46.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Buena Vista, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Buena Vista has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Colorado cities.
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 Buena Vista
Renters in Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.2% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.7% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.5 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Buena Vista rent their homes (26.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About a third of owners (34.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. The renter share is up 10.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.6% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.2% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −16.6 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Buena Vista as nationally: 10.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Denver area as a whole (6.0%). Vacancy is down 16.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Buena Vista is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1990, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $563 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $871 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $845 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,374 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,811 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in Buena Vista pays $2,374 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,811 a month from 2006–10, a 322% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the northwest.
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 Buena Vista
Bachelor's degrees in Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.2% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.6 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Buena Vista: 46.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.6% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.7% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Buena Vista: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Buena Vista
| Period | Buena Vista | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Buena Vista runs well above the national rate: 11.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other Colorado city with 5,000+ people has higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Buena Vista 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista | 1.83 | 45.7 | 5.7% | 26.7% | 10.0% | 1990 | $2,374 | 46.2% | 94.7% | 11.7% |
| Johnson Village | 2.03 | 40.4 | 10.4% | 35.2% | 13.7% | 1993 | $1,759 | 33.7% | 87.3% | 5.9% |
| Nathrop | 2.15 | 56.0 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 31.1% | 1992 | $1,785 | 63.4% | 100.0% | 6.5% |
| St. Elmo | 1.97 | 63.5 | 3.1% | 1.8% | 32.9% | 1996 | $2,339 | 70.4% | 100.0% | 4.5% |
| Granite | 2.07 | 53.1 | 4.6% | 9.2% | 27.7% | 1999 | $1,600 | 50.9% | 99.2% | 9.0% |
| Hartsel | 1.93 | 56.4 | 5.0% | 0.8% | 52.6% | 1997 | $2,151 | 39.3% | 99.1% | 0.6% |
| Turret | 1.73 | 62.5 | 3.6% | 5.2% | 35.7% | 1995 | $1,890 | 35.0% | 98.6% | 0.2% |
| Smeltertown | 1.65 | 57.8 | 7.6% | 25.3% | 10.7% | 1992 | $1,533 | 47.7% | 98.4% | 0.3% |
| Maysville | 1.72 | 59.2 | 1.5% | 8.8% | 24.7% | 2001 | $2,617 | 57.4% | 98.0% | 2.2% |
| Twin Lakes | 2.32 | 43.1 | 1.0% | 3.8% | 36.6% | 1993 | $1,397 | 53.3% | 97.4% | 0.3% |
| Salida | 2.08 | 45.7 | 5.2% | 31.4% | 10.4% | 1982 | $1,474 | 48.4% | 94.5% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Indian Springs, NV · Chatham, VA · Hunlock Creek, PA · Huntingdon, TN · Huntington, TX · Huron, CA · Central Square, NY · Centerville, SC · Indian River Estates, FL · Cazenovia, 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 Buena Vista. 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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