Map the Block › Places › Iowa › Buena Vista County
What are the crime rate and median income in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The violent-crime rate in Buena Vista County was 2.1 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 21% lower than the statewide rate (2.7). The median household earns $71,719 and the unemployment rate was 2.9% in August 2026. About 20,753 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Buena Vista County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 43 violent and 193 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 2.1: 21% lower than the Iowa rate (2.7), and 43% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 9.4 per 1,000 residents, compared with 13.6 across Iowa. Aggravated assaults make up 79% of the violent total.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Buena Vista County | Per 1,000 | Iowa per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 43 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 7 | 0.34 | 0.42 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.10 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 34 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 193 | 9.4 | 13.6 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 36 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 144 | 7.1 | 9.9 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 13 | 0.63 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (2 agencies; 99% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Buena Vista County?
Median household income is $71,719, close to the statewide figure ($75,059). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $159,500 by its owners; renters pay a median $894. 10.0% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 304 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Buena Vista County | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,753 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $71,719 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $159,500 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $894 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.5% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 7.8% | 11.1% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 10.0% | 8.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 31.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 73.2% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 35.6 | 38.6 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 92.1% | 88.9% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.2% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Buena Vista County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Buena Vista County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in Buena Vista County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 1 high-hazard dam in Buena Vista County. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 1 is rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Storm Lake - Northeast Dredge Spoil Disposal Dam (49 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
8 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 317,166 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Buena Vista County was covered by 5 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 4, Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 12 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 3 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Buena Vista County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 5 highway work zones in Buena Vista County (1 active that day). Where crews are working: US-71. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Buena Vista County?
Buena Vista County has 15 public schools (2024-25) and 2 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 1 nursing home is certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 8 fire or EMS stations and 3 police or sheriff stations.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Buena Vista County
Gun shops
3 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Buena Vista County, plus 8 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Bomgaars (Storm Lake), Eagles Landing Firearms (Linn Grove) and Walmart #1526 (Storm Lake).
Liquor stores
One liquor store is on the map in Buena Vista County: Al's Liquors (Storm Lake). Iowa has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Buena Vista County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Buena Vista County?
Buena Vista County averaged 43 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.1 per 1,000 residents, 21% lower than the Iowa rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 9.4 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Buena Vista County?
$71,719 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $75,059 for Iowa and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Buena Vista County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 304 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Buena Vista County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Buena Vista County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Very Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Is there road construction in Buena Vista County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 5 highway work zones in Buena Vista County (1 active that day). Where crews are working: US-71.
How many nursing homes are in Buena Vista County?
1 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Buena Vista County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 9,803 | 0.66 | $64,964 |
| Cherokee County | 11,600 | 0.98 | $71,269 |
| Clay County | 16,461 | 0.90 | $65,428 |
| Ida County | 6,911 | 1.1 | $63,073 |
| O'Brien County | 14,126 | 2.3 | $68,356 |
| Palo Alto County | 8,863 | 1.6 | $72,781 |
| Pocahontas County | 7,046 | 0.64 | $61,875 |
| Sac County | 9,689 | 2.2 | $73,838 |
More: Iowa statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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