Census-designated place · Michigan
Buena Vista, Michigan
Buena Vista, census-designated place, in Saginaw County, Michigan. Buena Vista had 5,798 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±372). GEOID 2611555.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,798
±372 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,855
Median household income
$41,999
±$7,125 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$62,000
±$8,960 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$906
±$163 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Buena Vista and what county is it in?
Buena Vista is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Saginaw County, Michigan. It covers 4.0 square miles of land, 1,465 residents per square mile in 2020.
Buena Vista is in the Saginaw, MI metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Buena Vista lies entirely within Buena Vista Charter Township, a charter township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Buena Vista, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Buena Vista's population at 5,798 (±372). The 2020 Census counted 5,855 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Buena Vista is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,798 ±372 | 188,665 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,297 ±261 | 77,958 | −654 |
| Average household size | 2.52 ±0.35 | 2.34 | +0.42 |
| Housing units | 2,926 ±352 | 86,208 | −467 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Buena Vista?
The median resident of Buena Vista is 40.2 years old; 26.5% are under 18 and 21.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 68.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 15.3%.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 ±7.8 | 41.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.5% ±7.6 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.7% ±4.9 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 43.3% ±6.5 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.3% ±8.1 pts | 9.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 11.8% ±5.7 pts | 67.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 68.5% ±8.3 pts | 18.1% | −10.7 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±4.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±2.6 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.0% ±8.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.3% ±3.7 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 30.3% ±6.6 pts | 17.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.5% ±1.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.4% ±3.0 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.1% ±5.7 pts | 24.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.9% ±4.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2% ±4.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Buena Vista earn?
Half of Buena Vista's 2,297 households earn less than $41,999 a year (±$7,125), against $60,622 in Saginaw County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $37,825 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,999 ±$7,125 | $60,622 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $52,346 ±$8,349 | $82,545 | – |
| Per capita income | $21,466 ±$4,011 | $34,578 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.4% ±8.4 pts | 18.2% | −12.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.1% ±16.8 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 45.8% ±10.0 pts | 19.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.3% ±5.6 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.2% ±5.8 pts | 89.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Buena Vista?
Owners occupy 72.3% of Buena Vista's occupied homes and renters 27.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $62,000 by its owner (±$8,960). The median renter pays $906 a month including utilities, and 66.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $62,000 ±$8,960 | $152,800 | +$13,388 |
| Median gross rent | $906 ±$163 | $947 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 66.1% ±19.6 pts | 45.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $847 ±$21 | $1,277 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.3% ±9.6 pts | 74.1% | +19.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.7% ±9.6 pts | 25.9% | – |
| Housing units | 2,926 ±352 | 86,208 | −467 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 26.0% ±13.5 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.2% ±8.0 pts | 75.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% ±3.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±1.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.6% ±3.8 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.5% ±6.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Buena Vista work and get to work?
67.0% of Buena Vista's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.7%.
| Measure | Buena Vista | Saginaw County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.7% ±6.6 pts | 57.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.7% ±5.7 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 67.0% ±10.1 pts | 77.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.7% ±7.8 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 5.2% ±4.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.1% ±6.5 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.2 min ±2.7 | 22.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Buena Vista?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Buena Vista, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $40,437 (Tract 110.01) to $55,368 (Tract 110.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 110.02Saginaw County | 2,740 | $55,368 |
| Tract 110.01Saginaw County | 2,620 | $40,437 |
| Tract 108Saginaw County | 2,367 | $59,429 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Buena Vista) · Census block assignment files
How does Buena Vista compare with other places in Michigan?
Buena Vista ranks 1,315th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 353rd | 1,356 |
| Residents per square mile | 228th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 1,315th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 1,331st | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 1,350th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 731st | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 142nd | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,260th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 936th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,056th | 1,356 |
| Travel time to work | 1,108th | 1,356 |
Buena Vista's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Buena Vista with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Buena Vista?
18 of the 57 figures for Buena Vista on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Buena Vista are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.