Rank

570of 3,144

Buena Vista, Iowa

Score 6.88 / 10· population 20,567

About 20,600 people live in Buena Vista, Iowa. It ranks #570 of 3,144 counties for liberty, and #24 of 99 in Iowa. The combined sales tax is 7%, higher than in 56% of counties. Property tax takes about 1.36% of a home's value each year, more than in 89% of counties. Local government employs a smaller share of working residents than in 74% of counties. The homicide rate is lower than in 76% of counties. Life expectancy is at least 80 years, longer than in 91% of counties. Air quality is better than in 64% of counties (a typical day's air quality index is 39), and flood and hurricane risk is lower than in 77% of counties. On this site's state scores, Iowa gets 6.91 of 10 for economic freedom, based on the Fraser Institute's ranking, and 10 of 10 for gun rights.

v4 — beta, 30 October 2026, sourced values

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Eleven factors

Government behavior

  1. Fraser Institute state ranking (state)6.9
  2. 2A (state)10.0
  3. GOP + LP vote for President6.6
  4. Sales tax3.6
  5. Property tax3.2

Environment

  1. Air quality6.2
  2. Floods / hurricanes6.7

Private behavior

  1. Homicide rate9.8
  2. Life expectancy10.0
  3. Government employees7.4
  4. Single-parent households7.2

Neighbors