In Buena Vista, a typical home is worth $62,000 and typical rent is $906 a month. Compared with all of Saginaw County, the typical home value is 59% lower and typical household income is 31% lower.
Buena Vista is in Saginaw County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Saginaw County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Buena Vista has the 4th lowest typical home value of the 179 cities in Michigan with more than 5,000 people ($62,000).
2
Buena Vista has the 5th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 168 cities in Michigan with more than 5,000 people (70%).
3
The typical household income in Buena Vista is $41,999,31% less than in Saginaw County as a whole ($60,622).
4
Nearby, in Bridgeport, the typical rent is $710: 22% less than in Buena Vista ($906).
5
13% of households in Buena Vista have no internet at home (8% in Saginaw County).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Buena Vista
What homes there are in Buena Vista, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Kind of home: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Detached house
75%
76%
72%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
3%
5%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
Unreliable estimate
5%
5%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
12%
13%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
4%
5%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
In Buena Vista, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Saginaw County.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Year built: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Before 1960
48%
38%
36%
26%
1960–1979
25%
33%
26%
24%
1980–1999
Unreliable estimate
17%
22%
25%
2000–2009
13%
9%
10%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
4%
6%
11%
Homes in Buena Vista are older: the typical year built is 1961; in Saginaw County, 1968.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100K90%
$100K–$200KUnreliable
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750KUnreliable
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Under $100K
90%
$100K–$200K
Unreliable estimate
$200K–$300K
Unreliable
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
Unreliable estimate
$750K–$1M
Unreliable
$1M or more
Unreliable
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99962%
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
62%
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable estimate
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable
$3,000 or more
Unreliable
With a mortgage
$847 a month
Saginaw County: $1,277 a month
Without a mortgage
$468 a month
Saginaw County: $558 a month
Owners with a mortgage
31%
Saginaw County: 50%
The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Buena Vista is $847 a month, less than in Saginaw County ($1,277); without one, $468.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Buena VistaBoundaries changed
Saginaw County+51%
Michigan+50%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Buena VistaBoundaries changed
Saginaw County+21%
Michigan+30%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Buena VistaBoundaries changed
Saginaw County+26%
Michigan+28%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Typical home value
Boundaries changed
+51%
+50%
+53%
Typical rent
Boundaries changed
+21%
+30%
+33%
Typical household income
Boundaries changed
+26%
+28%
+29%
The boundaries of Buena Vista changed since 2015–2019, so the Census does not compare its figures from then and now. In Saginaw County, the typical home value rose 51%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Buena Vista and its comparisons
Measure
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
12.9%
5.1%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.2%
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
1.1%
1.6%
3.4%
People per household
2.52
2.34
2.42
2.53
Drive alone
67%
78%
74%
69%
Carpool
Unreliable estimate
9%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
3%
2%
3%
Work from home
Unreliable estimate
10%
14%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
10 to 19 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
On average, a household in Buena Vista has 2.52 people, more than in Saginaw County (2.34).
In Buena Vista, 67% of workers drive alone to work; in Saginaw County, 78%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Buena Vista?
A typical home is within reach of the typical income
We start with a typical home in Buena Vista, worth $62,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 17% of the typical household income in Buena Vista, which is $41,999 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Saginaw County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Buena Vista. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $2,170 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$579
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$60,877
Total interest
$87,588
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $1,047 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $980 a month
Your payment · 17%
Tight
$980 to $1,260 a month
Hard
more than $1,260 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Buena Vista ($41,999 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$412
Property tax
$113
Home insurance
$26
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$27
You need at least $2,170 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $579; principal and interest $412.
The city and its county
Buena Vista and Saginaw County
Buena Vista is in Saginaw County, Michigan. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Buena Vista
Map of Saginaw County, Michigan, with Buena Vista marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Other cities with a page
Buena Vista's own numbers
Typical home value
$62,000
Typical monthly rent
$906
Typical yearly household income
$41,999
Households that own their home
72%
Effective property tax rate
2.19%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Saginaw County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,141
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Saginaw County.
A typical home in Buena Vista is worth $62,000: 59% below the county and 73% below Michigan. With the typical household income in Buena Vista ($41,999 a year), a typical home costs 1.5 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Buena Vista1.5 years
Saginaw2.5 years
Michigan3.2 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Saginaw County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Saginaw County rose 91% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Saginaw County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Saginaw County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +3.6% +3.6% 2016
2017: +3.1% +3.1% 2017
2018: +5.7% +5.7% 2018
2019: +6.8% +6.8% 2019
2020: +2.7% +2.7% 2020
2021: +12.4% +12.4% 2021
2022: +12.9% +12.9% 2022
2023: +8.5% +8.5% 2023
2024: +7.7% +7.7% 2024
2025: +3.8% +3.8% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Saginaw County, Michigan and the United States
Period
County
Michigan
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+3.8%
+4.7%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+54%
+52%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+91%
+97%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Buena Vista next to Saginaw County, Michigan and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Buena Vista$62,000
Saginaw$152,800
Michigan$231,600
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Buena Vista$906
Saginaw$947
Michigan$1,129
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Buena Vista$41,999
Saginaw$60,622
Michigan$72,875
United States$80,734
See the full table
Buena Vista next to Saginaw County and Michigan
Measure
Buena Vista
Saginaw County
Michigan
U.S.
Typical home value
$62,000 ▼59% below the county
$152,800
$231,600
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$906 ▼4% below the county
$947
$1,129
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$41,999 ▼31% below the county
$60,622
$72,875
$80,734
Households that own their home
72% ▼2 points below the county
74%
73%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$1,355 ▼41% below the county
$2,284
$2,904
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
2.19% ▲0.7 points above the county
1.49%
1.25%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
70% ▲15 points above the county
55%
50%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Saginaw County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Buena Vista
For a typical $62,000 home in Buena Vista, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Buena Vista's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$579a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$2,170
Cash to close
$4,030
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $27
Conventional, 5% down$567a month
Down payment
$3,100
Cash to close
$4,960
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $29
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$475a month
Down payment
$12,400
Cash to close
$14,260
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$532a month
Down payment
$9,300
Cash to close
$11,160
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Buena Vista
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$579
$2,170
$60,877
7.18%
FHA MIP · $27
$4,030
580
Conventional, 5% down
$567
$3,100
$58,900
7.18%
PMI · $29
$4,960
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$475
$12,400
$49,600
7.18%
None
$14,260
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$532
$9,300
$52,700
8.18%
None
$11,160
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Buena Vista is $906 a month: 4% below the county. In Buena Vista, 70% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Saginaw County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,141 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $21.94 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Saginaw County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$795
$15.29
$31,800
1 bedroom
$893
$17.17
$35,720
2 bedrooms
$1,141
$21.94
$45,640
3 bedrooms
$1,466
$28.19
$58,640
4 bedrooms
$1,500
$28.85
$60,000
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Buena Vista
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Buena Vista is in ZIP code 48601.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,110: $31 less than the fair market rent for Saginaw County ($1,141).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Buena Vista, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
48601
$770
$870
$1,110
$1,430
$1,460
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
48601 $1,110$1,430
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Buena Vista when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Saginaw County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Buena Vista or Saginaw County. The ones below are statewide in Michigan: they work in Buena Vista the same as in the rest of the state.
Michigan state agency loan of up to $10,000, with no interest and no monthly payments, for the down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses; it goes with MSHDA's MI Home Loan mortgage and is repaid in certain cases, such as when you pay off the first mortgage, sell or refinance the home, or no longer live in it.Offered by Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
Michigan state authority certificate that lets you take 20% of the interest you pay each year on your mortgage off your federal taxes, for the life of the loan; you apply with an approved lender before you buy.Offered by Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Buena Vista or Saginaw County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Buena Vista and all of Saginaw County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Buena Vista?
The typical home value in Buena Vista is $62,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Saginaw County it is $152,800.
How much does it cost to rent in Buena Vista?
Typical rent in Buena Vista is $906 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Saginaw County is $1,141.
What is the FHA loan limit in Buena Vista?
Buena Vista uses the FHA limit for all of Saginaw County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Buena Vista?
The typical homeowner in Buena Vista pays $1,355 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.19% of the home’s value; in Saginaw County, the rate is 1.49%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Buena Vista?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Saginaw County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
