Buchanan County, Virginia
Buchanan County (/bə.kæn.ən/) is a United States county in far western Virginia, the only county in the state to border both West Virginia and Kentucky. The county is part of the Southwest Virginia region and lies in the rugged Appalachian Plateau portion of the Appalachian Mountains. Its county seat is Grundy.
Buchanan County | |
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Buchanan County Courthouse in Grundy | |
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Seal | |
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia | |
Virginia's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 37°16′N 82°02′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Named for | James Buchanan |
| Seat | Grundy |
| Largest town | Grundy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 504 sq mi (1,310 km2) |
| • Land | 503 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
| • Water | 1.1 sq mi (3 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 20,355 |
| • Density | 40/sq mi (16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Website | www |
Buchanan County was established in 1858 from parts of Russell and Tazewell counties, and it was named in honor of then-President James Buchanan. Local pronunciation differs from that of the 15th president's surname; here the county is pronounced as "Búh-can-nin". In 1880, part of Buchanan County was taken to form Dickenson County.
As of the 2020 census, the county population was 20,355. Its population has decreased by double digits over the last forty years. As of 2012, Buchanan was the fifth-poorest county in Virginia, when ranked by median household income; it has consistently been in the bottom 5% over the past decade.