39.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 27.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 25.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (7.5%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).

The municipality is located in the Werdenberg Wahlkreis. It is a shopping, industry and services center for the upper St. Gallen Rhine valley as well as the capital of the Wahlkreis. It consists of the village of Buchs and the large hamlets of Räfis and Burgerau as well