What it's like to live in Butler
Butler is a small city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Butler deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a population that has been shrinking, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Butler compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Butler
Based on Butler's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,636
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,720 a year
- 49% of Butler renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$21,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $10,810
- Homes cost 2.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$818/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $818 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $108,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $108,100 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Butler County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Butler County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 93% above US
636 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1792/100k · Butler Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 20°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 36% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Johnstown Flood National Memorial (69 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Butler's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($818/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Butler
All Pennsylvania guides →Moving to Allison Park →
21 mi away · pop. 22,045
Rent $1,222/mo · Income $113,822
Compare with Butler →Moving to New Kensington →
21 mi away · pop. 12,011
Rent $751/mo · Income $49,063
Compare with Butler →Not sure Butler is the one?
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