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Living in
Butler.
About
Life in Butler
Butler is a community of 13,306 people in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $44,247, median rent runs about $815 per month, and median home values are around $108,100. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Butler at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.4%
Foreign-Born
2.0%
Broadband Internet
84.3%
of households
Population Growth
-4.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.0% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Butler: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Butler, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (20.2%), and 1.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
47.9%
of households
Married Couples
27.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.09
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 32% below PA average
Rent, home values, and income in Butler
In Butler, rent runs 32% below the PA average, and home values are 58% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
94.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,639
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
16.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,867 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below PA average
Unemployment in Butler
Unemployment in Butler County, which includes Butler, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the PA average.
Unemployment rate
Butler: Butler County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Butler County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Butler Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.1 min avg
How Butler residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Butler, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
Medium hub4.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 93% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Butler runs 93% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
636
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,791.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Butler Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
79.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Butler County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Butler County, which includes Butler, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $191,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12.7M |
| 2023 | 14 | Winter Weather | $104,000 |
| 2022 | 24 | Winter Weather | $83,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | Winter Weather | $264,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $212,000 |
| 2019 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.1M |
| 2018 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $13,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Butler County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Armstrong County, PA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Butler) is typically good — 256 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
256
per year
Moderate Days
107
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Armstrong County, PA (23 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Butler has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.2"
Annual Snowfall
34.9"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
140
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
168
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 17°F | 3.36" |
| Feb | 37°F | 18°F | 2.66" |
| Mar | 46°F | 25°F | 3.28" |
| Apr | 60°F | 35°F | 3.50" |
| May | 70°F | 45°F | 3.80" |
| Jun | 78°F | 54°F | 4.33" |
| Jul | 82°F | 58°F | 4.16" |
| Aug | 81°F | 57°F | 4.02" |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 4.09" |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 3.30" |
| Nov | 50°F | 30°F | 3.34" |
| Dec | 39°F | 23°F | 3.37" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Butler
Butler has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospita
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Independence Health System Butler Memorial Hospita · One Hospital Way
- Hospital campus: Butler Memorial Hospital · 911 E Brady St, Butler
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education10.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Butler
Butler's student/teacher ratio is 10.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Johnstown Flood National Memorial, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Butler
Butler has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Johnstown Flood National Memorial (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
69 mi awayFort Necessity National Battlefield
National Battlefield
74 mi awayAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
National Historic Site
75 mi awayFriendship Hill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
75 mi awayFlight 93 National Memorial
National Memorial
76 mi awayFirst Ladies National Historic Site
National Historic Site
77 mi awayCuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
92 mi awayJames A Garfield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in Butler
Butler Area Public Library
218 North Mckean St, Butler
Cities Near Butler
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Butler?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Butler FAQ
Is Butler, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
Butler's median rent is $818/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $44,247/year. Median home value is $108,100.
Is Butler, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
Butler's violent crime rate was 636 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1792 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Butler, Pennsylvania?⌄
Butler County, which includes Butler, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Butler, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in Butler is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $818/month and median household income is $44,247/year. The median home value is $108,100. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Butler, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in Butler is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from