The Town FilesButner, North Carolina
Town in Granville County · population 8,397 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,100
- Household income
- $74,739
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 40.3
Butner is a town of 8,397 people in Granville County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $231,100, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better transit than 92% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of North Carolina towns.
How Butner ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Butner is worth $231,100, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $74,739, which is more affordable than 75% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,307 a month. 73.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butner | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,100 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,307 | $969 |
| Median household income | $74,739 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.8% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Butner
| People | Butner | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Butner
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 82 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butner since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 20, 1998 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on July 1, 1990.
Severe weather in Granville County since 1996
Granville County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| August 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Granville County
Granville County had 20,301 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,314 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Butner itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Butner
2 public schools with 919 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butner-Stem Elementary | PK-5 | 516 | 14.3 |
| Butner-Stem Middle | 6-8 | 403 | 16.8 |
Towns near Butner
- Creedmoor, NC3.6 mi · 4,866 people · home $281,400
- Durham, NC13.9 mi · 283,506 people · home $392,800
- Oxford, NC15.5 mi · 8,628 people · home $196,200
- Wake Forest, NC17.4 mi · 47,601 people · home $474,500
- Hillsborough, NC20.3 mi · 9,660 people · home $460,100
- Morrisville, NC21.3 mi · 29,630 people · home $518,800
- Raleigh, NC21.6 mi · 467,665 people · home $415,800
- Rolesville, NC21.6 mi · 9,475 people · home $535,000
Butner questions
Is Butner, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butner scores better for retirees than 39% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 45%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Butner?
The median owner-occupied home in Butner is valued at $231,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,739, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,307 a month.
What is the weather like in Butner?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Butner get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butner since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 20, 1998. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)