The Town FilesButler, Pennsylvania
Township in Schuylkill County · population 4,906 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,100
- Household income
- $79,730
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 43.3
Butler is a township of 4,906 people in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $173,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks easier by car than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 74% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 72% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Butler ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Butler is worth $173,100, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $79,730, which is more affordable than 82% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,048 a month. 89.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butler | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,048 | $996 |
| Median household income | $79,730 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Butler
| People | Butler | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Butler
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butler since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 26, 1981 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Schuylkill County since 1996
Schuylkill County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County had 50,294 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,134 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Butler itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Butler
- Mount Carmel, PA4.8 mi · 5,725 people · home $81,800
- Frackville, PA5.2 mi · 3,860 people · home $103,400
- West Mahanoy, PA5.6 mi · 2,785 people · home $88,700
- Mount Carmel, PA6.2 mi · 2,500 people · home $156,500
- Minersville, PA6.3 mi · 4,370 people · home $82,300
- Shenandoah, PA7.6 mi · 4,243 people · home $49,500
- Kulpmont, PA7.7 mi · 2,758 people · home $84,000
- St. Clair, PA7.9 mi · 2,745 people · home $71,800
Butler questions
Is Butler, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butler scores better for retirees than 74% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 70%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Butler?
The median owner-occupied home in Butler is valued at $173,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,730, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,048 a month.
What is the weather like in Butler?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Butler get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butler since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 26, 1981. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)