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COUNTY

Butte County

California · 209,211 residents (2025 est.) · 1,636 sq mi
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The short version

Butte County is home to 207,929 people in California. That trails the California median by roughly 31%. Owners hold 57% of the housing stock. 19.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line. 9% of residents were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 21 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 101%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
207,929
+2%since 2000
from 203,171 in 2000
209,211 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
127 / sq mi
−5%since 2009
from 133 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.2
+1%since 2000
from 35.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,636 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
178K191K205K218K232K19902000201020202024Butte County
2024208K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.2%(10,776)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(12,459)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.6%(11,708)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(14,722)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2411.1%(23,076)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.1%(27,323)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.9%(24,784)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.2%(21,273)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.3%(23,581)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411%(22,848)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(11,777)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(3,602)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,928
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,924 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,305
+119%since 2000
from $17,517 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
46.2%
+21.1 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2000
from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.483
+8%since 2010
from 0.449 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$424,700
+101%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,414
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $563 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
57.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2000
from 60.7% in 2000
42.7% rent
Vacancy rate
10.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.42 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
27.2%
−8.2 ptssince 2009
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
55.7%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 57.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.3
−4%since 2009
from 6.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
58
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic80%(162,564)
Black1.3%(2,699)
Hispanic / Latino10.5%(21,339)
Asian3.3%(6,676)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65.1%(135,400)
Black1.7%(3,628)
Hispanic / Latino20%(41,660)
Asian5.5%(11,464)
Other7.6%(15,777)
Diversity Score
66
+35%since 2009
from 49 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−19%since 2020
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican17%(35,424)
Central American0.6%(1,210)
Spaniard0.5%(1,102)
Puerto Rican0.3%(719)
Salvadoran0.2%(513)
Nicaraguan0.2%(324)
Cuban0.1%(275)
Peruvian0.1%(266)
Guatemalan0.1%(206)
Colombian0.1%(141)
Chilean0.1%(137)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong2.4%(5,055)
Filipino0.6%(1,186)
Chinese0.5%(1,067)
Vietnamese0.4%(792)
Mien0.3%(687)
Asian Indian0.3%(680)
Korean0.2%(368)
Japanese0.1%(287)
Laotian0.1%(182)
Taiwanese0.1%(180)
Indonesian0.1%(151)
Pakistani0.1%(143)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(62)
Thai0%(47)
Kazakh0%(34)
Uzbek0%(29)
Burmese0%(22)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(271)
Samoan0.1%(155)
Fijian0%(49)
Chamorro0%(47)
Ancestry
German13.8%(28,763)
English12.3%(25,627)
Irish11.4%(23,766)
Italian5.4%(11,228)
American5%(10,470)
Scottish2.7%(5,695)
French2.6%(5,388)
Norwegian1.8%(3,771)
Portuguese1.8%(3,657)
Swedish1.4%(2,902)
Dutch1.3%(2,721)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(1,943)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Polish0.8%(1,689)
Danish0.7%(1,460)
Russian0.6%(1,251)
Welsh0.6%(1,246)
British0.5%(1,070)
Greek0.4%(897)
Czech0.4%(817)
Swiss0.4%(766)
Arab0.4%(732)
Finnish0.3%(674)
Hungarian0.3%(585)
Canadian0.2%(494)
Croatian0.2%(380)
Romanian0.2%(313)
Ukrainian0.1%(280)
West Indian0.1%(270)
Austrian0.1%(254)
Lithuanian0.1%(237)
Armenian0.1%(233)
Jamaican0.1%(220)
Lebanese0.1%(201)
Nigerian0.1%(182)
Iranian0.1%(166)
Israeli0.1%(109)
Turkish0%(96)
Jordanian0%(88)
Slovak0%(80)
Belgian0%(76)
Latvian0%(62)
Iraqi0%(39)
Slovene0%(34)
Brazilian0%(25)
Serbian0%(17)
Egyptian0%(12)
Syrian0%(8)
Haitian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.9%
+10.1 ptssince 2000
from 21.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.6%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 82.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.4%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.0 min
+47%since 2000
from 14.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.9%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.6%
+7.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.5%
−5.8 ptssince 2011
from 13.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2011
from 56.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.7%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 69.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.2%
+7.9 ptssince 2009
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
8.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.8%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.4%
−9.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.8%
+10.9 ptssince 2017
from 80.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 94.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
82.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 82.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
83.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 85.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 8.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.7%(36,537)
Married44.6%(38,165)
Widowed2.5%(2,106)
Divorced10.2%(8,683)
Women 15+
Never married36.7%(32,115)
Married42.3%(37,035)
Widowed8.3%(7,224)
Divorced12.7%(11,121)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.4%
−9.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
31.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 30.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
60.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 61.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
48.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 47.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.1%(2,146)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.8%(2,112)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.5%(4,895)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.9%(661)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(120)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 11,249 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Butte County to nearby counties

BUTTE COUNTY VS
Yuba County
Income$76,373+12%
Home value$412,300−3%
Population88,691−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Glenn County
Income$67,139−1%
Home value$352,400−17%
Population28,141−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Sutter County
Income$79,704+17%
Home value$433,500+2%
Population98,787−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Tehama County
Income$63,784−6%
Home value$339,600−20%
Population64,665−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Butte County, California?

Butte County, California has about 207,929 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Butte County, California?

The typical household in Butte County, California earns about $67,928 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Butte County, California expensive?

In Butte County, California, the median home is worth about $424,700, and the typical rent is about $1,414 a month.

How educated are people in Butte County, California?

About 31.9% of adults age 25 and over in Butte County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Butte County, California?

About 19.2% of people in Butte County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Butte County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Butte County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 25,809 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →