United States › Missouri › Butler County COUNTY
Butler County Missouri · 41,904 residents (2025 est.) · 695 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Butler County is home to 42,020 people in Missouri. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The typical home is worth $145,100, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. Households here earn about 31% less than in Missouri as a whole. Median rent is $780 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 40,867 in 2000
41,904 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 59 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
38K 40K 41K 42K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Butler County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,089
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,228 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,721 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.453 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.9%
Public administration 4.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Education & health services 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$145,100
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$780
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $354 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.9% in 2000
35.4% rent
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.6%(37,435)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.9%(36,091)
Hispanic / Latino 2.5%(1,035)
from 22 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 35 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 Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 84.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 61.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.5%(5,452)
Women 15+
Never married 26.7%(4,704)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 45.8% 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) 24.1%(767)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.5%(812)
Share of the 3,186 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Butler County Head to head
Compare Butler County to nearby counties BUTLER COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $51,481 +5%
Home value $94,600 −35%
Population 14,052 −66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTLER COUNTY VS
Ripley County
Income $42,037 −14%
Home value $119,600 −18%
Population 10,717 −74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTLER COUNTY VS
Stoddard County
Income $57,957 +18%
Home value $143,300 −1%
Population 28,284 −33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTLER COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income $47,226 −4%
Home value $107,400 −26%
Population 10,782 −74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Butler County, Missouri? Butler County, Missouri has about 42,020 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Butler County, Missouri? The typical household in Butler County, Missouri earns about $49,089 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Butler County, Missouri expensive? In Butler County, Missouri, the median home is worth about $145,100, and the typical rent is about $780 a month.
How educated are people in Butler County, Missouri? About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Butler County, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Butler County, Missouri? About 20.5% of people in Butler County, Missouri live below the federal poverty line.
Has Butler County, Missouri grown since 1990? Yes, Butler County, Missouri has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,255 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.
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