Butler County, Iowa

County in IA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

14,268

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

43.7

years ∙ half population younger than 43.7, half older

Diversity Index

10.4%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

2.3%

foreign-born population

97.7%Native

2.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Butler County is a county in Iowa, United States.

Location

County in IA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC42.734757° N, 92.780153° W

DMS42° 44′ 05.13″ N, 92° 46′ 48.55″ W

Population Density & area

24.6/sq mi (9.5/km²)

Total Area

581.7 sq mi (1,506.8 km²)

Land Area

580.1 sq mi (1,502.6 km²) · 99.72%

Water Area

1.6 sq mi (4.2 km²) · 0.28%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.7% male

Male 49.7%

Female 50.3%

males per 100 females

Butler County 98.7

Iowa 100.6

United States 98

Nativity

2.3%

foreign-born population

97.7%Native

2.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Butler County 2.3%

Iowa 5.9%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

43.7

years ∙ half population younger than 43.7, half older

Butler County

43.7

Iowa

38.6

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

83.7

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Butler County 83.7

Iowa 69.6

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	22.4%	22.9%	22%
Working age (18-64)	54.4%	59%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	23.2%	18.1%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	83.7	69.6	64.4
Child dependency ratio	41.1	38.8	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	42.6	30.7	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

94.6%

Black

0.2%

Asian

1.3%

Hispanic

1.7%

Other

2.2%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

10.4%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Butler County 10.4%

Iowa 31.4%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Butler County population

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Hispanic or Latino	1.7%	7.3%	19.3%
Mexican	1.5%	5%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.2%	1.8%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	98.3%	92.7%	80.7%
One race	96.7%	89.2%	76.4%
White	94.6%	82.3%	57.4%
Black or African American	0.2%	3.8%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.2%	0.5%
Asian	1.3%	2.5%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.2%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.7%	0.3%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.6%	3.5%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

69.8% family

Family 69.8%

Non family 30.2%

% family households

Butler County 69.8%

Iowa 61.6%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.4

persons per household

Butler County

2.4

Iowa

2.36

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Butler County population

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Total households	5,863	1,315,707	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.4	2.36	2.53
Family households	4,091	809,836	82,990,528
Average family size	2.86	2.98	3.14
Married couple family	3,533	635,347	60,637,388
Other families	558	174,489	22,353,140
Male householder	234	56,457	6,572,819
Female householder	324	118,032	15,780,321
Non-family households	1,772	505,871	46,236,968
One-person households	1,494	406,436	37,140,836
Male householder	709	193,582	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	221	58,028	5,225,110
Female householder	785	212,854	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	526	111,645	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	278	99,435	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

6,570

housing units

Butler County 6,570

Iowa 1,437,699

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

89.2% occupied

Occupied 89.2%

Vacant 10.8%

vacancy rate

Butler County 10.8%

Iowa 8.5%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

88.9%

Single family houses

88.9%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

9.3%

Mobile homes

1.8%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1960

Half of houses were built before 1960, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

35.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

24.4%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

24.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

15.5%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.3	5.9	5.5
1–3 rooms	5.6%	11.8%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	47.4%	47.4%	51.6%
7+ rooms	47.1%	40.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.2%	1.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	6.3%	9.2%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	26.3%	27%	25%
3 bedrooms	41.8%	37.3%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	25.5%	24.7%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1960	1972	1981
Total housing units	6,570	1,437,699	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

84.1% owners

Renter-occupied 15.9%

Owner-occupied 84.1%

homeownership rate

Butler County 84.1%

Iowa 71.7%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.42

Owner-occupied

2.31

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Butler County 2.42

Iowa 2.5

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Total occupied units	5,863	1,315,707	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	15.6%	24.3%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	36.2%	38.7%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	19.9%	16.4%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	28.3%	20.7%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.6%	98.4%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.4%	1.1%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.5%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	3.6%	5.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	21.4%	30.5%	33.1%
2 vehicles	35.1%	37.8%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	39.9%	26.3%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	74.2%	72.8%	51.4%
Electricity	22%	24.4%	41.3%
Solar	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.1%	0.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	3.5%	1.8%	2%
No fuel used	0.2%	0.6%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.2%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.5%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.5%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$165,400

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Butler County

$165,400

Iowa

$208,000

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

17.7%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

17.7%

Owners without a mortgage

8.5%

Renters

37.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Property value
Median Value	$165,400	$208,000	$332,700
Under $100,000	23.7%	17.8%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	38.9%	30%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	21.8%	23.1%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	13.2%	21.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	2.2%	6.8%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.1%	1.1%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	58.3%	59.4%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	41.7%	40.6%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,319	$1,533	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$546	$616	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$812	$972	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

21.4%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Butler County 21.4%

Iowa 31.4%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

6.1%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Butler County 6.1%

Iowa 6.7%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

3,038

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

8.2%

K–12

80.4%

College / Undergraduate

9.5%

Graduate / Professional

1.9%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

19.9%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Butler County

19.9%

Iowa

42.3%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	3,038	784,322	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	8.2%	6.2%	5.7%
K–12	80.4%	68.4%	67.6%
Kindergarten	6%	5.2%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	24.3%	20.3%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	23.4%	21.3%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	26.7%	21.6%	21.7%
College or graduate school	11.4%	25.4%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	9.5%	20.8%	21%
Graduate, professional school	1.9%	4.6%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	19.9%	42.3%	40.9%
School type
Public school	94.1%	84.4%	82%
Private school	5.9%	15.6%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

10,120

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

4.1%

HS graduate

37.4%

Some college no degree

20.2%

Associates degree

14.9%

Bachelors degree

16.3%

Graduate or professional degree

5.1%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

65.7% · 34.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

50.6% · 49.4%

HS graduate

54% · 46%

Some college no degree

45% · 55%

Associates degree

46.6% · 53.4%

Bachelors degree

44% · 56%

Graduate or professional degree

43.8% · 56.2%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Population (25+)	10,120	2,154,149	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	2%	2.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.1%	4%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	37.4%	30%	26%
Some college, no degree	20.2%	19.7%	19.1%
Associate's degree	14.9%	12.1%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	21.4%	31.4%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	16.3%	20.9%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	5.1%	10.5%	14.1%
High School or higher	93.9%	93.3%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$48,860

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$40,136

HS graduate

$45,236

Some college or associates

$49,462

Bachelors degree

$52,236

Graduate or professional degree

$76,786

Poverty Rate

7.3%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

14.5%

HS graduate

10.4%

Some college or associates

6.4%

Bachelors degree or higher

7.3%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Butler County	Iowa	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$48,860	$51,106	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$40,136	$35,996	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$45,236	$41,528	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$49,462	$47,635	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$52,236	$62,744	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$76,786	$80,022	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	14.5%	21.5%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	10.4%	12.4%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	6.4%	8.1%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	7.3%	3.8%	4.5%

Insights for Butler County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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