Median Income
$33,548
household / year
Median Home Value
$122,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$720
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Butler, MO a Good Place to Live?

Butler is a small town of 4,541 in Missouri, with a median household income of $33,548 and a 14.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Butler stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Butler is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Butler city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 93.3

Butler's overall cost of living index is 93.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Butler costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Butler, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $122,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $720 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 49.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $33,548 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Butler's violent crime rate is 1359.0 per 100,000 residents — 258% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
1359.0 /100k
Property Crime
2858.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Butler is served primarily by BUTLER R-V. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Butler, MO National Avg
School District BUTLER R-V
Elementary Schools 1
Middle Schools N/A
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Butler sees average highs of 40.1°F in January and 89.5°F in July, with 44.1 inches of annual precipitation and 9.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricButler, MO
Average High — January40.1°F
Average High — July89.5°F
Annual Precipitation44.1"
Annual Snowfall9.5"

Demographics

MetricButler, MONational Avg
Population4,541
Median Age36.738.9
Unemployment Rate14.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.5%59.3%
Black or African American5.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.4%18.9%
Asian1.1%6.3%
Under 1826.7%22.2%
65 and over19.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Butler

Butler, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Butler vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Butler's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Butler roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $122,400 and median rent is $720/month.
Butler's violent crime rate is 1359.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2858.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Butler are operated by BUTLER R-V. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1. 10.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Butler, MO has a population of 4,541, a median household income of $33,548, and an unemployment rate of 14.7%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Butler averages 40.1°F in January and 89.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 44.1 inches with about 9.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Butler, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 64730.
The population of Butler, Missouri is 4,541 with a median age of 36.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Butler: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $122,400, median household income $33,548, crime index 269 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Butler side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.