Butler County, Pennsylvania


Butler County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 193,763. Its county seat is Butler. Butler County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named in honor of General Richard Butler, a hero of the American Revolution. The county is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region of the commonwealth.

History

Some famous inventions and discoveries were made in Butler County. Saxonburg was founded as a Prussian colony by John A. Roebling, a civil engineer, and his brother Carl. After farming for a time, Roebling returned to engineering, and invented his revolutionary "wire rope," which he first produced at Saxonburg. He moved the operation to Trenton, New Jersey. He is best known for designing his most famous work, the Brooklyn Bridge, but designed and built numerous bridges in Pittsburgh and other cities as well.
At what is now known as Oil Creek, Butler County resident William Smith and Edwin Drake first proved oil could be tapped from underground for consistent supply.
The Jeep was developed in Butler County by American Bantam in 1941.
Famous politicians have lived in and traveled through Butler County. U.S. Senator Walter Lowrie, the only senator from Butler, built a home in 1828 that still stands behind the Butler County Courthouse. The house has been adapted for use by the Butler County Historical Society. Butler's highest-ranked federal official is William J. Perry, Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1997. He graduated from Butler High School in 1945.
The 21-year-old George Washington passed through this area in December 1753 following his mission to Fort Le Boeuf in the lead-up to the French and Indian War and narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a French-aligned Native American who escaped from the scene. In 1923, the funeral train of President Warren G. Harding passed through Butler County on its way to Washington, D.C. John F. Kennedy spoke in front of the Butler County Courthouse during the 1960 United States presidential election. Hubert Humphrey also campaigned in Butler. In 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney spoke in Saxonburg to campaign for President George W. Bush in the 2004 United States presidential election. Donald Trump, while president, campaigned at the Butler County Airport in 2020.
On July 13, 2024, Butler County was the site of an Attempted assassination of [Donald Trump in Pennsylvania|assassination attempt] of former President Donald Trump as he spoke at a campaign rally. Trump was shot in the ear and one spectator was killed. The shooter was also killed. The next day, authorities named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the perpetrator.
Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, was born here in 1963.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Butler County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.
It is the location of Moraine State Park, with the glacial lake, Lake Arthur. Lake Arthur is used for fishing and sailing, and the surrounding park is used for hiking and hunting.

Climate

The county has a warm-summer humid continental climate, except for areas south of Moraine State Park where it is hot-summer. Average monthly temperatures in Butler borough range from 27.7 °F in January to 72.1 °F in July.

Waterways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 193,763. The median age was 43.6 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 169,634176,259178,08197.44%95.86%91.90%
Black or African American alone 1,3431,9542,1740.77%1.06%1.12%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 1391661540.07%0.09%0.07%
Asian alone 9731,8262,7920.55%0.99%1.44%
Pacific Islander alone 5147360.02%0.02%0.01%
Other race alone 861025770.04%0.05%0.29%
Mixed race or Multiracial 8411,5676,2840.48%0.85%3.24%
Hispanic or Latino 1,0161,9413,6650.58%1.05%1.89%
Total174,083183,862193,763100.00%100.00%100.00%

56.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.3% lived in rural areas.
There were 78,727 households in the county, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.8% were married-couple households, 17.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 85,019 housing units, of which 7.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.5% were owner-occupied and 24.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of. The racial/ethnic makeup of the county is 96.5% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, 0.7% from two or more races; and 0.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.0% German, 20.8% Irish, 13.1% Italian, 8.6% English, and 7.8% Polish.
There were 65,862 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

Law and government

Judges on the Court of Common Pleas

  • Dr. S. Michael Yeager
  • Timothy McCune
  • Kelly Streib
  • Joseph Kubit
  • Maura Palumbi
  • William Shaffer
  • William Robinson Jr.

District judges

  • Kevin P. O'Donnell
  • Joseph Nash
  • Lewis Stoughton
  • Sue Elaine Haggerty
  • Kevin Flaherty
  • B.T. Fullerton
  • Amy Marcinkiewicz

Politics

Butler County has long been one of the most consistently Republican counties in Pennsylvania and the nation. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win it was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 [United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1964], when he won a national landslide and carried all but four counties in the state; indeed, Johnson is the only Democratic presidential candidate to carry this county in over a century. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 62% of the vote, while Democrat Al Gore received 35%. In 2004, the county was carried by Bush's 64% to Democrat John Kerry's 35%. In 2008, the county was carried by Republican John McCain's 63% to Democrat Barack Obama's 35%. Since 2008, Butler County has continually given Republican nominees support in the mid-60s, with both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump receiving around 66% of the vote in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
In 2024, by political party, almost 80,000 residents registered as Republican, almost 40,000 registered as Democratic, and about 20,000 are not Democratic nor Republican. The New York Times described the county as being politically conservative.

Voter registration

As of September 30, 2024, there are 142,305 registered voters in Butler County.

Education

Colleges and universities

Technical schools

  • Butler County Vo-Tech

Public school districts

K-12 school districts include:
As of 2024, several area school districts, as a tradition, gave school holidays when the deer hunting season began.

Public libraries

The Butler County Federated Library System includes the ten listed libraries. Each library is managed by its own Board of Directors. The majority of the funding for these libraries comes from state grants, user fines and donations with additional financial contributions from Butler County. The first Butler library originated in 1894 with the Literary Society of Butler in what is now known as the Little Red Schoolhouse. The Butler Area Public Library, built in 1921, was the last Carnegie library built in Pennsylvania. In the intervening 27 years the library was independently operated. From 1921 to 1941 the library quadrupled the number of patrons served. In 1987 the County commissioners, through a resolution, founded the Butler County Federated Library System.

Media

Recreation

Arts and culture

The Butler County Symphony Orchestra, is Butler County's largest performing arts non-profit. Founded in 1948 as the Butler Orchestral Association, the BCSO has been in continuous operations since its first concert in April 1950. Edward Roncone served as the first music director and conductor, and the inaugural performance also served as the sesquicentennial celebration of Butler County. The BCSO currently sponsors six subscription concerts, a Chamber Music Series, and a Summer Concert Series, making them operate as a year-round performing arts organization.

Parks

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Butler County.
  • Jennings Environmental Education Center is the home of the only protected relict prairie in Pennsylvania.
  • Moraine State Park The gently rolling hills, lush forests and sparkling waters disguise a land that has endured the effects of continental glaciers and massive mineral extraction. Each year over one million people visit the park, yet never realize that many people helped restore the park from prior coal mining and oil and gas drilling practices. Today, the park is an outstanding example of environmental engineering achievement. During the third great ice advance about 140,000 years ago, a continental glacier dammed area creeks making three glacial lakes. To the north, Slippery Rock Creek filled giant Lake Edmund. To the southeast, extinct McConnells Run filled tiny Lake Prouty. In the middle, Muddy Creek filled the medium-sized Lake Watts.
Before the glacier dam, Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flowed north while extinct McConnells Run flowed south. The glacier dammed Lake Prouty on the edge of the drainage divide. Eventually Lake Pouty spilled over and rushed to the south, carving Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. Lakes Watts and Edmund drained into the gorge, digging it deeper and making Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flow south. Areas of the deep Slippery Rock Gorge may be seen at nearby McConnells Mill State Park.
The glacier created a landscape of rolling hills topped with hardwood trees and swamps in the valley bottoms. Moraines containing gravel, sand and clay were draped upon the landscape and silt was left on the extinct lake bottoms.

Trails

Transportation

Airports

Transit

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs], townships in Pennsylvania|townships], and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Butler County:

City

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

s are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

Unincorporated communities

Several of these communities, most notably Renfrew, Lyndora, Herman, Sarver, Cabot, Boyers, and Forestville, have post offices and zip codes, but aren't officially incorporated under Pennsylvania law, and exist entirely within townships.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Butler County.
† county seat
RankCity/town/etc.Municipal typePopulation
1† ButlerCity13,757
2Fernway CDP12,414
3Homeacre-LyndoraCDP6,906
4Shanor-NorthvueCDP5,051
5MeridianCDP3,881
6ZelienopleBorough3,812
7Slippery RockBorough3,625
8Fox Run CDP3,282
9Seven FieldsBorough2,887
10MeadowoodCDP2,693
11Oak HillsCDP2,333
12Slippery Rock UniversityCDP1,898
13Evans CityBorough1,833
14MarsBorough1,699
15SaxonburgBorough1,525
16NixonCDP1,373
17ProspectBorough1,169
18ChicoraBorough1,043
19UnionvilleCDP962
20HarrisvilleBorough897
21HarmonyBorough890
22East ButlerBorough732
23Lake Arthur EstatesCDP594
24ValenciaBorough551
25ConnoquenessingBorough528
26BruinBorough524
27CalleryBorough394
28West LibertyBorough343
29Eau ClaireBorough316
30PortersvilleBorough235
31PetroliaBorough212
32Karns CityBorough209
33FairviewBorough198
34West SunburyBorough192
35Cherry ValleyBorough66

In popular culture

Butler County has often been used as a setting for films shot in the North Pittsburgh area. Such films include:
Films set in Butler County, but not necessarily filmed there:
Novels set in Butler County:
  • Benjamin's Field, a trilogy by local author J. J. Knights
  • The Pennsic War, an annual medieval camping event by the Society for Creative Anachronism, is fought in Butler County. Its site becomes the fourth most populous place in the county for a few weeks each year.
Video games set in Butler County:
  • The Roottrees are Dead, a mystery video game by Jeremy Johnston, is primarily set in Butler County, Pennsylvania, home to the eponymous Roottree family and the headquarters of its candy corporation.