Established in 1803, Butler has a rich industrial history that the city proudly displays in 10 different hand-painted murals scattered throughout downtown. Known as “The Great Walls of Butler County,” the murals include depictions of the Butler Works steel plant, the Standard Steel Car Company and the American Bantam Car Company, best known for producing the world’s first Jeep in 1940 to support the U.S. Army during WWII. Butler celebrates its claim to fame as the birthplace of the Jeep each year at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, which brings thousands of Jeeps to downtown Butler each June.
Today, Butler is the county seat of Butler County, and its population was just over 13,500 as of the 2020 census. The county itself has seen record-breaking population growth since then, with U.S. Census Bureau data showing that Butler County was one of only two counties in Western Pennsylvania to see its population increase between 2020 and 2023. The county saw more than a 2% increase in its population over that three-year period, and Butler itself continues to attract residents with low property taxes and abundant job opportunities. The county remains an industrial hub, with the Tri-County Manufacturing Consortium reporting that it’s home to more manufacturing companies than any other county in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, two of the top four employers in Butler County are manufacturing companies: Westinghouse Electric Company and AK Steel Holdings Corporation, now owned by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Outside of that, the federal government and Butler Medical Providers are the city’s top employers. The city itself is home to Butler Memorial Hospital, which is part of the larger Independent Health System.
Despite its growing population, Butler maintains a small-town feel in its mom-and-pop shops, lively arts scene and festive community events. “Butler is very community-oriented. There are a lot of generational families here,” says Sadler Priest, a real estate agent with the Hedi & Sadler Priest Team who lives just outside of the city. “When I ask my clients why they’re moving to Butler, 99 out of 100 say that it’s because of their family. Everyone here knows each other and supports the local businesses downtown.” In 2012, Smithsonian Magazine named Butler as one of the top 10 best small towns in America due to its rich history and walkable downtown, both of which remain an important part of the community more than a decade later.
Butler's American Bantam Car Company produced the first Jeep in 1940.
The safe and walkable streets in Butler are bustling with residents out to eat.
The Butler Fall Festival was a rain or shine event and brought in a large crowd.
Bulter is home to Butler Memorial Hospital, part of Independent Health Systet Health System.
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Shopping, dining and entertainment in downtown Butler
Downtown Butler offers a walkable commercial corridor in the heart of the city. “Downtown has a great vibe going on right now. It’s really starting to grow,” Priest says. “There are a lot of generational places, but there are also new businesses that have brought in a hipper vibe.” Thanks in part to the volunteer-based nonprofit Butler Downtown, Main Street has seen a revitalization in recent years as new businesses have opened their doors alongside longstanding institutions like Cummings Candy & Coffee House, which has been serving the community since 1905 and is the city’s oldest family-owned business. Newer additions to the scene include trendy spots like Butler Brew Works, known for its rustic taproom, craft beers and elevated pub grub. Branded in Butler features racks of vintage clothing from the 1980s and ‘90s, while the Appalachian Rock Shop sells a unique mix of gemstones, jewelry and crystals. There are also coffee shops such as Canella Café and cozy eateries like Natili North, an Italian restaurant serving wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta sauces. Vibrant murals add to the city’s small-town feel, while events like Sips In the City and Foodie Fridays encourage residents to support local businesses. The Butler Historic District is also centered around downtown and features several houses of worship, including St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church.
In addition to shopping and dining, downtown hosts a growing arts scene. The Maridon Museum displays more than 800 pieces of Chinese and Japanese art, and it’s the only museum in Western Pennsylvania dedicated to Asian art and culture. The museum also hosts educational book clubs, film screenings and children’s programs. The Associated Artists of Butler County offers art classes, exhibits and theatrical performances at the Butler Art Center & Gallery, including interactive murder mystery dinners. While the 20th-century Penn Theater no longer shows movies, it’s now a popular event venue for concerts and local groups. “My wife’s dad remembers standing in line outside the theater as a five-year-old waiting to see Snow White,” Priest says. The Butler Little Theatre is one of the oldest continuously operating theater groups in the country, and the Butler County Symphony Orchestra performs throughout the year at Butler Intermediate High School. The Butler Notables Barbershop Chorus rounds out the sounds of the city with an annual performance at BC3’s Succop Theater.
Cummings Candy and Coffee House is a popular Butler destination.
Friends gather at Butler Brew Works for a beverage and meal.
Check out the Maridon Meuseum in Butler for an East Asian artwork experience.
Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church is located in downtown Butler.
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Prices for single-family homes are below the national median
Residential blocks surround downtown Butler, and most homes were built from the turn of the 20th century through the mid-1900s. “There’s a great sense of history here in Butler, and Butler County has lower taxes,” Priest says. “It’s a great place to come up and raise your family while paying a lower cost of living and commuting into the bigger cities.” Butler features a variety of architectural styles, including a mix of two-story cottages, American Foursquares and Victorian-inspired homes with wraparound porches. While some houses are over a century old, many properties maintain their historic charm alongside modern updates and renovations. The median price of single-family homes in Butler is just over $224,000, compared to the national median price of nearly $419,000. Home prices are also 7% lower than the median sales price of single-family homes in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area, which the National Association of Realtors reported to be around $239,000 in the third quarter of 2024. There are several townhouse developments on the outskirts of the city, and the median sales price for townhouses is $115,00.
Revived Colonial or American Foursquare homes in Butler bring curb appeal for visitors.
Large Victorian homes in Butler provide picturesque atmosphere along cobble stone streets.
Butler is known for historic American foursquare homes with large porches and lawns.
Bi-level homes are located in Butler with two car garages and spacious interiors.
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2024 National Blue Ribbon School in the Butler Area School District
The Butler Area School District earns an overall grade of B-minus from Niche and has an average student-teacher ratio of 14-to-1. It has six elementary schools, an intermediate high school and a senior high school, all of which score a C-plus or higher from Niche. Standouts include Connoquenessing Elementary School, one of 13 schools in the state to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School for its commitment to academic excellence and minimizing achievement gaps between students. Butler Catholic School is just one of several private school options in the city, serving prekindergarten through eighth grade with an A from Niche.
There are two colleges and universities in Butler County: Butler County Community College, also known as BC3, and Slippery Rock University. The community college is about 4 miles south of the city center and has over 1,200 full-time and part-time employees, making it the 20th-largest employer in Butler County. Slippery Rock University is 16 miles northwest of the city and has around 950 employees, including nearly 500 full-time faculty members. Both BC3 and SRU have dual enrollment programs that allow local high schoolers to enroll in college-level courses.
Broad Street Elementary School serves grades K-4 with an overall B-rating on Niche.com.
Intermediate High School
Butler Area Senior High School serves grades 10-12 with an overall B rating on Niche.com.
Butler County Community College is about 4 miles south of the city.
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Outdoor spaces, a scenic rail trail and a historic baseball stadium
The city has five parks and three separate community playgrounds. Butler Memorial Park stands out as its largest green space and has two playgrounds, several picnic pavilions and various athletic facilities that are home to youth sports programs like the Butler Area Midget Football League. Father Marinaro Park features a concrete skatepark, and just across the street from the park is a trailhead for the Butler-Freeport Community Trail. The rail trail spans 21 miles between Butler and Freeport along the path of the former Western Pennsylvania Railroad. While trains no longer traverse the route, the crushed limestone trail is now a popular spot for walkers, runners and bikers. The Butler Area Public Library offers programs for all ages, including weekly after-school hangouts for teens and monthly book clubs for adults. The city is about 14 miles southeast of Moraine State Park, which covers 16,275 acres and surrounds Lake Arthur. With opportunities for hiking, paddle boating, fishing and swimming, the park attracts over one million visitors each year, making it the most popular attraction in all of Butler County.
Pullman Park is a local baseball stadium with a rich history. The original facility was built in 1934 and hosted minor league teams for the MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. While the stadium no longer hosts minor league teams, it’s now home to the Butler BlueSox, a college-level team in the Tri-State Collegiate League. The stadium was renamed in 2019 in honor of Michelle Krill, a longtime resident who tragically lost her life to cancer in 2018. Now the Michelle Krill Memorial Field at Pullman Park, the baseball stadium continues to serve as a local institution where hundreds of people can be found on select summer nights.
Butler Freeport Community Trail attracts local hikers and bicyclists.
Butler Memorial Park has many activities for a family to enjoy.
The Butler Area Public Library offers programs for all ages including monthly book clubs.
Father Marinaro Park in Butler features a concrete skatepark, ballfields, and pavillions.
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Annual farm show, fair and the largest Jeep parade in the world
From small-town celebrations to big festivals, Butler features a packed calendar of events. The city honors its agricultural community at the seasonal Butler City Farmers Market and the annual Butler Farm Show, which takes place each August. It began in 1947 as a simple plowing contest and has since grown into a five-day festival with tractor pulls, country music and, as its name suggests, plenty of farm shows. The farm show grounds also host produce and livestock auctions throughout the year. Over 100,000 people travel to the countryside each July for the Big Butler Fair, making it the biggest fair in Western Pennsylvania. The fair is always held the week of the Fourth of July and features carnival rides, live music and a dazzling fireworks show.
Butler’s rich industrial history is on display at the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, held each year on the second weekend of June. It began in 2011 with a parade of over 1,000 jeeps, enough to set the Guinness World Record for the Largest Jeep Parade that same year. The festival broke its own record in 2015 as more than 2,420 Jeeps drove through downtown Butler, and the city still proudly holds that title nearly a decade later. In addition to the parade, the event features opportunities for off-roading, an outdoor market with more than 150 vendors and a history exhibit where visitors can learn more about the vehicle’s creation and Butler’s very own American Bantam Car Company.
The judging draws a large crowd as contestants enter the arena at the Butler Farm Show.
Fair games and food vendors prepare to entertain at The Big Butler Fair.
The tractor pulls at the Butler Farm Show puts on a great show every year.
Animals show their best looks at The Big Butler Fair.
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Walkability, Pittsburgh commutes and the Butler Transit Authority
Butler earns an overall Walk Score of 83 out of 100. In February 2024, the city received a $1.5 million grant from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to improve pedestrian infrastructure downtown, with plans to enhance sidewalks and crosswalks along Main Street. The major thoroughfares in Butler are Pennsylvania Routes 8 and 68, which intersect in the heart of the city and are locally known as Main Street and Jefferson Street. PA Route 8 leads about 33 miles south to Pittsburgh, and the city is 52 miles from Pittsburgh International Airport. Butler Transit Authority provides bus service throughout the city, including several commuter routes that travel between Butler and Pittsburgh on weekdays.
A four-season climate, hazard mitigation plan and crime rates
Butler residents should expect to see all four seasons, with crimson foliage falling from the trees in the fall and wildflowers blooming along the Butler-Freeport Community Trail throughout the spring. Temperatures typically climb into the low 80s in July and August before dipping into the low 20s throughout January and February. The city sees an average annual rainfall of around 42 inches, with the wettest months being May, June and July. Snow is most common in January and February, with Butler seeing an average annual snowfall of 37 inches. Sullivan Run winds through the western half of Butler before meeting with Connoquenessing Creek in the city’s southern half. Low-lying areas in Butler have historically been susceptible to flooding caused by the overflow of these bodies of water during periods of heavy rainfall, and the Butler County 2021 Hazard Mitigation Plan implemented several projects to address the issue. This includes the $4 million Sullivan Run Channel Improvement Project, which was completed in 2021 to combat flooding in the city’s west end.
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, the violent crime rate in Butler is about 14% higher than Pennsylvania’s. This includes above-average rates for aggravated assault, which are 98% higher than the state’s. The city ranks below state averages in terms of property-related crime, with rates about 27% lower than the state’s.
Written By
Sally Stimpson
Photography Contributed By
TJ Engler
Video By
Emily McNamara
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Butler, PA sell after 73 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Butler, PA over the last 12 months is $238,500, up 15% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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