Butler County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Butler County is located in Missouri with a total population of 42,166. It is the 27th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Butler County is 40.5 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Butler County is $49,213. This is 29% lower than the state median of $68,920. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 20.3%. This is 61% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 19% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $138,800. Housing costs are 36% lower than the state median of $215,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Butler County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 67.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Butler County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.6%. The Black or African American population (4.6%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 5.1%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

15.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Butler County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.