Butler County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Name: Butler County, Nebraska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Butler County, Nebraska has a population of 8,424, the 32nd most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $79,268 and the median home value is $184,200. The poverty rate is 9.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Butler County Quick Facts

Population 8,424

Median Household Income $79,268

Median Home Value $184,200

Poverty Rate 9.7%

Unemployment Rate 1.2%

Median Age 42.8 years

Homeownership Rate 79.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.0%

High School Graduation 91.4%

Cities/Places 12

Population 8,424 32nd of 93

Median Income $79,268 4% higher than state

Poverty Rate 9.7%

Unemployment 1.2%

How Butler County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	8,413	8,424	+0.1%
Median household income	$82,603	$79,268	-4.0%
Median home value	$165,700	$184,200	+11.2%

Median Household Income

Butler

$79,268

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Butler

$184,200

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.4%

$25K-$50K 15.8%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 39.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

2.0%

$15K-$20K

3.6%

$20K-$25K

4.6%

$25K-$30K

2.7%

$30K-$35K

2.2%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

3.8%

$45K-$50K

2.9%

$50K-$60K

5.3%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

13.5%

$100K-$125K

14.5%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

10.2%

$200K+

7.2%

Employment

1.2% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

65.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 79.9%

Renter 20.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $776/mo 11.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.0%

18-34

17.3%

35-54

23.5%

55-74

26.5%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Butler County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
David City	3,017	$65,573	15.0%	$165,200
Bellwood	492	$72,639	8.7%	$147,900
Brainard	303	$68,750	6.9%	$172,800
Rising City	256	$90,139	9.4%	$135,900
Dwight	230	$71,042	3.9%	$154,600
Ulysses	190	$76,458	14.7%	$36,300
Octavia	153	$59,375	31.4%	$100,000
Bruno	104	$37,212	12.5%	N/A
Linwood	80	$32,500	15.0%	N/A
Garrison	61	$65,000	4.9%	$65,800
Abie	59	$55,938	10.2%	$72,500
Surprise	35	$112,083	11.4%	N/A

Explore Nebraska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Butler County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 8,424. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Butler County is 42.8 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 37.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Butler County is $79,268. This is 4% higher than the state median of $76,475. It is also 2% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.7%. This is 8% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The unemployment rate is 1.2%. This is 60% lower than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $184,200. Housing costs are 23% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Butler County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Butler County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.3%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.3%) is well below the state average of 12.7%.

Education

24.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Butler County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Nebraska 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Butler County, Nebraska?

Butler County has a population of 8,424, making it the 32nd most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Butler County?

The median household income in Butler County is $79,268 with a poverty rate of 9.7%.

How many cities are in Butler County, Nebraska?

Butler County contains 12 Census-designated places.