Petrolia, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 186, Petrolia's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Petrolia is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Butler County. The total population is 186. It ranks as the 1743rd most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in Petrolia is 50.0 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 11.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Petrolia is $56,250. This is 28% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.6%. This is 27% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Petrolia, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $95,000. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $254,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Petrolia is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Petrolia has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 8.7%.

Education

6.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 81% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Petrolia, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.