Butler Beach, Florida, 2021
Butler Beach’s story
Butler Beach in pictures
Census counts: 3,377 in 1990, 4,978 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1937 on.
Explore the history →Butler BeachFL
A town of 4,610 in Florida.
Population
4,610
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$493K
Census ACS
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
62.1
years
Jobs based here
953
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#166 of 634 in FL
Is Butler Beach a good place to live?
Butler Beach’s grades pull in different directions. Where it falls short is cost of living (D): the typical home is worth about $493K, 6.2 years of the Jacksonville metro’s $80K median household income. Incomes are weaker too (C) — the median household income is $77K, and 10% of residents live below the poverty line. Schools are its strong suit — its schools rank ahead of 96% of Florida towns. It is strong on health as well: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 76% of the country. The overall grade comes out at B−, 166th of 634 in Florida. On that grade it does better than 50% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Frank Butler Park West, at 62 acres.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Butler Beach stand out
Where Butler Beach beats most towns.
By the sea
Butler Beach lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 24% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
45.4% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, so the town is fuller in summer than its census count suggests.
24%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
99thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
914paid flood-insurance claims since 1990
2storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Butler Beach grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Butler Beach is from typical.
SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsA+Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →HealthFlagler Hospital 5.4 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & incomeWeaker than most of the towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 2.8% of households have no car; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trails; 12% conserved landA−Open →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 59 attractions →Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Butler Beach. Close and well known come first.
7 mi National MonumentCastillo de San Marcos National Monument598K visitors a year
6 mi National MonumentFort Matanzas National Monument653K visitors a year
6 mi LighthouseSt. Augustine Light
10 mi Theme parkMarineland of Florida
10 mi State parkFort Mose Historic State Park
6 mi Zoo & aquariumSt. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Fort Matanzas National Monument: Saginaw66, CC BY-SA 3.0 · St. Augustine Light: Viktoriya Sorochuk, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marineland of Florida: Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5 · Fort Mose Historic State Park: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Butler Beach: who provides what
Butler Beach is unincorporated, so St. Johns County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerFPL14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSjcu-Cr214 Mainland WTP water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSt. Johns CountySt. Johns County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSt. Johns Supervisor of ElectionsSt. Johns County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP code3208032080 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Butler Beach.
Butler Beach has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and has added half again as many jobs in ten years.
OutdoorsA−
Butler Beach has set aside 12.3% of its land for conservation
Butler Beach’s density of trails stands at 1.6 miles per square mile. Trails run 4.1 miles in 3 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in the town: 3, covering 69 acres.
#41for trails in FL
12.3%
conserved · 209 of 1,694 acres
4.1 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Windswept Acres Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
| 2. Frank Butler Park West | — | 62 |
| 3. Frank Butler Park East | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA−
Butler Beach’s grade for health is an A−
Among adults in Butler Beach, 85% had a checkup this year, above both Florida’s towns (79%) and U.S. towns (79%). Butler Beach: 28% of adults sleep under 7 hours.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Butler Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 37% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 79% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Florida
18 better8 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Butler Beach | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.3% | 13.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.9% | 9.1% |
Flagler Hospital
5.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
75th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Most of Butler Beach’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.5 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here grew from 568 in 2013 to 953. 29.7% of workers work from home, against 15.7% across Florida.
The top destinations are Jacksonville (21%), St. Augustine (14%) and St. Augustine Beach (4%). Commuting out is the norm in Butler Beach: 6% of working residents work locally. Employers in Butler Beach added 385 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 953. The median commute is under 28 miles.
6%work in town
| Butler Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.3% | 5% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Butler Beach6%
Jacksonville21%
St. Augustine14%
St. Augustine Beach4%
Tampa2%
28 mi
median commute distance
953
jobs based in Butler Beach
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 69% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Butler Beach has mild winters and hot summers
January nights average 47.5°, milder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 90.3°. The St Augustine Lighthouse weather station, 6 miles away, records that about 62 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 89% of Florida places with climate records.
Snow almost never falls. In Butler Beach, the January low is 48°F, where Florida’s towns sit at 51°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Also worth knowing: its typical July afternoon high comes in at 90°F.
90°summer high
| Butler Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 48°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 90°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter50–68°
Spring61–79°
Summer74–89°
Fall66–81°
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Butler Beach faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
On expected storm and flood damage, Butler Beach sits below 51% of U.S. communities. Paid flood insurance claims in the town since 1990: 914. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 33% come from inland flooding and 28% from hurricanes. Federal aid has come to Butler Beach households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2017.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding
914
paid flood claims since 1990
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade D
A home in Butler Beach sells for about $540K at the median
Among households in Butler Beach, 86% are owner-occupiers. In Butler Beach, the midpoint rent is $1,743 a month. A home in Butler Beach typically sold within 92 days of listing.
$540Kmedian sale price
| Butler Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,743 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
92
days on market
95.4%
sale-to-list price
19
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Butler Beach
17pages on Butler Beach
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Butler Beach
About 5 of every 100 Butler Beach residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
Get outside
4 miles of trails in Butler Beach
12.3% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
2
Frank Butler Park West62 acres
3
Frank Butler Park East3 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Butler Beach
CDP in Florida, United States
Butler Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,978 at the time of the 2020 United States census, up from 4,951 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Established by Frank B. Butler, who had been successful in operating a grocery store and became a political activist, it was a resort for African Americans. The Lincolnville businessman bought land in the area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River, and offered beach access to African Americans. It was the only beach open to them between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. The site of his beach resort is a stop on the S…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- Area code
- 904
Butler Beach’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Butler Beach.
St. Augustine BeachCrescent BeachButler Beach
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Beach | #166 | B− | D | — | A+ | A− |
| St. Augustine Beach | #14 | A− | D | — | A+ | A |
| Crescent Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Butler Beach and St. Augustine Beach report no FBI crime data of their own. Crescent Beach isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Butler Beach with a neighbor →
Questions about Butler Beach
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Butler Beach, FL a good place to live?
Butler Beach grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #166 of 634 in Florida. It grades A− for health and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Butler Beach, FL expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $493,000, 31% above the Florida typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.