High School, 1905
Butler Township’s story
Butler Township in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1905 and 6 maps from 1889 on.
Explore the history →
Butler TownshipSchuylkill County, PA
Some 5,105 people live in this town, in Pennsylvania.
10 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
5,105
2025 Census estimate · +4.5% since 2020
Median home value
$173K
Census ACS
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
43.3
years
Jobs based here
743
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#720 of 1032 in PA
Is Butler Township a good place to live?
The picture is mixed. Where it falls short is walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 92% of U.S. towns. Its best grade is for safety (A+): it reports less crime per resident than 96% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $173K, 2.5 years of the Pottsville area’s $68K median household income. Put together, the subjects come to a B− overall, ranking 720th of 1032 in Pennsylvania. Nationally, it does better than 48% of U.S. towns. State Game Lands Number 326, at 1,312 acres with 2.4 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
Figures: FBI crime data, 2024 · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Butler Township stand out
Where Butler Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Butler Township for work
Where Butler Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
743jobs based in Butler Township
6%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Butler Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Butler Township is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for safety (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D for walkability (better than 8%), so the B− overall blends very different results.
SafetyGraded on crime per residentA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.2 of 20; 6.9% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC−Open →HealthSchuylkill Medical Center - South Jackson Street 9.3 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsBOpen →SchoolsBelow the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors9 miles of trailsC+Open →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageBOpen →Civic life4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Butler Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Butler Township, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAqua Pa Roaring Creek Division1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers73% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offSchuylkill County Recycling Drop Off, 4 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSchuylkill County Board of ElectionsSchuylkill County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes17921, 17931, 17935, 1794317921 79% · 17931 11% · 17935 4% · 17943 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Butler Township.
Butler Township has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and sees little violent crime, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Pennsylvania (mostly inland flooding).
SafetyA+
For safety, Butler Township earns an A+
Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2024, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
Butler Township’s rate of reported violence stands at 0.3 per 1,000 residents, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 0.8 and U.S. towns at 1.7. Its property crime rate is 3.5 per 1,000 residents.
96%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Butler Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Butler Township0.3
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Butler Township3.5
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
96th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
92nd
percentile among PA towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2024
20
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Butler Township fall behind 63% of Pennsylvania districts
Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is North Schuylkill JSHS, with 1,003 students. 2 public schools serve Butler Township, with 2,067 students in all.
37%of PA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Schuylkill El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 1,064 | C |
| North Schuylkill JSHSLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 1,003 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Butler Township has 0.4 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Jobs based here grew from 545 in 2013 to 743.
Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in the town rose by 198, to 743. Butler Township’s mean commuting time stands at 31 minutes, above both the Pennsylvania town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Half the trips to work are shorter than 18 miles. The top destinations are Pottsville (7%), Ashland (7%) and Cass Township (3%).
6%work in town
| Butler Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 10% | 12% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Butler Township6%
Pottsville7%
Ashland7%
Cass Township3%
Shenandoah2%
18 mi
median commute distance
743
jobs based in Butler Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 8% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Butler Township has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, with expected losses of about $624 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
FEMA puts just over four fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Butler Township’s natural-hazard score from FEMA is 73 of 100.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC+
Conservation land takes up 8% of Butler Township
In 2 parks and preserves, walkers have 8.6 miles of trail. The density of trails for Butler Township comes to 0.3 miles per square mile.
#531for trails in PA
| Butler Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
8%
conserved · 1,324 of 16,583 acres
8.6 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 326 | 2.4 mi | 1,312 |
| 2. State Game Lands Number 84 | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Butler Township is less healthy than two in three U.S. towns
Butler Township: 21% of adults smoke cigarettes. Among adults in the town, 42% sleep under 7 hours and 40% have obesity.
32%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Butler Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better21 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Butler Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.9% | 5.8% |
| More smokers | 20.7% | 15.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.2% | 7.7% |
Schuylkill Medical Center - South Jackson Street
9.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
17th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
The climate in Butler Township brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Mahanoy City 2 N weather station, 11 miles away, records that about 2 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 95% of U.S. towns.
The typical July afternoon high in Butler Township is 82°F.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–36°
Spring37–58°
Summer59–79°
Fall41–61°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearby attractions
All 77 attractions →Hersheypark and 25 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Butler Township. Close and well known come first.
37 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year12 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
37 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark Stadium
37 mi MuseumHershey's Chocolate World
21 mi Park & preserveRoadside America
37 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hersheypark Stadium: 45BearsFan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hershey's Chocolate World: Phillyfan0419, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roadside America: Mark Fleisher, President and CEO of Aim Advertising in Lewisburg, PA,, Public domain · Hersheypark Arena: Hersheyarena4ever at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Butler Township
19pages on Butler Township
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 63% of PA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyA+0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthCBetter than PA on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingBWork & commuteB−$80K median household income · 743 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 73% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Butler Township
About 1 of every 100 Butler Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Butler Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Butler Township is a township in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. Formed in 1848 from part of Barry Township, it is named for war hero William Orlando Butler.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 26 sq mi
Butler Township’s neighbors
10 towns share a border with Butler Township.
Eldred TownshipBarry TownshipAshlandEnglewoodWest Mahanoy TownshipConyngham TownshipGilbertonEast Cameron TownshipCass TownshipFrackvilleButler Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Township | #720 | B− | B | A+ | C+ | C |
| Eldred Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Barry Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ashland | #863 | C | A− | — | C+ | C− |
| Englewood | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Mahanoy Township | #828 | C+ | A− | A− | C− | C− |
| Conyngham Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gilberton | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Ashland reports no FBI crime data of its own. Eldred Township, Barry Township, Englewood, Conyngham Township and Gilberton aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Butler Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Butler Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Butler Township, PA a good place to live?
Butler Township grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #720 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades C for health, A+ for safety and C+ for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Butler Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.