Photo: Nyttend · Public domainPetrolia spent less per resident in 2022 than 83% of similar cities
Petrolia’s borough government spent $48,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $244 per resident.
What stands out about how Petrolia is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$244 per resident in 2022: less than 83% of them
Petrolia’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($244 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $484, and the middle half spent $301–$726. Petrolia spent less than 83% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Petrolia itself left out).
About $244 per resident a year, or $0.67 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 50%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Petrolia reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $956 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.01% of the home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Petrolia’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Petrolia’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Petrolia →
Who’s in charge in Petrolia
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Karns City Area School District
Petrolia’s K–12 school district, shared with Brady Township, Bradys Bend Township, Bruin, Chicora, Donegal Township and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $17,821 per pupil, $9,953 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Pennsylvania districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Petrolia’s votes are counted by county
Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Petrolia alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Butler County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican65.7%79,773 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat33.5%40,661 votesOthers: 0.8% (1,006 votes).
Most votes in Butler County: Donald J Trump
Pennsylvania: Trump 50.4%, Harris 48.7%
100% of Petrolia lies in Butler County. Every 2024 race in Butler County is on the county’s page.
Butler County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Petrolia.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Pennsylvania HouseState representatives
- 3Pennsylvania SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Pennsylvania
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
Reach Petrolia’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Petrolia’s government
How much does Petrolia spend per resident?
About $244 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $244 was less than 83% of 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Petrolia?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $956 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.01% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the borough’s assessor.
Who runs Petrolia’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Petrolia yet.
How did Petrolia vote in 2024?
Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Petrolia alone. Butler County, where 100% of Petrolia lies, voted Trump 65.7%, Harris 33.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Petrolia?
0 full-time and 1 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $686 (about $8,232 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Petrolia in the state legislature?
State Senate District 21 (Scott Hutchinson) and State House District 17 (Tim Bonner). The House district also covers 49 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Petrolia’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →