Town · North Carolina
Butner, North Carolina
Butner, town, in Granville County, North Carolina. Butner had 8,112 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.0% from the Bureau's April 2020 estimates base of 7,950; the 2020 Census counted 8,397 on the place as it was defined then and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,065 (±46). GEOID 3709360.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,112
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,397 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,065 ±46
Median household income
$74,739
±$5,511 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$231,100
±$14,870 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,307
±$129 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Butner and what county is it in?
Butner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina. It covers 13.8 square miles of land, 609 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Butner, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,112 people lived in Butner on July 1, 2025, up 2.0% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The Census Bureau's yearly estimates start from its own April 2020 base for Butner, 7,950, which differs from the 2020 Census count of 8,397: the estimates follow the place as the estimates program defines it today (its present boundaries, and for a consolidated city-county the area the program assigns it), so the change since 2020 is measured from that base. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,065 (±46).
| Measure | Butner | Granville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,065 ±46 | 60,877 | +338 |
| Households | 2,683 ±240 | 22,474 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.86 ±0.25 | 2.52 | +0.37 |
| Housing units | 3,152 ±292 | 24,787 | no clear change |
Butner's population since 2000
From 5,792 in 2000 to 8,112 in 2025: up 40.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Butner as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Butner?
The median resident of Butner is 40.3 years old; 21.9% are under 18 and 16.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 44.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 27.8%. 12.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Butner | Granville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 ±3.5 | 42.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.9% ±3.7 pts | 20.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.8% ±3.8 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 48.5% ±3.1 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.9% ±5.8 pts | 11.1% | +11.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 44.0% ±6.6 pts | 55.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 27.8% ±6.4 pts | 28.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±1.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.1% ±4.3 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 24.5% ±6.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±2.4 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 20.2% ±3.7 pts | 16.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.0% ±4.3 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.1% ±5.9 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.0% ±5.6 pts | 25.2% | +11.5 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.9% ±2.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.2% ±1.8 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Butner earn?
Half of Butner's 2,683 households earn less than $74,739 a year (±$5,511), against $71,111 in Granville County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $55,832 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $18,907 after inflation. 15.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Butner | Granville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,739 ±$5,511 | $71,111 | +$18,907 |
| Mean household income | $86,502 ±$7,951 | $91,105 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,670 ±$3,166 | $34,223 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.0% ±4.6 pts | 15.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.7% ±10.1 pts | 18.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.2% ±4.5 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±2.7 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.0% ±5.7 pts | 88.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Butner?
Owners occupy 73.8% of Butner's occupied homes and renters 26.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,100 by its owner (±$14,870). The median renter pays $1,307 a month including utilities, and 35.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Butner | Granville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $231,100 ±$14,870 | $247,700 | +$62,864 |
| Median gross rent | $1,307 ±$129 | $1,008 | +$171 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.4% ±15.8 pts | 34.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,531 ±$139 | $1,546 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.8% ±6.2 pts | 77.1% | +12.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.2% ±6.2 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,152 ±292 | 24,787 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.9% ±2.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 17.6% ±14.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.6% ±6.9 pts | 71.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 23.9% ±6.4 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.0% ±3.5 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7% ±2.7 pts | 3.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Butner work and get to work?
74.5% of Butner's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Butner | Granville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.8% ±6.2 pts | 54.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±2.9 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.5% ±7.2 pts | 78.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.4% ±7.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2% ±4.1 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.1 min ±2.1 | 30.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Butner?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Butner, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $60,541 (Tract 9707.02) to $74,262 (Tract 9707.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9707.03Granville County | 5,180 | $74,262 |
| Tract 9707.02Granville County | 2,475 | $60,541 |
| Tract 9706.07Granville County | 5,159 | $73,672 |
| Tract 9707.01Granville County | 5,432 | $54,063 |
| Tract 9706.06Granville County | 2,374 | $95,500 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Butner) · Census block assignment files
How does Butner compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Butner is the 3,711th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 110th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Butner ranks 157th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 110th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 242nd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 321st | 443 |
| Median household income | 157th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 268th | 443 |
| Median home value | 247th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 105th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 181st | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 203rd | 421 |
| Median age | 233rd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 172nd | 443 |
| Work from home | 165th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 220th | 439 |
Butner's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Butner with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Butner?
12 of the 57 figures for Butner on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Butner are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Butner.