County · Nebraska

Butler County, Nebraska

Butler County, Nebraska. Butler County had 8,507 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.6% since 2020, slower than Nebraska (+2.9%). It holds 29 places (12 cities, villages and boroughs and 17 towns and townships) and 3 census tracts. GEOID 31023.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

8,507

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,369 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,424

Median household income

$79,268

±$10,743 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475

Median home value

$184,200

±$26,273 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600

Median gross rent

$776

±$32 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072

How many people live in Butler County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 8,369 residents in Butler County. The Census Bureau estimates 8,507 for July 1, 2025, up 1.6% since 2020, slower than Nebraska (+2.9%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 8,424 over 585 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +93 (8,448)
2021→2022 −15 (8,433)
2022→2023 +19 (8,452)
2023→2024 +15 (8,467)
2024→2025 +40 (8,507)

Butler County in Nebraska. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Butler County	Nebraska	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	8,424	1,978,707	+395
Households	3,524±147	797,847	no clear change
Average household size	2.35±0.10	2.42	no clear change
Housing units	4,039±39	863,444	no clear change

Butler County's population since 2000

From 8,767 in 2000 to 8,507 in 2025: down 3.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 8,767
2005 (estimate) 8,479
2010 Census 8,395
2015 (estimate) 8,053
2020 Census 8,369
2025 (estimate) 8,507

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Butler County?

Butler County holds 29 places: 12 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 17 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government). The largest is David City with 3,068 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Butler County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

David City	city	2,995	3,017±15	$65,573	$165,200	15.1%	100%
Alexis Township	township	675	895±218	$63,000	$174,600	9.1%	100%
Savannah Township	township	574	530±163	$74,861	$163,400	8.1%	100%
Reading Township	township	513	485±141	$103,750	$217,800	4.9%	100%
Oak Creek Township, Butler County	township	499	437±76	$87,292	$251,300	4.8%	100%
Richardson Township	township	409	490±101	$81,250	$236,500	7.1%	100%
Bellwood	village	407	492±143	$72,639	$147,900	8.7%	100%
Rising City	village	356	256±61	$90,139	$135,900	9.4%	100%
Brainard	village	336	303±59	$68,750	$172,800	6.9%	100%
Bone Creek TownshipGEOID 3102305805	township	319	421±145	$77,361	$280,000	11.9%	100%
Ulysses TownshipGEOID 3102349495	township	295	251±70	$77,750	$45,300	17.9%	100%
Skull Creek TownshipGEOID 3102345540	township	258	161±54	$52,083	$118,800	8.1%	100%
Franklin Township, Butler CountyGEOID 3102317460	township	238	261±191	$86,838	$239,100	7.7%	100%
DwightGEOID 3114065	village	229	230±63	$71,042	$154,600	3.9%	100%
Union Township, Butler CountyGEOID 3102349600	township	220	130±59	$128,750	not published	2.3%	100%
Linwood TownshipGEOID 3102328280	township	214	328±109	$116,429	not published	1.8%	100%
Olive TownshipGEOID 3102336120	township	205	159±104	not published	$570,100	0.0%	100%
Center Township, Butler CountyGEOID 3102308290	township	204	122±48	$174,583	$413,600	0.0%	100%
Read TownshipGEOID 3102340815	township	200	347±140	$121,875	$243,800	1.2%	100%
UlyssesGEOID 3149460	village	196	190±52	$76,458	$36,300	14.7%	100%
Summit Township, Butler CountyGEOID 3102347605	township	190	129±72	$110,139	not published	0.0%	100%
Platte Township, Butler CountyGEOID 3102339240	township	181	182±82	$57,569	not published	6.6%	100%
Plum Creek TownshipGEOID 3102339555	township	180	79±47	not published	$204,200	20.3%	100%
OctaviaGEOID 3135700	village	107	153±83	$59,375	$100,000	31.4%	100%
BrunoGEOID 3106855	village	95	104±38	$37,212	not published	12.5%	100%
LinwoodGEOID 3128245	village	94	80±32	$32,500	not published	15.0%	100%
AbieGEOID 3100205	village	65	59±22	$55,938	$72,500	10.2%	100%
GarrisonGEOID 3118300	village	55	61±33	$65,000	$65,800	4.9%	100%
SurpriseGEOID 3147850	village	37	35±25	$112,083	not published	11.4%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Butler County?

The median resident of Butler County is 42.8 years old; 24.0% are under 18 and 20.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.3%. 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Butler County	Nebraska	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	42.8±0.7	37.2	no clear change
Under 18 years	24.0%±0.4 pts	24.5%	–
65 years and over	20.9%±0.7 pts	16.7%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6.3%	12.7%	+2.7 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	90.0%±0.7 pts	75.3%	−4.4 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.2%±0.2 pts	4.6%	–
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.3 pts	2.6%	–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.2 pts	0.6%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.3 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	3.1%±0.8 pts	3.8%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.4%	–
Born outside the United States	2.3%±0.6 pts	8.0%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	6.7%±1.6 pts	12.8%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.5%±1.4 pts	6.9%	–
With a disability	13.7%±2.3 pts	12.3%	–
No health insurance coverage	5.1%±1.9 pts	7.2%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	91.4%±1.5 pts	92.2%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	24.0%±2.8 pts	34.6%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	5.3%±1.6 pts	12.3%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	2.9%±2.3 pts	2.4%	–

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 Butler County earn?

Half of Butler County's 3,524 households earn less than $79,268 a year (±$10,743), against $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $72,585 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Butler County	Nebraska	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$79,268±$10,743	$76,475	no clear change
Mean household income	$105,294±$14,040	$102,399	–
Per capita income	$44,083±$5,516	$41,751	+$7,045
People below the poverty line	9.7%±2.5 pts	10.6%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	12.8%±5.2 pts	12.0%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	5.8%±2.3 pts	8.2%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	86.2%±2.1 pts	90.6%	–

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 Butler County?

Owners occupy 79.9% of Butler County's occupied homes and renters 20.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $184,200 by its owner (±$26,273). The median renter pays $776 a month including utilities, and 31.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Butler County	Nebraska	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$184,200±$26,273	$238,600	+$39,840
Median gross rent	$776±$32	$1,072	−$127
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	31.0%±10.0 pts	35.9%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,483±$98	$1,736	–
Owner-occupied homes	79.9%±3.4 pts	66.5%	no clear change
Housing units	4,039±39	863,444	no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.0%±0.9 pts	0.6%	–
Rental vacancy rate	1.4%±1.6 pts	4.3%	–
Single-family detached homes	83.4%±3.4 pts	71.3%	–
Mobile homes	7.9%±2.7 pts	2.9%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.0%±0.9 pts	1.8%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	34.6%±3.9 pts	18.7%	–

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 many new homes is Butler County building?

Builders took permits for 10 new housing units across Butler County in 2025 (10 single-family), 1.2 per 1,000 residents.

2019 4 units
2020 4 units
2021 8 units
2022 0 units
2023 6 units
2024 11 units
2025 10 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Butler County get to work?

79.4% of Butler County's workers drive alone and 8.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 1.2%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Butler County	Nebraska	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	65.9%±2.7 pts	68.6%	–
Unemployment rate	1.2%±0.6 pts	3.0%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	79.4%±4.5 pts	76.1%	–
Carpooled	7.5%±2.8 pts	8.7%	–
Public transportation	0.3%±0.4 pts	0.5%	–
Walked	3.9%±1.9 pts	2.3%	–
Worked from home	8.7%±2.7 pts	11.0%	no clear change
Mean travel time to work	24.2 min±1.6	19.2 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 are Butler County's census tracts?

Butler County is divided into 3 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $67,448 (Tract 9677) to $98,125 (Tract 9678).

Census tracts of Butler County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 967631023967600	Bellwood (7%)	3,210	3,382±178	$83,750	$175,300	$950	7.4%
Tract 967731023967700	David City (79%)	3,166	3,096±69	$67,448	$169,700	$767	14.7%
Tract 967831023967800	Brainard (8%)	1,993	1,946±174	$98,125	$220,500	$725	6.4%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Butler County compare with Nebraska's other counties?

Butler County's rank among Nebraska's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	32nd of 93
Growth 2020-2025	23rd of 93
Residents per square mile	30th of 93
Median household income	12th of 93
Median home value	31st of 93
Median gross rent	48th of 93
Poverty rate	47th of 92
Bachelor's degree or higher	48th of 93
Median age	47th of 93

Every county in Nebraska

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Butler County 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' school search.