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Butler County, OH

RANK #269 / 996  ·  POP 388,327  ·  OH

PROJECTED GROWTH: +1.7%

Butler County combines solid growth with real affordability — a rare combination.

[01] Why Butler County?

Hamilton, Ohio, the county seat of Butler County, distinguishes itself as the "City of Sculpture," featuring public art throughout its historic downtown and at the expansive Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum. Located in southwestern Ohio, Butler County sits between Cincinnati and Dayton, offering commuters access to both metropolitan areas via I-75 and regional transit options like the Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) and CincyLink. The county provides a mix of suburban and rural environments, with numerous parks and the Great Miami Riverway offering extensive outdoor recreation, including hiking, kayaking, and fishing.

Life in Butler County offers a blend of community settings, from college town Oxford, home to Miami University, to the family-friendly townships of West Chester and Liberty. The public school districts, including Lakota Local and Fairfield City, receive high ratings, attracting families to the area. The economy is experiencing growth, driven by investments in advanced manufacturing and technology. Recent initiatives, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce and Innovation Hub, a collaboration between Miami University and Butler Tech, aim to develop a skilled workforce in fields like IT, welding, and precision machining.

[02] Market Snapshot

Housing Ratio
3.8x

Undervalued relative to economy

GDP Growth
+4.4%

Well above national median

Home Prices
+3.1%

Outpacing national median

Climate & Terrain
-1.6

Below-average climate & terrain

Price/Rent
12x

Below national median (13x)

Housing looks undervalued at 3.8x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.

[03] Signal Profile

[04] Home Value Growth vs National

Butler County U.S. National

The Numbers

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
388,327
+0.13% YoY
Median Household Income
$77,062
Median Home Value
$224,300
+3.14% 12mo
Median Rent
$1,048
Average Annual Pay
$64,277
+5.7% YoY
Employment
163,093
+1.9% YoY
Income-to-Home-Value
0.3436
More affordable than average
Migration Inflow
4.06%
of pop. from another state

Market Activity

REAL ESTATE
Median Sale Price
$292,500
Days on Market
69
Slower market
Months of Supply
3.5
Balanced market
Sale-to-List Ratio
98.2%
Near asking price
Sold Above List
22.6%
Listings w/ Price Drops
18.2%
Building Permits (2024)
1,162
Single-Family Permits
660

Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →

[05] Capital Investment

$1,150M
TOTAL
PROJECT AMOUNT STATUS
Prologis Data Center Campus (Project Mila)
Prologis
$1,000M Planned
Fairfield Trade Center
NorthPoint Development
$50M Planned
Trenton Square Mixed-Use Development
Cincinnati real estate developer (unnamed)
$50M Planned
Butler County Phase 2 Natural Gas Replacement Project
Duke Energy
$50M Under Construction

Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.

[06] Score Breakdown

GDP Growth +4.4% 78 percentile
Population Growth +0.1% 36 percentile
Income Growth +6.6% 14 percentile
Vacancy Rate 0.9% 64 percentile
Home Price Change +3.1% 73 percentile
Rent Growth +3.3% 57 percentile
Price/Rent 12x 66 percentile

Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.

[07] Frequently Asked Questions

Is Butler County, OH a good place to move to?

Butler County has a Boom Town Index score of 73/100, ranking #269 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at +1.9% and a median household income of $77,062, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.

Is Butler County affordable?

The median home value in Butler County is $224,300 with median rent at $1,048/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3436, which is more affordable than the national average.

Is Butler County growing or shrinking?

Population growth: +0.1% year-over-year. Job growth: +1.9%. Home values changed +3.1% in the past 12 months.

Are people moving to Butler County?

Yes — 4.06% of Butler County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.

[08] Similar Metros

Washington County, OH 83 Tuscarawas County, OH 83 LaPorte County, IN 83 Westchester County, NY 83 Lake County, OH 83 Kane County, IL 83 Cayuga County, NY 83 Putnam County, WV 83