Butler receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Meadville
Butler
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
6 · Bottom 1%
vs18 · Bottom 6%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs90 · Top 31%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 4%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Meadville | Butler | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,577 | 13,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,308 | $44,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,450 | $30,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,883/sq mi | 4,859/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $116,400 | $108,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $855 | $818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.0% | 46.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.1% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.3% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Meadville
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Butler
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Meadville, PA · Butler, PA · How this is calculated: methodology