New Kensington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Kensington
Butler
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
20 · Bottom 8%
vs18 · Bottom 6%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs90 · Top 31%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | New Kensington | Butler | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,011 | 13,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,063 | $44,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,221 | $30,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,042/sq mi | 4,859/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $142,000 | $108,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $751 | $818 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 46.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.4% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 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 | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.6 | 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.
Your best match
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New Kensington
66
Your Score
68
Area Score
Butler
63
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: New Kensington, PA · Butler, PA · How this is calculated: methodology