The Town FilesButler Beach, Florida
Community in St. Johns County · population 4,978 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $493,100
- Household income
- $76,689
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 62.1
Butler Beach is a community of 4,978 people in St. Johns County, Florida. The median home is worth $493,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 95% of Florida towns, more seaside character than 89% of Florida towns.
How Butler Beach ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Butler Beach is worth $493,100, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $76,689, which is more affordable than 13% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,743 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butler Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $493,100 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,743 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $76,689 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 45.4% | — |
Who lives in Butler Beach
| People | Butler Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.1 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.4% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 4.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.5% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.8% | — |
| Work from home | 29.7% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Butler Beach
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 47.8°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 5 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butler Beach since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 7, 1971 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 14, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 3, 2018.
Severe weather in St. Johns County since 1996
St. Johns County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in St. Johns County
St. Johns County had 98,819 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,008 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Butler Beach itself the ACS puts it at 11.1%.
Towns near Butler Beach
- St. Augustine Shores, FL2.9 mi · 8,706 people · home $339,300
- St. Augustine Beach, FL3.0 mi · 6,803 people · home $634,400
- St. Augustine South, FL4.4 mi · 5,066 people · home $347,400
- St. Augustine, FL7.3 mi · 14,329 people · home $439,800
- Vilano Beach, FL9.3 mi · 2,514 people · home $648,900
- Flagler Estates, FL15.6 mi · 3,540 people · home $213,300
- World Golf Village, FL17.9 mi · 22,117 people · home $477,000
- Palm Coast, FL18.2 mi · 89,258 people · home $350,800
Butler Beach questions
Is Butler Beach, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butler Beach scores better for retirees than 95% of Florida towns and quieter than 79%. 40.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.1).
How much does a house cost in Butler Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Butler Beach is valued at $493,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,689, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,743 a month.
What is the weather like in Butler Beach?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 47.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Butler Beach get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butler Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 7, 1971. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)