Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Butler, Alabama
A $143,000 home here costs
$1,281per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $55,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $780. The real number is $502 higher every month, 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Choctaw County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Butler from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,552 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Choctaw County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Butler against Choctaw County and Alabama
| Measure | Butler | Choctaw County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,600 | $111,800 |
| Median property tax | $361 | $199 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.253% | 0.178% |
| Median gross rent | $805 | $653 |
| Population | 2,552 | 12,525 |
The weather behind that power bill
Butler sits in Choctaw County, which averages a high of 89.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.5°F in its coldest, with 56.94" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,985 cooling and 2,326 heating degree days, which is what sets the $187 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Choctaw County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Choctaw County
No other places of this size are published in Choctaw County.
Full Choctaw County cost breakdown · Every county in Alabama
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Butler averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Butler every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Butler I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Butler?
A $143,000 home in Butler, Alabama costs approximately $1,281 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $780 principal and interest, $30 property tax, $98 homeowners insurance, $255 utilities and $119 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Butler?
Butler has an effective property tax rate of 0.253%, based on a median home value of $142,600 and median real estate taxes of $361. That is higher than the Choctaw County average of 0.178%.
What is the average home price in Butler?
The median owner-occupied home value in Butler, Alabama is $142,600, against $111,800 across Choctaw County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Butler?
Median gross rent in Butler is $805 a month, against $1,281 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Butler?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Butler, Alabama at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $55,000 a year. That covers the full $1,281 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Butler, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alabama.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.