Lake Butler, FL Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Lake Butler, FL: What You Need to Know

Lake Butler is located within the triangle of Jacksonville, Gainesville, and Lake City in northeastern Florida. The small city is known for its namesake lake and for hosting a popular bass fishing tournament in the summer.

Things to Do in Lake Butler

The Lakeside Park offers great access to Lake Butler, one mile of freshwater teeming with bass. The park has a playground, picnic tables, gazebo, cookout amenities, and boat ramp. Popular activities include fishing, swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking. The Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail stretches about 47 miles of paved and unpaved multi-use recreational trail. It attracts many bikers, inline skaters, runners, and walkers. The trail also features several ponds, creeks, and pastures.

Local History

Lake Butler City was named after Robert Butler, an American military officer who served with distinction in the War of 1812. Shortly after the death of Butler’s father, he and his siblings became wards of Andrew Jackson, who became the seventh president of the United States in 1828. Butler, a graduate of West Point, served in the Battle of New Orleans as Jackson's adjutant. Butler served briefly as acting governor of East Florida after Spain ceded Florida to the United States. Lake Butler was incorporated in 1893.

Cost of Living

Lake Butler packs a big punch when it comes to affordability. The city’s cost of living rate, food, and housing costs are 7.4%, 19.8%, and 21.8% lower than the national average respectively.  Florida doesn’t have any income tax, but it levies 6% to 8.50% in sales tax.

How Big Is Lake Butler?

Lake Butler City is the government seat of Union County. It covers a land area of 2.27 square miles, and it has three parks. The city has a population of 1,800. Don’t confuse it with Lake Butler CDP (census-designated place), a larger unincorporated area near Orlando in central Florida. Union County, at 255 square miles, is Florida’s smallest county. It has nine public schools, serving 2,328 students.

Does Lake Butler Get a Lot of Hurricanes?

Not all of the Sunshine State is equally vulnerable to hurricanes. The good news: Lake Butler and the rest of northeast Florida are less prone to hurricanes compared with other parts of the state. A hurricane hits the region once every six years or so. Lake Butler receives about 53 inches of rain annually versus the U.S. average of 38 inches, and no snow at all. The city enjoys 225 sunny days per year compared with the national average of 205 sunny days.