Rural community profile: Revisiting Butler, Pennsylvania

With almost a quarter of all Veterans in the United States residing in rural communities, ensuring that they receive quality health care close to home is more important than ever. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) actively works to meet these Veterans in their own communities and promotes opportunities for them to live happy and healthy lives. 

Let’s explore the Butler VA Medical Center (VAMC) located in Butler, Pa., a Steel Belt area home to many manufacturing industries like rail, gas and automotive.

Better in Butler

Named after Major General Richard Butler, the town of Butler was founded in 1803 and by the early 1900s had developed into a Steel Belt manufacturing and industrial area. Butler’s history is peppered with industrial titans from the gilded age. Not only is it the birthplace of the Jeep, it’s also home to one of the first Ford dealerships and its Butler Area Public Library was the last Carnegie library to be built in the state.

Outside of industry, Butler offers rolling hills, history, art and outdoor activities. Check out the Butler Historical Society for a glimpse of the past or the Maridon Museum for a view East. Baseball fans will enjoy the historic Pullman Park, one of the largest fields in the state, where farm teams for the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates once called home.

Though just 35 miles north of Pittsburgh, Butler offers benefits unique to rural communities, like lower cost of living. Local farms provide fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy to nearby restaurants. The community is small, but welcoming. Come see why it’s better in Butler!

Butler VAMC

Though initially intended as a tuberculosis sanitarium, the site of the Butler VAMC served as a soldier’s hospital during Word War II. The then-known Veterans Administration officially purchased the facility in 1948 and has been expanding ever since. Today, the Butler VAMC offers primary care, specialty and mental health care services to over 22,000 Veterans. The campus boasts outpatient services, a 60-bed Sergeant Joseph George Kusick Community Living Center (CLC), 56-bed domiciliary and Compensated Work Therapy/Transitional Residence (CWT/TR) programs.

Open Positions at Butler VAMC

VA is always looking to hire qualified, compassionate health care professionals to serve our nation’s heroes. Check out these current openings below and see if they’re a fit for you:

View more openings online.

Join our mission

If you’re All About Veterans, consider a career built in one of VA’s 500+ rural medical centers like Butler, Pa. Learn more about rural jobs at VA Careers.