What it's like to live in Burbank
Burbank is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Burbank deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, college degree attainment below the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
How Burbank compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Burbank
Based on Burbank's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,530
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,600 a year
- 55% of Burbank renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$55,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,570
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 10% below US
$1,265/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,265 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $275,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $275,700 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 52% below US
158 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1756/100k · Burbank Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 57% below US
16% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (9 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Burbank's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,265/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
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