What it's like to live in Burlington
Burlington is a small city in Iowa with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Burlington deals with household incomes below the national average, cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Burlington compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Burlington
Based on Burlington's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,848
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,960 a year
- 42% of Burlington renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$22,860
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,430
- Homes cost 1.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 35% below US
$924/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $924 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $114,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $114,300 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 20% below US
263 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 1308/100k · Burlington Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 38% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.1 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 38% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below 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 Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (61 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Burlington's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($924/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 people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Burlington
All Iowa guides →Moving to Fort Madison →
17 mi away · pop. 10,133
Rent $826/mo · Income $50,705
Compare with Burlington →Moving to Davenport →
58 mi away · pop. 100,913
Rent $978/mo · Income $66,200
Compare with Burlington →Moving to Iowa City →
62 mi away · pop. 75,752
Rent $1,094/mo · Income $58,546
Compare with Burlington →Not sure Burlington is the one?
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