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Living in
Burlington.
About
Life in Burlington
Burlington offers an affordable place to settle in North Carolina's Piedmont region, with median home values around $199,200 and median rent at $1,051 monthly—reasonable for the area. The job market is solid with a 4.2% unemployment rate, and you'll find practical transportation options including Amtrak service to Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, and Greensboro, plus easy highway access via I-40, I-85, and US-70 for reaching major metros. That said, you'll need a car for most daily errands despite the new public transit system that launched in 2016.
Burlington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.4%
Foreign-Born
13.7%
Broadband Internet
88.9%
of households
Population Growth
+7.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Burlington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Burlington, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.4%), and 17.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.3%
of households
Married Couples
36.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.31
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% below NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Burlington
In Burlington, rent runs 14% below the NC average, and home values are 31% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,489
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,524 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Burlington
Unemployment in Burlington is 0.4 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Burlington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.7 min avg
How Burlington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Burlington, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 28 mi
Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)
Small hub1.0M passengers boarded in 2025
- 39 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 104 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 94% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Burlington runs 94% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
639.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,657.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Burlington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Alamance County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Alamance County, which includes Burlington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $123,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Flash Flood | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $830,000 |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $635,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alamance County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Guilford County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Burlington) is typically good — 274 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
274
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Guilford County, NC (18 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Burlington has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.1"
Annual Snowfall
1.8"
Hot Days/Year
50
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
72
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
130
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 31°F | 3.96" |
| Feb | 55°F | 33°F | 3.24" |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 4.44" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 3.83" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 3.63" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.63" |
| Jul | 90°F | 69°F | 4.39" |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 4.12" |
| Sep | 82°F | 61°F | 4.91" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.35" |
| Nov | 63°F | 39°F | 3.21" |
| Dec | 54°F | 34°F | 3.35" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Burlington
Burlington has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Alamance Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Burlington
Burlington's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 29.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Burlington (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,452 students · in-state tuition $48,723 · 83% graduate · median earnings $82,524 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Burlington
Burlington has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
21 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
73 mi awayAppomattox Court House National Historical Park
National Historical Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Burlington
May Memorial Library
342 S Spring St, Burlington
North Park Library / Community Center
849 Sharpe Rd, Burlington
Cities Near Burlington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Burlington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Burlington FAQ
Is Burlington, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Burlington's median rent is $1,051/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,880/year. Median home value is $199,200.
Is Burlington, North Carolina safe?⌄
Burlington's violent crime rate was 640 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2657 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Burlington, North Carolina?⌄
Burlington has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Burlington, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Burlington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,051/month and median household income is $56,880/year. The median home value is $199,200. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Burlington, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Burlington is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from