About
Life in Burlington
Living in Burlington means being part of a young, educated college town where nearly 61% of residents hold a college degree and the median age is 27.8 years. The job market is genuinely strong with unemployment around 2.3% and median household income near $71,000, though you should know housing costs aren't cheap—median home values sit around $444,800 and rent averages $1,649 monthly. The city offers real cultural amenities: Church Street Marketplace hosts year-round festivals, the South End has galleries and artists' studios, and the local music scene has produced national acts like Phish.
Burlington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
26.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.5%
Foreign-Born
7.1%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.1% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Burlington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Burlington, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (10.1%), and 2.4% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
11.1%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
15.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.7%
of households
Married Couples
26.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.07
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 34% above VT average
Rent, home values, and income in Burlington
In Burlington, rent runs 34% above the VT average, and home values are 40% above the VT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,335
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
41.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $504,324 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below VT average
Unemployment in Burlington
Unemployment in Burlington is 0.4 percentage points lower than the VT 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
Commute18.7 min avg
How Burlington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Burlington, most residents drive alone to work (46%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV)
Small hub710k 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 47% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Burlington runs 47% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
482.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,103.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Burlington Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
63.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Chittenden County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Chittenden County, which includes Burlington, the most common type is winter weather, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Winter Weather | $105,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Winter Weather | $1.2M |
| 2023 | 18 | Winter Weather | $267,000 |
| 2022 | 20 | Winter Storm | $1.2M |
| 2021 | 17 | Winter Weather | $222,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Winter Weather | $304,000 |
| 2019 | 16 | Winter Storm | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 19 | Winter Storm | $1.4M |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Chittenden County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Chittenden County, which includes Burlington, is typically good — 320 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
320
per year
Moderate Days
41
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Chittenden County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Burlington has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.5"
Annual Snowfall
87.5"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
145
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
157
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 13°F | 2.13" |
| Feb | 32°F | 14°F | 1.77" |
| Mar | 41°F | 24°F | 2.24" |
| Apr | 55°F | 36°F | 3.07" |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 3.76" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.26" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.06" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 3.54" |
| Sep | 73°F | 53°F | 3.67" |
| Oct | 59°F | 42°F | 3.83" |
| Nov | 46°F | 32°F | 2.70" |
| Dec | 35°F | 21°F | 2.50" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Burlington
Burlington has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care · 111 Colchester Ave
- Outpatient center: Fanny Allen Urgent Care · 790 College Pkwy, Colchester
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education11.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Burlington
Burlington's student/teacher ratio is 11.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 60.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
60.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Burlington
Public · 4-year · 11,743 students · in-state tuition $19,514 · 77% graduate · median earnings $68,368 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,752 students · in-state tuition $50,000 · 59% graduate · median earnings $60,573 (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: Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, 68 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Burlington
Burlington has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park (68 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park
National Historical Park
68 mi awaySaint-Gaudens National Historical Park
National Historical Park
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Burlington
Fletcher Free
235 College St., Burlington
Fletcher Free - New North End Branch
1127 North Ave., 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, Vermont affordable?⌄
Burlington's median rent is $1,649/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $71,109/year. Median home value is $444,800.
Is Burlington, Vermont safe?⌄
Burlington's violent crime rate was 483 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4103 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Burlington, Vermont?⌄
Burlington has an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Burlington, Vermont?⌄
The cost of living in Burlington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,649/month and median household income is $71,109/year. The median home value is $444,800. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Burlington, Vermont?⌄
The average commute in Burlington is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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