City profile · Vermont · Census ACS 2023

Burlington, VT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Burlington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

44,649
Residents
$68,854
Median income
$400,200
Median home
$2,140
Median rent (state)

Burlington - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Burlington lands in the 48th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

48th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Burlington, VT

Burlington is a small city in Vermont, home to 44,649 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Burlington brings in $68,854 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.6%. Home values in Burlington run a median of $400,200, and the median resident age is 26.7 years. Educational attainment runs 60.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 228 residential building permits were authorized in Burlington (Rapid Growth), up 45% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Burlington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 4768.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Burlington's yearly average temperature at 47.6°F with 37.5 inches of precipitation per year and 87.5 inches of snowfall.

Vermont tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Vermont at 98.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,140 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Vermont's average monthly utility costs around $251 (state average). Commute times here average 16.0 minutes, with 47.3% driving alone and 16.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 63.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

44,649 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Vermont

Median Household Income

$68,854 /yr

Poverty 7.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Vermont average

How does Burlington compare to other US cities?

Where Burlington sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 48% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Vermont alone, Burlington ranks #29 of 30 Vermont cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Burlington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Vermont only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Vermont-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Burlington's strongest outlier among Vermont cities

Among the 152 Vermont cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Burlington ranks #11 - the 93rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Burlington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#68 of 149
54th percentile in Vermont
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 161
83rd percentile in Vermont
Median Home Value
#11 of 152
93rd percentile in Vermont
Poverty Rate
#57 of 161
65th percentile in Vermont
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#19 of 161
88th percentile in Vermont

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Vermont only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

48thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

48th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Burlington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Burlington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 24 Avg. percentile National median
Burlington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Burlington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$400,200 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Burlington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Burlington, VT Burlington, VT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Burlington, VT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Burlington, VT median $68,854/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Burlington, VT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Burlington, VT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
44,649
Median Income
$68,854
Median Home Value
$400,200
Median Age
26.7
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Labor force participation
61.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4768.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
479.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4289.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
47.6°F
Annual Precipitation
37.5"
Annual Snowfall
87.5"

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
43,500 residents44,000 residents44,500 residents45,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 44,753 residents 44,019 residents ▼ -1.6%
Burlington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
228
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
222
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 157
2020 107
2021 133
2022 149
2023 21
2024 228

Permit volume increased 45% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.0 minutes
Drive Alone
47.3%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
5.3%
Walk
16.2%
Work from Home
16.7%
Other
6.0%

Based on 24,014 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Vermont - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$98
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$251
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Vermont state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Vermont state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Burlington sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,140/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
63.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Vermont

South Burlington
20,488 people
Rutland
15,747 people
Essex Junction
10,720 people
Bennington
8,888 people
Barre
8,461 people
Winooski
8,198 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Burlington's 44,649 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Lauderdale, FL
44,650 people
Cleveland Heights, OH
44,694 people
Fairfield, OH
44,597 people
Moorhead, MN
44,706 people
Alexandria, LA
44,566 people
Bremerton, WA
44,531 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Burlington's $68,854 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cactus Forest, AZ
$68,854 median income
Lake Alfred, FL
$68,854 median income
Marshalltown, IA
$68,854 median income
Rossburg, OH
$68,854 median income
Withamsville, OH
$68,857 median income
Neola, IA
$68,859 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Burlington, VT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Burlington, VT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.8% 6.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.3% White 85.8% Black or African American 3.7% Asian 3.7% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 6.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Burlington compares to nearby Vermont cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Burlington (this city) 44,649 $68,854
South Burlington 20,488 $97,229
Rutland 15,747 $55,000
Essex Junction 10,720 $94,423
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Burlington, VT?

What is the population of Burlington, VT? +

Burlington, VT counts 44,649 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Burlington, VT? +

Burlington households earn a median of $68,854 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Burlington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Burlington; the closest available measure is the Vermont state average, a cost of living index of 98.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Vermont vary by metro area.

Is Burlington, VT safe? +

Burlington has a total crime rate of 4768.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Burlington, VT? +

A typical home in Burlington is worth $400,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Burlington? +

Burlington has an average annual temperature of 47.6°F, 37.5 inches of precipitation, and 87.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.