City profile · Vermont · Census ACS 2023

South Burlington, VT

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

20,488
Residents
$97,229
Median income
$399,600
Median home
$2,140
Median rent (state)

South Burlington - the verdict

Nationally, South Burlington sits in the 76th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

76th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
5th
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: South Burlington, VT

20,488 people live in South Burlington, Vermont - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $97,229 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.5%. Typical homes in South Burlington are valued around $399,600, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. Educational attainment runs 65.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 69.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 66 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 30% from five years earlier. South Burlington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4619.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,140 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $251 across Vermont, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in South Burlington report an average commute of 15.8 minutes, with 71.4% driving alone and 16.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 63.9 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

20,488 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Vermont

Median Household Income

$97,229 /yr

Poverty 4.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Vermont average

How does South Burlington compare to other US cities?

Here's how South Burlington stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Vermont, South Burlington ranks #27 of 30 Vermont cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below South Burlington's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Vermont, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

76thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

76th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Burlington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South 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 33 Avg. percentile National median
South 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 South Burlington's home value compares nationally

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

$399,600 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%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. South 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 - South Burlington, VT South Burlington, VT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South 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 South Burlington, VT median $97,229/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%
South 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 South Burlington, VT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 65.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.6%

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

Population
20,488
Median Income
$97,229
Median Home Value
$399,600
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Labor force participation
69.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
65.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4619.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
234.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4385.0
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.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents20,500 residents21,000 residents21,500 residents22,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,242 residents 21,394 residents ▲ +5.7%
South Burlington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
66
housing units authorized
Single-Family
62
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 94
2020 92
2021 247
2022 414
2023 419
2024 66

Permit volume decreased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.8 minutes
Drive Alone
71.4%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
16.3%
Other
2.8%

Based on 11,891 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 South 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

Rutland
15,747 people
Essex Junction
10,720 people
Bennington
8,888 people
Barre
8,461 people
Winooski
8,198 people
Montpelier
8,038 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Burlington's 20,488 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Westbrook, ME
20,484 people
Libertyville, IL
20,493 people
Adrian, MI
20,493 people
North Bay Shore, NY
20,501 people
Golden, CO
20,467 people
Eastchester, NY
20,519 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Burlington's $97,229 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pima, AZ
$97,238 median income
Pikesville, MD
$97,218 median income
Grantsville, UT
$97,216 median income
Arbutus, MD
$97,215 median income
South Deerfield, MA
$97,250 median income
Chester, NY
$97,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South 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 South Burlington, VT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.0% 8.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 82.0% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 8.7% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 5.9% 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 South 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
South Burlington (this city) 20,488 $97,229
Rutland 15,747 $55,000
Essex Junction 10,720 $94,423
Bennington 8,888 $53,839
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VT FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Burlington, VT?

What is the population of South Burlington, VT? +

South Burlington, VT counts 20,488 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in South Burlington runs $97,229, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Burlington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South 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 South Burlington, VT safe? +

South Burlington has a total crime rate of 4619.7 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 South Burlington, VT? +

South Burlington's median home value sits at $399,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.