City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Burlington, WA

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.

9,637
Residents
$74,028
Median income
$432,900
Median home
$1,671
Median rent (state)

Burlington - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Burlington places in the 55th percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

55th
percentile, household income
80th
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
2nd
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, WA

Washington's Burlington is a small town, with 9,637 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Burlington brings in $74,028 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Typical homes in Burlington are valued around $432,900, and the median resident age is 36.2 years. About 21.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 154 residential building permits were authorized in Burlington (Rapid Growth), up 31% 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 6141.9 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).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,671 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

9,637 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$74,028 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington 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 55% higher than other cities
Home value 80% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Washington and the picture shifts: Burlington ranks #150 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile 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 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 Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

55thIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd 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 28 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+)

$432,900 20th percentile more affordable than 20% 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%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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, WA Burlington, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Burlington, WA-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, WA median $74,028/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, WA'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, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

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

Population
9,637
Median Income
$74,028
Median Home Value
$432,900
Median Age
36.2
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6141.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
74.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
6067.6
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.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,000 residents10,000 residents11,000 residents12,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,239 residents 11,356 residents ▲ +22.9%
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)
154
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
154
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
16
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 118
2020 207
2021 264
2022 262
2023 230
2024 154

Permit volume increased 31% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.6%
Carpool
15.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
6.7%

Based on 4,578 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington 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 Washington 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
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,671/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Terrace Heights
9,480 people
College Place
9,828 people
Picnic Point
9,833 people
DuPont
9,952 people
Alderwood Manor
10,168 people
Snohomish
10,177 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Burlington's 9,637 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Matawan, NJ
9,636 people
Brownsville, TN
9,634 people
Sunbury, PA
9,643 people
Walker Mill, MD
9,626 people
Middletown, KY
9,622 people
Bala Cynwyd, PA
9,622 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Burlington's $74,028 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Harristown, IL
$74,018 median income
Montgomery, MN
$74,018 median income
Wildwood, TX
$74,038 median income
Gibsonton, FL
$74,049 median income
Harrisburg, OR
$74,006 median income
Pierre, SD
$74,053 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Burlington, WA 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, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 65.5% 18.3% 7.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 30.1% White 65.5% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 2.1% American Indian 2.4% Native Hawaiian 2.2% Some other race 18.3% Two or more races 7.3% 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 Washington 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) 9,637 $74,028
Terrace Heights 9,480 $79,525
College Place 9,828 $59,768
Picnic Point 9,833 $128,295
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Burlington, WA?

What is the population of Burlington, WA? +

Burlington, WA counts 9,637 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Burlington runs $74,028, 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 Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Burlington, WA safe? +

Burlington has a total crime rate of 6141.9 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, WA? +

Homes in Burlington carry a median value of $432,900, 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.