Is Burlingame, CA a Good Place to Live?
Burlingame is a small city of 30,995 in California, with a median household income of $165,940 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Burlingame stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Burlingame is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Burlingame city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 118.2Burlingame's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Burlingame costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Burlingame, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,000,001 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,591 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $165,940 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageBurlingame's violent crime rate is 183.2 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Burlingame is served primarily by Burlingame Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 24.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Burlingame, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Burlingame Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 24.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Burlingame sees average highs of 58.0°F in January and 72.6°F in July, with 19.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Burlingame, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.0°F |
| Average High — July | 72.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Burlingame, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,995 | — |
| Median Age | 40.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 55.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 28.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.3% | 16.8% |