Is Burgaw, NC a Good Place to Live?
Burgaw is a small town of 3,207 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $63,355 and a 14.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Burgaw stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Burgaw is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Burgaw 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: 97.1Burgaw's overall cost of living index is 97.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Burgaw costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Burgaw, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $194,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $889 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBurgaw's violent crime rate is 198.4 per 100,000 residents — 48% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Burgaw is served primarily by Pender County Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Burgaw, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Pender County Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | 5 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 82.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Burgaw sees average highs of 55.7°F in January and 88.7°F in July, with 56.6 inches of annual precipitation and 0.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Burgaw, NC |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 55.7°F |
| Average High — July | 88.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Burgaw, NC | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,207 | — |
| Median Age | 44.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 14.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 52.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 35.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.9% | 16.8% |