What are the schools like in Burlington, NC?

Burlington is served primarily by Alamance-Burlington Schools. The district operates 20 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 11 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.4:1.

What is the median household income in Burlington?

The median household income in Burlington, NC is $52,963 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 5.7%.

What is the weather like in Burlington, NC?

Burlington has an average high temperature of 51.4°F in January and 89.7°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 47.1 inches and annual snowfall averages 1.8 inches.

Burlington, NC Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Burlington, NC affordable or expensive?

Burlington's cost of living index is 93, where 100 represents the national average. This means Burlington is 7% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $167,000 and the median rent is $947 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Burlington, NC?

Burlington has a violent crime rate of 952.3 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3085.1 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Burlington, NC a Good Place to Live?

Burlington is a mid-sized city of 56,951 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $52,963 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Burlington stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Burlington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Burlington 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: 92.7

Burlington's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Burlington costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric	Burlington, NC	National Avg
Median Home Value	$167,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$947	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	55.5%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$52,963	$74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Burlington's violent crime rate is 952.3 per 100,000 residents — 151% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

952.3 /100k

Property Crime

3085.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Burlington is served primarily by Alamance-Burlington Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Burlington, NC	National Avg
School District	Alamance-Burlington Schools	—
Elementary Schools	20	—
Middle Schools	7	—
High Schools	11	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	16.4:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	28.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	85.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Burlington sees average highs of 51.4°F in January and 89.7°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 1.8 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Burlington, NC
Average High — January	51.4°F
Average High — July	89.7°F
Annual Precipitation	47.1"
Annual Snowfall	1.8"

Demographics

Metric	Burlington, NC	National Avg
Population	56,951	—
Median Age	39.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	5.7%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	23.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	53.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	28.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	12.0%	18.9%
Asian	2.5%	6.3%
Under 18	23.3%	22.2%
65 and over	17.9%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Elon, NC 3 mi Glen Raven, NC 3 mi Alamance, NC 4 mi Gibsonville, NC 4 mi Graham, NC 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Burlington

Burlington, NC is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

27215 27217

Burlington vs Other Cities

Burlington, NC vs Elon, NC Burlington, NC vs Glen Raven, NC Burlington, NC vs Alamance, NC Burlington, NC vs Gibsonville, NC Burlington, NC vs Graham, NC

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Burlington, NC affordable or expensive?

Burlington's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Burlington roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $167,000 and median rent is $947/month.

What is the crime rate in Burlington, NC?

Burlington's violent crime rate is 952.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3085.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Burlington?

Public schools in Burlington are operated by Alamance-Burlington Schools. The district has 20 elementary, 7 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. 28.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Burlington, NC a good place to live?

Burlington, NC has a population of 56,951, a median household income of $52,963, and an unemployment rate of 5.7%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Burlington?

Burlington averages 51.4°F in January and 89.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.1 inches with about 1.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Burlington?

Burlington, NC is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 27215, 27217.

What is the population of Burlington?

The population of Burlington, North Carolina is 56,951 with a median age of 39.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Burlington?

Key numbers for living in Burlington: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $167,000, median household income $52,963, crime index 209 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Burlington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.