Is Burke, VA a Good Place to Live?
Burke is a small city of 44,228 in Virginia, with a median household income of $172,432 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Burke stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Burke is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Burke 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: 108.6Burke's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Burke costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Burke, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $647,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,745 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 88.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $172,432 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBurke's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Burke is served primarily by Fairfax County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Burke, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Fairfax County Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 141 | — |
| Middle Schools | 24 | — |
| High Schools | 28 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Burke sees average highs of 42.3°F in January and 83.8°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 13.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Burke, VA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 42.3°F |
| Average High — July | 83.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Burke, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,228 | — |
| Median Age | 39.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 62.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 16.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Burke
Burke, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: