Median Income
$68,737
household / year
Median Home Value
$397,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,530
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Burlington, WA a Good Place to Live?

Burlington is a small town of 9,361 in Washington, with a median household income of $68,737 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Burlington stands out for solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include 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: 106.0

Burlington's overall cost of living index is 106.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Burlington costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Burlington, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $397,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,530 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 47.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $68,737 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Burlington's violent crime rate is 74.3 per 100,000 residents — 80% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
74.3 /100k
Property Crime
6067.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Burlington is served primarily by Burlington-Edison School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1 .

Metric Burlington, WA National Avg
School District Burlington-Edison School District —
Elementary Schools 5 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Burlington sees average highs of 47.1°F in January and 73.3°F in July, with 34.9 inches of annual precipitation and 5.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricBurlington, WA
Average High — January47.1°F
Average High — July73.3°F
Annual Precipitation34.9"
Annual Snowfall5.7"

Demographics

MetricBurlington, WANational Avg
Population9,361—
Median Age37.038.9
Unemployment Rate5.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)71.3%59.3%
Black or African American2.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino17.5%18.9%
Asian2.9%6.3%
Under 1822.0%22.2%
65 and over15.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Mount Vernon, WA 3 mi Clear Lake CDP (Skagit County), WA 4 mi Sedro-Woolley, WA 5 mi Big Lake, WA 6 mi Bay View, WA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Burlington

Burlington, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98233

Burlington vs Other Cities

Burlington, WA vs Mount Vernon, WA Burlington, WA vs Clear Lake CDP (Skagit County), WA Burlington, WA vs Sedro-Woolley, WA Burlington, WA vs Big Lake, WA Burlington, WA vs Bay View, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Burlington roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $397,200 and median rent is $1,530/month.
Burlington's violent crime rate is 74.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 6067.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Burlington are operated by Burlington-Edison School District. The district has 5 elementary, several middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1. 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Burlington, WA has a population of 9,361, a median household income of $68,737, and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Burlington averages 47.1°F in January and 73.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.9 inches with about 5.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Burlington, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98233.
The population of Burlington, Washington is 9,361 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Burlington: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $397,200, median household income $68,737, crime index 127 (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.