Living in Burlington, MA
Suburb in Massachusetts
Burlington is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 26,000 people, with 3.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Burlington a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 15 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: BOS is 14 mi away
- Highly educated: 58% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9 research universities are within 31 mi
- Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 0.88% property tax
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $812k, and rent is $3,530 a month
- Cloudier than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Burlington ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Burlington: common questions
What is the cost of living in Burlington?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $812k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,530 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Burlington?
Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.88% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Burlington safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Burlington?
Public schools in Burlington test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 11 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Burlington?
Burlington has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 64″ of snow a year.
Does Burlington get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.16 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Burlington?
The nearest major airport is BOS, about 14 mi away.
How Burlington scores
Each bar compares Burlington with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Burlington
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Massachusetts.
Is Burlington right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.