Living in Burlington, VT
Small city in Vermont
Burlington is a small city in Vermont, home to about 45,000 people, with 159,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: A small, walkable lakeside city with mountains, farms and a strong sense of community. Long winters and few big employers.
Is Burlington a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
- Mild summers: highs around 80°F
- Dog-friendly: 11 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 16 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Smaller job market: about 159,000 people live within 31 mi
- Higher taxes: about $2,168 state income tax per resident, 1.79% property tax
- Fewer family amenities 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 $497k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,750 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 101, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Burlington?
Vermont collects about $2,168 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.79% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Burlington safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Burlington?
Burlington has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 32°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 88″ of snow a year.
Does Burlington get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding: 16 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.3 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Burlington?
The nearest major airport is ALB, about 124 mi away.
How Burlington scores
Each bar compares Burlington with the other 1143 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).
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Is Burlington right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.