Should I Move To
Burlington, Vermont is home to about 44,646 people. On cost of living, it lands in the moderate band — 4% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,540 a month against a typical household income of $64,931. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 45 out of 100 (grade D), putting it at #686 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Burlington's composite cost-of-living index lands at 104 (100 = US average), which puts it in the moderate band. At $1,540/mo against $64,931 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 28% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $383,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is cold-winter — summer averages around 77°F, winter averages around 20°F. Precipitation totals about 48 inches a year. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. AQI runs about 32 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Burlington doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 53/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (96/100); the soft spot is walkability (13/100).
Burlington doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 38/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (96/100); the soft spot is walkability (13/100).
Burlington doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 45/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (96/100); the soft spot is walkability (13/100).
Burlington doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 33/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (96/100); the soft spot is walkability (13/100).
Our overall score for Burlington is 45/100 — a D, sitting at #686 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Burlington sits at 104 — moderate, 4% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,540 a month.
Burlington runs cold-winter on the weather. Summer's near 77°F, winter's near 20°F; 48 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 13/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 44,646 people live here, with 60% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 27.
Drop Burlington into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.