Cost of living in Burlington research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Burlington is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Iowa, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Burlington is 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Burlington is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Burlington ranks as the #31 cheapest in Iowa out of 85.
Burlington ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Burlington is $124,057.
The median income in Burlington is $55,274.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Burlington has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Iowa, Burlington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Iowa's index of 90.
The standard of living in Burlington ranks as #31 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Iowa. By definition, that implies Burlington ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Hawkeye State.
For more reading on life in Burlington, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Burlington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Burlington is 97.
The Groceries index in Burlington is 96.
The Health index in Burlington is 106.
The Housing index in Burlington is 63.
The Transportation index in Burlington is 98.
The Utilities index in Burlington is 114.
| Living Expense | Burlington | Iowa | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 96 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 63 | 75 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 114 | 94 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Iowa, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Burlington is $124,057.
The Median Rent in Burlington is $931.
The Median Income in Burlington is $55,274.
The Home Value To Income in Burlington is 2.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Burlington is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Burlington | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $124,057 | $230,258 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $931 | $949 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $55,274 | $73,147 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.2x | 3.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.16x | 0.21x |
| Item | Burlington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.3 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.83 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $11.95 | $18 |
| Haircut | $18.13 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $28.0 | $45.56 |
| Item | Burlington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.55 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.72 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.74 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.79 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.83 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.84 | $3.7 |
| Item | Burlington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $120.5 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $171.88 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.53 | $113.29 |
| Item | Burlington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $62.78 | $59.92 |
| Item | Burlington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $229.59 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $200.45 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Burlington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Galesburg, IL has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Burlington.
Muscatine, IA has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Burlington.
Macomb, IL has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Burlington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galesburg, IL | 29,653 | 84 | 1.0x |
| Muscatine, IA | 23,567 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Macomb, IL | 15,006 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Fort Madison, IA | 10,221 | 84 | 1.0x |
| Keokuk, IA | 9,748 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Fairfield, IA | 9,438 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Mount Pleasant, IA | 9,093 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Monmouth, IL | 8,794 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Washington, IA | 7,314 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Dallas, NC | 6,012 | 93 | 1.1x |