Burlington, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Burlington, NC Summary

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 North Carolina, 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 89, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Burlington is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Burlington ranks as the #23 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Burlington ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Burlington is $251,395.

  • The median income in Burlington is $54,941.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
89
Burlington's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Burlington, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Burlington has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Burlington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Burlington ranks as #23 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Burlington ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Burlington, check out:

23 out of 157
In North Carolina
1,060 out of 6,489
In America

Burlington Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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 94.

  • The Groceries index in Burlington is 96.

  • The Health index in Burlington is 104.

  • The Housing index in Burlington is 79.

  • The Transportation index in Burlington is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Burlington is 91.

Living Expense Burlington North Carolina National Average
Overall 89 92 100
Services 94 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 104 106 100
Housing 79 86 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 91 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Burlington Cost of Living Vs. NC

Burlington, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, 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 $251,395.

  • The Median Rent in Burlington is $1,030.

  • The Median Income in Burlington is $54,941.

  • The Home Value To Income in Burlington is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Burlington is 0.22x.

Statistic Burlington North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $251,395 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,030 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $54,941 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$251,395
Median Home Value
$1,030
Median Rent
$54,941
Median Income

Burlington, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Burlington Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Burlington North Carolina
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $12.0 $12.13
Bowling $18.67 $18
Haircut $28.33 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.66 $45.56

Detailed Burlington Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Burlington North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.17 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $5.0 $4.93
Pizza $10.41 $12.09
Beer $10.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Burlington Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Burlington North Carolina
Optometrist $146.78 $125.68
Doctor $174.0 $135.78
Dentist $97.67 $113.29

Detailed Burlington Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Burlington North Carolina
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.55 $59.92

Detailed Burlington Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Burlington North Carolina
All Electricity $161.71 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Burlington SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Burlington

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:

  • Greensboro, NC has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Burlington.

  • Mebane, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Burlington.

  • Graham, NC has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Burlington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Burlington
Greensboro, NC 298,564 91 1.0x
Mebane, NC 18,899 100 1.1x
Graham, NC 17,537 88 1.0x
Elon, NC 11,325 113 1.3x
Gibsonville, NC 9,289 94 1.1x

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