Burlington, VT Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Burlington, VT 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 Vermont, 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 122, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Burlington is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Burlington ranks as the #9 cheapest in Vermont out of 12.
Burlington ranks as the #4,541 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Burlington is $520,489.
The median income in Burlington is $68,854.
Table Of Contents
Burlington's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Burlington, VT?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Burlington has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Vermont, Burlington has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Vermont's index of 111.
The standard of living in Burlington ranks as #9 most affordable out of the 12 places we measured in Vermont. By definition, that implies Burlington ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Green Mountain State.
For more reading on life in Burlington, check out:
In Vermont
In America
Burlington Cost Of Living Vs. Vermont
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 110.
The Groceries index in Burlington is 103.
The Health index in Burlington is 106.
The Housing index in Burlington is 159.
The Transportation index in Burlington is 108.
The Utilities index in Burlington is 122.
| Living Expense | Burlington | Vermont | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 122 | 111 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 106 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 107 | 100 | |
| Housing | 159 | 113 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 122 | 121 | 100 | |
Burlington, VT Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Vermont, 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 $520,489.
The Median Rent in Burlington is $1,609.
The Median Income in Burlington is $68,854.
The Home Value To Income in Burlington is 7.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Burlington is 0.28x.
| Statistic | Burlington | Vermont | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $520,489 | $400,246 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,609 | $1,193 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $68,854 | $78,024 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.6x | 5.1x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.28x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Burlington, VT Costs By Category
Detailed Burlington Services Costs Vs. Vermont
| Item | Burlington | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.23 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.94 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.98 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $46.44 | $45.56 |
Detailed Burlington Groceries Costs Vs. Vermont
| Item | Burlington | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.72 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.82 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.97 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.05 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.01 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
Detailed Burlington Health Costs Vs. Vermont
| Item | Burlington | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $152.78 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.83 | $113.29 |
Detailed Burlington Transportation Costs Vs. Vermont
| Item | Burlington | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.59 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.6 | $59.92 |
Detailed Burlington Utilities Costs Vs. Vermont
| Item | Burlington | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $262.67 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.03 | $192.25 |
Burlington SnackAbility
/10
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:
South Burlington, VT has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Burlington.
Plattsburgh, NY has a cost of living index of 101, 0.8x Burlington.
Winooski, VT has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Burlington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Burlington, VT | 20,488 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 19,878 | 101 | 0.8x |
| Winooski, VT | 8,198 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Shelburne, VT | 6,292 | 133 | 1.1x |
