Burlington, VT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 118, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Burlington is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Burlington ranks as the #11 cheapest in Vermont out of 13.

  • Burlington ranks as the #4,687 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Burlington is $338,100.

  • The median income in Burlington is $59,331.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Burlington's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
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 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Vermont, Burlington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Vermont's index of 115.

The standard of living in Burlington ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 13 places we measured in Vermont. By definition, that implies Burlington ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Green Mountain State.

For more reading on life in Burlington, check out:

11 out of 13
In Vermont
4,687 out of 6,412
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 103.

  • The Groceries index in Burlington is 116.

  • The Health index in Burlington is 101.

  • The Housing index in Burlington is 134.

  • The Transportation index in Burlington is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Burlington is 120.

Living Expense Burlington Vermont National Average
Overall 118 115 100
Services 103 107 100
Groceries 116 105 100
Health 101 107 100
Housing 134 131 100
Transportation 116 114 100
Utilities 120 121 100
For more reading on cost of living around Vermont, check out:
Burlington Cost of Living Vs. VT

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Burlington is $338,100.

  • The Median Rent in Burlington is $1,381.

  • The Median Income in Burlington is $59,331.

  • The Home Value To Income in Burlington is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Burlington is 0.28x.

Statistic Burlington Vermont United States
Median Home Value $338,100 $240,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,381 $1,070 $1,163
Median Income $59,331 $67,674 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.7x 3.6x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Burlington, VT
$338,100
Median Home Value
$1,381
Median Rent
$59,331
Median Income

Burlington, VT Costs By Category

Detailed Burlington Services Costs Vs. Vermont

Item Burlington Vermont
Shampoo $1.21 $1.06
Movie $9.75 $10.68
Bowling $13.5 $14.67
Haircut $23.0 $18.62
Beauty Salon $49.0 $39.05

Detailed Burlington Groceries Costs Vs. Vermont

Item Burlington Vermont
Ground Beef $3.64 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.37 $1.39
Milk $2.68 $2.05
Potatoes $4.09 $3.29
Pizza $10.99 $10.62
Beer $10.16 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.89 $2.34

Detailed Burlington Health Costs Vs. Vermont

Item Burlington Vermont
Optometrist $130.0 $108.57
Doctor $113.0 $116.17
Dentist $94.0 $99.13

Detailed Burlington Transportation Costs Vs. Vermont

Item Burlington Vermont
Gasoline $2.42 $2.22
Tire Balancing $63.0 $50.07

Detailed Burlington Utilities Costs Vs. Vermont

Item Burlington Vermont
All Electricity $224.57 $167.67
Phone $179.83 $175.64

Burlington SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
7
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
9

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 120, 1.0x Burlington.

  • Plattsburgh, NY has a cost of living index of 99, 0.8x Burlington.

  • Essex Junction, VT has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Burlington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Burlington
South Burlington, VT 20,042 120 1.0x
Plattsburgh, NY 19,969 99 0.8x
Essex Junction, VT 10,473 115 1.0x
Winooski, VT 8,015 111 0.9x
Shelburne, VT 6,335 120 1.0x

Articles About Vermont

Enjoy The Snack?