Cost of Living in Burlington, Vermont
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Burlington, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 44,019
- Median household income
- $71,109
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 100.9
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Is Burlington a good place to live?
Burlington sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 99 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Burlington keeps $7,604 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living1% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,891 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,577 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Burlington
Prices in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT area run 1% above the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 26% above the US average.
- Housing4% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)3% below the US average
- Utilities26% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% above the US average
- All items1% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,891 | $22,692 |
| Food | $480 | $5,760 |
| Transportation | $380 | $4,560 |
| Healthcare | $358 | $4,296 |
| Utilities | $327 | $3,924 |
| Total before taxes | $3,436 | $41,232 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Burlington | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,705 | $1,550 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,891 | $1,719 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,384 | $2,165 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,013 | $2,733 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,133 | $2,845 |
Living in Burlington
How Burlington compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
| Measure | Burlington | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,109 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $444,800 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,649 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 58.5% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 20.5% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 60.5% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 26.8 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 18.7 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 19% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 5.3% | 3.7% |
Home internet
7 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Burlington, led by Xfinity, Burlington Telecom, VTel Wireless Inc, Consolidated Communications. Fiber reaches 93.5% of homes and 94.2% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Burlington
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 18.7 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Highly educated workforce. 60.5% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 36.9% nationally.
- Remote-work friendly. 19% of workers work from home, against 13.3% nationally.
- Fast home internet. 94.2% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher poverty rate. 20.5% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
What your job keeps in Burlington
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $60,020
- Federal income tax
- −$5,022
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,592
- State income tax
- −$1,577
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$22,692
- Everyday costs
- −$18,533
a year, or $634 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Burlington-South Burlington, VT. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $126,940 | $50,886 |
| Lawyer | $125,190 | $49,806 |
| Registered nurse | $98,330 | $32,750 |
| Accountant | $82,510 | $22,666 |
| Teacher | $78,239 | $19,942 |
| Carpenter | $62,790 | $9,723 |
| Truck driver | $62,460 | $9,480 |
| Auto mechanic | $57,580 | $5,725 |
| Nursing assistant | $48,190 | −$1,506 |
| Medical assistant | $47,160 | −$2,298 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Burlington on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Civil engineer $32,795
- Data scientist $53,900
- Dental assistant $5,456
- Dental hygienist $32,750
- Dentist $103,514
- Diesel mechanic $8,490
- Electrician $12,688
- Financial analyst $33,981
- HVAC technician $13,689
- Licensed practical nurse $18,464
- Lineman $39,247
- Mechanical engineer $40,318
- Nurse practitioner $56,448
- Occupational therapist $32,993
- Paralegal $15,430
- Paramedic $7,866
- Pharmacist $68,318
- Pharmacy technician −$1,697
- Physical therapist $33,324
- Physician assistant $73,191
- Plumber $13,064
- Police officer $17,495
- Project manager $24,514
- Radiologic technologist $30,335
- Respiratory therapist $23,501
- Social worker $14,649
- Speech-language pathologist $27,650
- Veterinarian $53,900
- Welder $10,217
Compare Burlington with other cities
Compare Burlington with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Burlington
1 licensed interstate mover is based in Burlington, and 6 more elsewhere in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Burlington, VT a good place to live?
Burlington sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 99 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $60,020 and keeps $7,604 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Burlington?
Prices in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT area are 1% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,891 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,544 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Burlington?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $50,200 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Burlington-South Burlington, VT area earns $60,020.
What is the average rent in Burlington?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,705 for a studio, $1,891 for a 1-bedroom and $2,384 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Burlington at $1,649 a month (2024).
Does Burlington have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $60,020, Vermont state income tax comes to about $1,577 a year. Burlington has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Burlington?
7 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Burlington, led by Xfinity, Burlington Telecom, VTel Wireless Inc, Consolidated Communications. 93.5% of homes can get fiber and 94.2% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate