The Town FilesBurnham, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 4,046 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,300
- Household income
- $57,790
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 36.2
Burnham is a village of 4,046 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $161,300, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better transit than 99% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 83% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 78% of Illinois towns.
How Burnham ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burnham is worth $161,300, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $57,790, which is more affordable than 27% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,208 a month. 58.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burnham | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,208 | $960 |
| Median household income | $57,790 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 58.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Burnham
| People | Burnham | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 36.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Burnham
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burnham since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 6.1 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 527 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Burnham itself the ACS puts it at 10.1%.
Public schools in Burnham
1 public school with 148 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnham Elem School | PK-8 | 148 | 16.4 |
Towns near Burnham
- Dolton, IL2.8 mi · 21,426 people · home $151,300
- Hammond, IN3.0 mi · 77,879 people · home $159,900
- Calumet City, IL3.0 mi · 36,033 people · home $145,200
- Whiting, IN3.9 mi · 4,559 people · home $198,900
- South Holland, IL4.1 mi · 21,465 people · home $217,200
- Riverdale, IL4.7 mi · 10,663 people · home $113,800
- East Chicago, IN4.8 mi · 26,370 people · home $105,400
- Lansing, IL5.1 mi · 29,076 people · home $177,000
Burnham questions
Is Burnham, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burnham scores better for retirees than 5% of Illinois towns and quieter than 9%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Burnham?
The median owner-occupied home in Burnham is valued at $161,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,790, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,208 a month.
What is the weather like in Burnham?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 32.4 inches of snow.
Does Burnham get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burnham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)