The Town FilesBurlington, North Carolina
City in Alamance County · population 57,303 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $199,200
- Household income
- $56,880
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.1
Burlington is a city of 57,303 people in Alamance County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $199,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of North Carolina towns, more walkable than 96% of North Carolina towns, hipper than 84% of North Carolina towns.
How Burlington ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burlington is worth $199,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $56,880, which is more affordable than 62% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,051 a month. 53.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burlington | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,200 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,051 | $969 |
| Median household income | $56,880 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 53.8% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Burlington
| People | Burlington | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 89.5% |
Weather in Burlington
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 30.7°F. About 47.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burlington since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 6, 2025 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 2, 1983.
Severe weather in Alamance County since 1996
Alamance County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 11, 2025 | Tropical Depression | DR-4889: Tropical Depression Chantal |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Alamance County
Alamance County had 67,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,502 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Burlington itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Burlington
15 public schools with 8,645 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter M Williams High | 9-12 | 1,215 | 18.1 |
| Clover Garden (charter) | K-12 | 950 | 19.4 |
| Hugh M Cummings High | 9-12 | 813 | 17.7 |
| Turrentine Middle | 6-8 | 687 | 16.8 |
| Highland Elementary | K-5 | 630 | 15.4 |
| Eastlawn Elementary | PK-5 | 555 | 16.8 |
| Marvin B Smith Elementary | PK-5 | 545 | 16.5 |
| R Homer Andrews Elementary | PK-5 | 535 | 14.1 |
| Hillcrest Elementary | PK-5 | 522 | 14.5 |
| Harvey R Newlin Elementary | PK-5 | 513 | 15.5 |
| Broadview Middle | 6-8 | 505 | 14.0 |
| Edwin M Holt Elementary | K-5 | 486 | 14.7 |
Towns near Burlington
- Elon, NC2.9 mi · 11,336 people · home $366,300
- Glen Raven, NC3.3 mi · 3,239 people · home $224,000
- Gibsonville, NC4.5 mi · 8,920 people · home $298,000
- Graham, NC4.6 mi · 17,157 people · home $233,800
- Green Level, NC7.6 mi · 3,152 people · home $168,400
- Mebane, NC10.7 mi · 17,797 people · home $338,900
- Forest Oaks, NC14.7 mi · 4,209 people · home $349,300
- Liberty, NC16.3 mi · 2,655 people · home $194,500
Burlington questions
Is Burlington, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burlington scores better for retirees than 15% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 8%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Burlington?
The median owner-occupied home in Burlington is valued at $199,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,880, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,051 a month.
What is the weather like in Burlington?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 30.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.1 inches of precipitation a year and 1.8 inches of snow.
Does Burlington get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burlington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 6, 2025. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- 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)