The Town FilesBurke, Virginia
Community in Fairfax County · population 42,312 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $747,700
- Household income
- $185,818
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 40.6
Burke is a community of 42,312 people in Fairfax County, Virginia. The median home is worth $747,700, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Virginia towns, better for families than 89% of Virginia towns, more walkable than 89% of Virginia towns.
How Burke ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burke is worth $747,700, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $185,818, which is more affordable than 42% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $2,894 a month. 89.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burke | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $747,700 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $2,894 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $185,818 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 89.5% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Burke
| People | Burke | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.5% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 10.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.1% | — |
| Work from home | 30.0% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 91.8% |
Weather in Burke
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 23.4°F. About 43.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burke since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 8.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 45 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 24, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 11, 2004.
Severe weather in Fairfax County since 1996
Fairfax County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| March 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4262: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Fairfax County
Fairfax County had 636,430 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $114,100 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Burke itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Burke
6 public schools with 6,208 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Braddock Secondary | 7-12 | 4,397 | 22.7 |
| White Oaks Elementary | PK-6 | 724 | 16.1 |
| Terra Centre Elementary | PK-6 | 626 | 14.6 |
| Cherry Run Elementary | PK-6 | 461 | 13.6 |
| ALC at Burke | Other | — | — |
| Burke School | Other | — | — |
Towns near Burke
- West Springfield, VA2.1 mi · 23,369 people · home $637,300
- Kings Park, VA2.1 mi · 4,537 people · home $635,300
- South Run, VA2.1 mi · 6,462 people · home $978,500
- Burke Centre, VA2.2 mi · 17,518 people · home $641,700
- Ravensworth, VA2.8 mi · 2,680 people · home $714,400
- Kings Park West, VA3.1 mi · 13,465 people · home $742,800
- Newington Forest, VA3.1 mi · 12,957 people · home $592,200
- Wakefield, VA3.4 mi · 11,805 people · home $861,600
Burke questions
Is Burke, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burke scores better for retirees than 30% of Virginia towns and quieter than 14%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Burke?
The median owner-occupied home in Burke is valued at $747,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $185,818, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $2,894 a month.
What is the weather like in Burke?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 23.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.6 inches of precipitation a year and 13.4 inches of snow.
Does Burke get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burke since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)