The Town FilesBurien, Washington
City in King County · population 52,066 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $638,800
- Household income
- $91,318
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 40.4
Burien is a city of 52,066 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $638,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Washington towns, better transit than 97% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 92% of Washington towns.
How Burien ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burien is worth $638,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $91,318, which is more affordable than 11% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,782 a month. 56.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burien | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $638,800 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,782 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $91,318 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 56.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Burien
| People | Burien | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.1% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Burien
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 37.7°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burien since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 12, 1969 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 22, 1971.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Burien itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Burien
13 public schools with 4,651 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highline High School | 9-12 | 1,408 | 20.7 |
| Sylvester Middle School | 6-8 | 548 | 18.9 |
| Gregory Heights Elementary | PK-5 | 482 | 17.2 |
| Hazel Valley Elementary | PK-5 | 473 | 15.8 |
| Shorewood Elementary | PK-5 | 413 | 16.5 |
| Seahurst Elementary School | PK-5 | 404 | 17.6 |
| Cedarhurst Elementary | PK-5 | 396 | 18.9 |
| Big Picture School | 6-12 | 238 | 13.2 |
| Highline Open Doors 1418 | 9-12 | 200 | 40.0 |
| Innovation Heights Academy | 9-12 | 79 | 15.8 |
| Highline Home School Center | K-12 | 10 | — |
| Puget Sound High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Burien
- White Center, WA2.3 mi · 16,631 people · home $645,200
- Normandy Park, WA2.9 mi · 6,771 people · home $1,014,100
- Boulevard Park, WA3.0 mi · 4,094 people · home $456,100
- SeaTac, WA3.1 mi · 31,454 people · home $519,700
- Tukwila, WA3.2 mi · 21,798 people · home $489,000
- Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA5.0 mi · 17,397 people · home $655,200
- Des Moines, WA6.1 mi · 32,888 people · home $597,000
- Vashon, WA6.8 mi · 11,055 people · home $790,700
Burien questions
Is Burien, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burien scores better for retirees than 19% of Washington towns and quieter than 13%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Burien?
The median owner-occupied home in Burien is valued at $638,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,318, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $1,782 a month.
What is the weather like in Burien?
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 37.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Burien get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burien since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 12, 1969. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- 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)