Burlington, Iowa Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Burlington, IA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,086 | 3,204,793 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1455.8 | 57.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.89% | 0.41% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.6 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 10,335 | 1,308,457 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Burlington declined by 7.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 22,086 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Burlington is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.5% of residents. That is 1.7 points below Iowa as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,533 20.5% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,109 18.6% -1.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,442 20.1% +1.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,307 19.5% +1.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Iowa, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.9% of the people living in Burlington and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% Iowa 50.0%
- Men 48.1% Iowa 50.0%
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Economy
Burlington has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,378 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.50% | 3.99% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Burlington is about 25% lower than in Iowa.
Housing
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $23,686 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $916 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 71.7% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Burlington is about 2.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $916 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Burlington spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 106 hours, about 4.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.7 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.3 | 33.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 106 | 141 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,272 | $4,382 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,246 | 4,993 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 584 | 606 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Burlington is 13 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Iowa.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Burlington has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 27.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.11 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Burlington has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Burlington | Iowa Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.1 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.9% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Burlington, Iowa.
What is the population of Burlington, Iowa?
About 22,086 people live in Burlington, Iowa, in 10,335 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 41.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Burlington, Iowa urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Burlington, Iowa has 1,456 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 17 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Burlington, Iowa an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 0.4 times the median household income ($23,686 against $56,378), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $916 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Burlington, Iowa?
Unemployment in Burlington, Iowa is only 3.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Burlington, Iowa have a college degree?
18.6% of adults in Burlington, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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