CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Burlington

Iowa · 27,208 residents · 14.4 sq mi

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The short version

Burlington is home to 27,208 people in Iowa. Median home value sits at $38,500. The average commute runs 13 minutes. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median rent is $319 a month. Owners hold 70% of the housing stock.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

14% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 19%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

27,208

+1%vs 2000

vs 26,839 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.5

−6%vs 2000

vs 37.9 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

14.4 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202424K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57%(1,918)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.1%(1,945)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.5%(2,053)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.6%(1,802)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.9%(1,605)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.9%(4,061)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.6%(3,961)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410%(2,720)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.1%(2,483)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.3%(2,531)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.4%(1,472)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.4%(657)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$25,105

−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $33,770 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$12,025

−38%vs 2000

vs $19,450 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

13.7%

+1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$38,500

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $62,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$319

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $437 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

69.6%

−0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 70.2% in 2000

30.4% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic90.6%(24,328)

Black5%(1,332)

Hispanic / Latino2.1%(554)

Asian0.6%(171)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic94.2%(25,617)

Black4.5%(1,212)

Hispanic / Latino1%(279)

Asian0.7%(179)

Other0.7%(200)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican3.4%(818)

Puerto Rican0.7%(159)

Central American0.1%(29)

Guatemalan0.1%(29)

Spaniard0.1%(19)

South American0%(7)

Ecuadorian0%(7)

Asian origin

Asian Indian1.3%(303)

Chinese0.2%(49)

Filipino0%(8)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.8%(186)

Chamorro0%(1)

Ancestry

German28.5%(6,754)

Irish13.1%(3,112)

English10.9%(2,591)

American7.6%(1,796)

Swedish3.7%(885)

Scottish2.1%(505)

French2.1%(496)

Dutch2%(483)

Norwegian1.4%(333)

Polish1%(242)

Italian1%(229)

Welsh0.9%(217)

+ 23 more ancestry groups with data

Scotch-Irish0.6%(145)

Swiss0.6%(140)

Russian0.6%(136)

British0.4%(105)

Arab0.4%(94)

Czech0.4%(86)

Danish0.4%(85)

Egyptian0.3%(76)

Canadian0.3%(71)

Subsaharan African0.3%(65)

Nigerian0.3%(60)

Greek0.2%(54)

Australian0.2%(40)

Austrian0.1%(20)

Lebanese0.1%(18)

French Canadian0.1%(16)

Croatian0.1%(15)

Finnish0%(11)

Portuguese0%(11)

Slovak0%(11)

Hungarian0%(9)

Romanian0%(9)

Slovene0%(9)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Swedish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

14.0%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.1% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

77.8%

−6.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 84.0% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.3%

−1.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.7% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

13.3 min

+24%vs 2000

vs 10.7 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married33.1%(3,103)

Married49.1%(4,603)

Widowed4.3%(406)

Divorced13.4%(1,259)

Women 15+

Never married27.8%(2,809)

Married47.6%(4,805)

Widowed8.9%(893)

Divorced15.7%(1,583)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.8%

−6.2 ptssince 2013

from 11.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

51.2%

+2.8 ptssince 2020

from 48.4% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

15.8%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 16.8% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.6%

+1.3 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

29.5%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 29.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.7%

+0.4 ptssince 2020

from 3.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

63.5%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 63.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

48.7%

+0.4 ptssince 2020

from 48.3% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024

Gulf War (2001 or later)13.9%(214)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.7%(350)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era44.2%(681)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War6.6%(101)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II3.8%(58)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,540 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

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