United States › Burlington METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
Burlington Metro Burlington, NC · 1 counties · 171,415 residents · 423 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 171,415 people, Burlington is a metro area. The population is up 31% since 2000. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $160,900. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 8% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Renters pay $822 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth 405 / sq mi
+31%since 2000
from 309 / sq mi in 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
101K 122K 143K 163K 184K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Burlington Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,580
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,168 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $19,391 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
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$160,900
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$822
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $557 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 70.1% in 2000
35.1% rent
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 72.5%(94,768)
Hispanic / Latino 6.8%(8,835)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 59.8%(102,487)
Hispanic / Latino 14.4%(24,703)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 76.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 65.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 16.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 35.2%(24,049)
Women 15+
Never married 32.5%(24,798)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.6%(1,330)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.9%(1,536)
Share of the 9,109 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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In this metro
Largest cities BurlingtonCENTRAL 61,496 Mebane 21,952 Graham 20,131 Elon 11,366 Gibsonville 9,876 Glen Raven 3,506 Green Level 3,409 Swepsonville 2,632 Haw River 2,425 Saxapahaw 1,301 Woodlawn 1,085 Alamance 1,061 Ossipee 577 Altamahaw 491 What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Burlington Head to head
Compare Burlington side by side BURLINGTON VS
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BURLINGTON VS
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BURLINGTON VS
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BURLINGTON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Burlington, NC? Burlington, NC has about 171,415 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Burlington, NC? The typical household in Burlington, NC earns about $51,580 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Burlington, NC expensive? In Burlington, NC, the median home is worth about $160,900, and the typical rent is about $822 a month.
How educated are people in Burlington, NC? About 25.3% of adults age 25 and over in Burlington, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Burlington, NC? About 15.4% of people in Burlington, NC live below the federal poverty line.
Has Burlington, NC grown since 1990? Yes, Burlington, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 63,202 residents, a change of about 58 percent over that period.
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