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Burlington, VT

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Burlington

'Battery Park in Burlington'
'Battery Park in Burlington' · Photo: Tania Dey, CC BY-SA 3.0
Burlington City Hall
Burlington City Hall · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Church Street Marketplace in autumn
Church Street Marketplace in autumn · Photo: Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0
ECHOBurlington
ECHOBurlington · Photo: Mfwills, CC BY 3.0
Edmunds School Burlington Vermont
Edmunds School Burlington Vermont · Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fletcher Free Library Burlngton Vermont
Fletcher Free Library Burlngton Vermont · Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Old Mill building
Old Mill building · Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.0
Union Station Burlington Vermont central section
Union Station Burlington Vermont central section · Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
View of the Burlington Marketplace
View of the Burlington Marketplace · Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
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Where it is
Burlington
Burlington in Vermont
Vermont in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Burlington area.

15
grocery stores
128
restaurants
32
coffee shops
58
parks
52
playgrounds
11
libraries
2
movie theaters
7
live theaters
5
museums
17
bookstores
19
gyms
44
bars
14
pharmacies
1
hospital

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Burlington area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
88 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
122 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 29,449 rented homes in the Burlington area, 81% rent for under $2,000 a month and 96% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 21%
$1,000 to $1,499: 27%
$1,500 to $1,999: 34%
$2,000 to $2,499: 12%
$2,500 to $2,999: 3%
$3,000 or more: 4%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Burlington area rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $3,000 to $3,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Vermont

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Vermont DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Vermont voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Edmunds School Burlington Vermont
Edmunds School Burlington Vermont · Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0

8 public school districts in this county, with about 21,555 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Burlington School District · Burlington
3,500 students · 11.2 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 · Shelburne
4,235 students · 14.1 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union Sd #51 · Essex Junction
3,767 students · 10.5 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
South Burlington School District · South Burlington
2,717 students · 12.4 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 · Jericho
2,620 students · 14.4 students per teacher · 8 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Vermont keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Vermont →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county around Burlington. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Vermont · Burlington
Public, 4-year · 14,320 students · $18,890 in-state, $43,890 out-of-state
Champlain College · Burlington
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,328 students · $45,550 a year
Saint Michael's College · Colchester
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,370 students · $50,040 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$470,629
What a typical home sells for across the Burlington area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
23 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,063 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in VT. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
25.2 per 100,000 people a year
43 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. VT average: 23.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 48.3 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 826 people without housing in the Burlington/Chittenden County area: 787 in shelters and 39 outside, up from 811 in 2024. VT: 52.2 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$94,310
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.61% of home value a year
About $1,610 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 8.75%
VT's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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