Burlington, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2024 Population
176,893
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
38.9
0.517% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
13.4%
5.63% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$65,651
1.87% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$241,500
9.18% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
85,193
1.63% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Burlington, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94.2% of the residents in Burlington, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Burlington, NC are Elon University (2,002 degrees awarded in 2023), Alamance Community College (1,075 degrees), and Beyond Measure Barbering Institute (23 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Burlington, NC was $241,500, and the homeownership rate was 65%.

Most people in Burlington, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Burlington, NC was 2 cars per household.

United StatesNorth Carolina

Population & Diversity

Burlington, NC is home to a population of 177k people, from which 94.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.47% of Burlington, NC residents were born outside of the country (16.8k people).

In 2024, there were 2.97 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (103k people) in Burlington, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 34.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 15.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.2%
2024 Citizenship
94.4%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 94.2% of Burlington, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Burlington, NC was 94.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Burlington, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Burlington, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    103k ± 581
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    34.6k ± 1.13k
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    15.6k ± 1.19k
15.3%
Hispanic Population
27k people

In 2024, there were 2.97 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (103k people) in Burlington, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 34.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 15.6k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

15.3% of the people in Burlington, NC are hispanic (27k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Burlington, NC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

9.47%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
16.8k people
9.09%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
15.8k people

As of 2024, 9.47% of Burlington, NC residents (16.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Burlington, NC was 9.09%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Burlington, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    3,228 ± 406
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    1,811 ± 326
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    1,781 ± 354

Burlington, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.78 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Burlington, NC.

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Economy

The economy of Burlington, NC employs 85.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Burlington, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (14,204 people), Manufacturing (12,214 people), and Retail Trade (10,358 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($90,833), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($69,167), and Public Administration ($58,875).

Employment

Occupations

85.2k
2024 Value
± 2,556
1.63%
1 Year growth
± 4.11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Burlington, NC grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 83.8k employees to 85.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Burlington, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,440 people), Management Occupations (9,065 people), and Production Occupations (7,196 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Burlington, NC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

85.2k
2024 Value
± 2,556
1.63%
1 Year growth
± 4.11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Burlington, NC grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 83.8k employees to 85.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Burlington, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,204 people), Manufacturing (12,214 people), and Retail Trade (10,358 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Burlington, NC, though some of these residents may live in Burlington, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$48,621
Median earning men ± $1,296
$39,173
Median earning women ± $2,154

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($73,433), Public Administration ($63,467), and Wholesale Trade ($62,578).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($54,456), Information ($52,131), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($48,814).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Y-Axis
3.04%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 250
    Construction
  2. 223
    Retail Trade
  3. 219
    Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $733k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $446k
    Manufacturing
  3. $299k
    Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Burlington, NC awarded 3,100 degrees. The student population of Burlington, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,418 male students and 6,577 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Burlington, NC are White (2,157 and 71.7%), Black or African American (324 and 10.8%), Hispanic or Latino (290 and 9.64%), and Two or More Races (83 and 2.76%).

The largest universities in Burlington, NC by number of degrees awarded are Elon University (2,002 and 64.6%), Alamance Community College (1,075 and 34.7%), and Beyond Measure Barbering Institute (23 and 0.742%).

The most popular majors in Burlington, NC are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (309 and 9.97%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (250 and 8.06%), and Communication Management And Strategic Communications (167 and 5.39%).

The median tuition cost in Burlington, NC for private four year colleges is $44,029.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Burlington, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 67.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 13.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 10,995 (40.2% men and 59.8% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 10,995 students enrolled in Burlington, NC, 40.2% men and 59.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,500 records, of which 59.3% were women and 40.7% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Marketing & Marketing Management
    144 degrees awarded
  2. General Finance
    134 degrees awarded
  3. Communication Management And Strategic Communications
    167 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Burlington, NC was General Marketing & Marketing Management with 144 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Burlington, NC according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Elon University
    2,002 degrees awarded
  2. Alamance Community College
    1,075 degrees awarded
  3. Beyond Measure Barbering Institute
    23 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Elon University with 2,002 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,064 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Burlington, NC, which is 0.523 times less than the 2,036 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,157 degrees mean that there were 6.66 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 324 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($44,029) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($507) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($4,595) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Burlington, NC was $241,500 in 2024, which is 0.726 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $221,200 to $241,500, a 9.18% increase. The homeownership rate in Burlington, NC is 65%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Burlington, NC have an average commute time of 25.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Burlington, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$241,500
Median Property Value 2024
±$5,511
$45,543
Median Property Taxes
±$1,557

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Burlington, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Burlington, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

65%
Homeownership
2024
67.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 65% of the housing units in Burlington, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Burlington, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$65,651
Median Household Income
± $1,854
70.1k
Number of Households
± 2,135

In 2024, the median household income of the 70.1k households in Burlington, NC grew to $65,651 from the previous year's value of $64,445.

The following chart displays the households in Burlington, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Burlington, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77.9%)
  2. Worked At Home (11.3%)
  3. Carpooled (8.16%)

In 2024, 77.9% of workers in Burlington, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.3%) and those who carpooled to work (8.16%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

25.9 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Burlington, NC have a shorter commute time (25.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.02% of the workforce in Burlington, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Burlington, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Burlington, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Burlington, NC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Burlington, NC (22.9k out of 171k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Burlington, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

89.8% of the population of Burlington, NC has health coverage, with 46.1% on employee plans, 17.1% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 1.52% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
1,413 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24% under 18 years, 21.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 17% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

10.2%
Uninsured
46.1%
Employer Coverage
17.1%
Medicaid
13.5%
Medicare
11.5%
Non-Group
1.52%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Burlington, NC grew by 2.56% from 9.94% to 10.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Burlington, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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