Jobs, pay and daily life in Burlington, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Burlington is a city in North Carolina with 59,610 residents. The median household earns $56,880 a year and the median rent is $1,051 a month, which is 22.2% of the median household income. It is part of the Burlington, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 67,830 jobs.
How Burlington compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Burlington is #18 by population, #27 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #68 for household income (#1 = highest), #67 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Alamance County, is #29 of 100 counties for average pay ($52,502).
Burlington has 59,610 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 31 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,936 people per square mile. The median age is 40.1, about the same as the state median (40.1 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,051 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($1,051 against $1,228). Over a year that is 22.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $199,200, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($56,880); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 53.8% of households own their home, 19% below the state average (53.8% against 66.6%).
The Burlington, NC metropolitan area has 67,830 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,010 a year, 14% below the national median ($44,010 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (8,510 jobs, median $41,460); food preparation and serving related (7,360 jobs, median $28,550); sales and related (7,360 jobs, median $34,050). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($67,150) and office and administrative support ($43,870). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Alamance County was 3.2%. 63.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Alamance County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 9.8% work from home. 14.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 3% above the state average (14.3% against 13.9%).
29.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 17% below the state share (29.6% against 35.6%). 13.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 51% above the state share (13.7% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 16.4%, 25% above the state rate (16.4% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.1°C). About 1,154 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (115 mm) and Jan the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Elon (3 miles, rent 98% higher); Graham (5 miles, similar rent); Mebane (11 miles, rent 22% higher); Greensboro (20 miles, rent 12% higher). Rent differences are against Burlington; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideAlamance CountyNorth Carolina rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,660 | 2.06 | $43,750 | $30,160 | $43,900 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,570 | 1.51 | $29,630 | $22,670 | $44,500 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 1,950 | 1.44 | $28,690 | $22,400 | $35,700 | -13% |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | 1,820 | 12.54 | $51,000 | $36,540 | $80,910 | -19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,810 | 1.47 | $35,620 | $29,170 | $51,370 | -5% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,680 | 6.01 | $27,450 | $21,650 | $34,590 | -11% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,480 | 0.88 | $27,710 | $21,600 | $36,010 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,290 | 1.14 | $41,040 | $29,120 | $57,150 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,100 | 1.11 | $29,330 | $16,610 | $58,930 | -17% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,090 | 1.78 | $46,650 | $30,470 | $58,590 | +4% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,080 | 0.73 | $84,180 | $67,710 | $124,050 | -14% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,020 | 1.13 | $56,290 | $39,870 | $94,000 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,020 | 1.62 | $39,090 | $30,480 | $45,650 | -8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 920 | 0.96 | $35,250 | $27,220 | $39,710 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 900 | 0.59 | $94,250 | $47,890 | $212,680 | -11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 870 | 0.47 | $30,420 | $24,620 | $37,930 | -15% |
| Office Clerks, General | 810 | 0.75 | $38,760 | $25,700 | $60,920 | -14% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 740 | 1.20 | $32,830 | $27,560 | $43,110 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 730 | 0.98 | $44,630 | $32,340 | $59,530 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 670 | 1.38 | $47,340 | $33,120 | $74,730 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Burlington, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,010 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.1% |
| Manufacturing | 15.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.7% |
| Retail trade | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.2% |
| Construction | 7.8% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.5% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Burlington lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Guilford County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | 176,893 | $9,014 million | $50,959 | 67,668 | 4,409 | $52,502 | +1.7% | 3.2% | 83,676 |
| Guilford County | 547,940 | $46,945 million | $85,675 | 287,996 | 17,452 | $61,546 | +0.3% | 3.4% | 265,551 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 12,374 | 21.6% | $61,735 | 1.28 |
| Retail trade | 9,433 | 16.5% | $36,206 | 1.40 |
| Manufacturing | 8,821 | 15.4% | $66,757 | 1.59 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,522 | 13.2% | $21,544 | 1.22 |
| Administrative and waste services | 4,226 | 7.4% | $37,429 | 1.06 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,699 | 6.5% | $43,608 | 1.29 |
| Educational services | 2,159 | 3.8% | $67,995 | 1.54 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,072 | 3.6% | $81,662 | 0.78 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,797 | 3.1% | $45,342 | 0.88 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,681 | 2.9% | $82,368 | 0.36 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,476 | 2.6% | $95,461 | 0.54 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 769 | 1.3% | $19,467 | 0.68 |
| Real estate and rental | 694 | 1.2% | $58,619 | 0.66 |
| Management of companies | 347 | 0.6% | $120,375 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 103 | 0.2% | $99,718 | 0.40 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 9.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 14.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,880 |
| Income per person | $33,214 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,051 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.2% |
| Median home value | $199,200 |
| Homeowners | 53.8% |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 93.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $44,010 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.6% |
| Born abroad | 13.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.1 | 38 | 72 |
| Feb | 4.9 | 41 | 73 |
| Mar | 9.2 | 49 | 94 |
| Apr | 14.9 | 59 | 91 |
| May | 19.7 | 67 | 100 |
| Jun | 24.4 | 76 | 114 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 114 |
| Aug | 25.7 | 78 | 115 |
| Sep | 22.0 | 72 | 111 |
| Oct | 15.6 | 60 | 86 |
| Nov | 9.3 | 49 | 91 |
| Dec | 5.2 | 41 | 93 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elon | NC | 3 mi | 11,032 | $84,773 | $2,080 |
| Graham | NC | 5 mi | 18,048 | $56,239 | $1,071 |
| Mebane | NC | 11 mi | 19,538 | $83,174 | $1,283 |
| Greensboro | NC | 20 mi | 301,198 | $61,515 | $1,172 |
| Hillsborough | NC | 21 mi | 9,724 | $98,163 | $1,368 |
| Reidsville | NC | 22 mi | 14,585 | $42,921 | $822 |
| Carrboro | NC | 24 mi | 21,204 | $85,743 | $1,470 |
| Summerfield | NC | 25 mi | 11,116 | $160,275 | $1,521 |
| Chapel Hill | NC | 26 mi | 61,607 | $85,989 | $1,613 |
| High Point | NC | 30 mi | 116,245 | $64,561 | $1,116 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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59,610 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,051 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.2% of the median household income.
$56,880 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Alamance County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.