Jobs, pay and daily life in South 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 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
South Burlington is a city in Vermont with 20,756 residents. The median household earns $106,667 a year and the median rent is $1,787 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Burlington-South Burlington, VT metropolitan area, where BLS counts 120,150 jobs.
How South Burlington compares. Among the 30 largest places in Vermont, South Burlington is #2 by population, #30 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #2 for household income (#1 = highest), #2 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Chittenden County, is #1 of 14 counties for average pay ($73,186).
South Burlington has 20,756 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.2% of the population of Vermont. It covers 16 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,263 people per square mile. The median age is 38.2, 11% younger than the state median (38.2 against 43.1).
The median gross rent is $1,787 a month (rent plus utilities), 45% above the state median ($1,787 against $1,234). Over a year that is 20.1% 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 $443,400, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($106,667). 61.6% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (61.6% against 73.2%).
The Burlington-South Burlington, VT metropolitan area has 120,150 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $60,020 a year, 18% above the national median ($60,020 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (11,510 jobs, median $51,340); management (10,310 jobs, median $115,390); sales and related (10,150 jobs, median $44,160). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (1.3 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($115,390) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($97,560). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Chittenden County was 2.2%. 72.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Chittenden County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 67.3% drive alone, 1.1% use public transit, 1.6% walk, 19.6% work from home. 6.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 52% below the state average (6.1% against 12.6%).
67.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 54% above the state share (67.5% against 43.8%). 12.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 197% above the state share (12.7% against 4.3%). The poverty rate is 7.2%, 28% below the state rate (7.2% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 70°F (21.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 16°F (-9.0°C). About 1,062 mm (42 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (128 mm) and Jan the driest (55 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: Shelburne (4 miles, rent 19% lower); Winooski (4 miles, rent 8% lower); Burlington (5 miles, rent 8% lower); Essex Junction (5 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against South Burlington; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Vermont (112) →State guide: VermontCountry guideChittenden CountyVermont 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 112 federal postings open in Vermont (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Vermont →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 3,550 | 1.18 | $37,330 | $31,250 | $55,310 | +5% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,150 | 1.21 | $98,330 | $80,200 | $126,100 | +1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,930 | 1.08 | $98,430 | $61,060 | $209,780 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,770 | 0.93 | $37,190 | $31,140 | $47,470 | +19% |
| Cashiers | 2,590 | 1.09 | $36,880 | $31,010 | $46,560 | +12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,230 | 1.02 | $37,780 | $31,460 | $50,780 | +1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,190 | 1.28 | $41,130 | $35,580 | $52,000 | +12% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,720 | 0.90 | $49,520 | $37,300 | $63,500 | +10% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,520 | 1.38 | $44,730 | $29,140 | $55,430 | +22% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,510 | 0.86 | $61,620 | $30,200 | $89,130 | +75% |
| Compliance Officers | 1,440 | 4.48 | $93,430 | $50,960 | $121,870 | +16% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,330 | 0.59 | $42,790 | $31,580 | $52,240 | +6% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,250 | 0.62 | $50,160 | $35,550 | $68,350 | +12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,230 | 0.37 | $43,960 | $37,790 | $48,220 | +23% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,210 | 0.76 | $62,460 | $50,480 | $74,940 | +7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,200 | 0.91 | $50,210 | $40,260 | $63,370 | +6% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,200 | 1.43 | $71,710 | $53,340 | $118,270 | -14% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,140 | 1.06 | $77,030 | $49,920 | $101,910 | +20% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,080 | 1.45 | $49,900 | $43,810 | $61,560 | +9% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,060 | 0.94 | $48,190 | $40,560 | $60,420 | +14% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Managers | 690 | 1.06 | $134,650 | $85,060 | $231,920 | -19% |
| Managers, All Other | 650 | 1.35 | $132,620 | $95,030 | $187,680 | -7% |
| Software Developers | 770 | 0.59 | $126,940 | $75,590 | $185,250 | -7% |
| Lawyers | 550 | 0.94 | $125,190 | $86,580 | $240,920 | -22% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 840 | 2.51 | $121,850 | $49,550 | $181,020 | +5% |
| Electrical Engineers | 590 | 3.82 | $112,200 | $81,040 | $175,710 | -7% |
| Construction Managers | 520 | 1.78 | $103,450 | $76,940 | $157,870 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,930 | 1.08 | $98,430 | $61,060 | $209,780 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,150 | 1.21 | $98,330 | $80,200 | $126,100 | +1% |
| Compliance Officers | 1,440 | 4.48 | $93,430 | $50,960 | $121,870 | +16% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,040 | 0.93 | $82,510 | $60,980 | $130,610 | -1% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 740 | 0.90 | $80,100 | $50,880 | $102,750 | +11% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 500 | 0.51 | $79,680 | $45,880 | $145,640 | +14% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 600 | 0.86 | $78,920 | $58,410 | $111,530 | +4% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 580 | 1.20 | $78,240 | $60,590 | $103,630 | +22% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,140 | 1.06 | $77,030 | $49,920 | $101,910 | +20% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 810 | 0.84 | $75,400 | $51,360 | $122,150 | +5% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,200 | 1.43 | $71,710 | $53,340 | $118,270 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 570 | 0.52 | $69,720 | $52,170 | $97,100 | +0% |
| Public Relations Specialists | 500 | 2.28 | $65,630 | $45,560 | $90,100 | -12% |
These figures are for the whole Burlington-South Burlington, VT metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $60,020 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 35.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 9.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.6% |
| Manufacturing | 8.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.5% |
| Construction | 4.0% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where South Burlington lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | 169,758 | $16,404 million | $96,629 | 103,301 | 9,418 | $73,186 | +0.1% | 2.2% | 96,362 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 17,558 | 20.3% | $76,247 | 1.19 |
| Retail trade | 11,152 | 12.9% | $43,817 | 1.08 |
| Professional and technical services | 9,010 | 10.4% | $123,463 | 1.25 |
| Manufacturing | 8,777 | 10.2% | $82,372 | 1.03 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,475 | 9.8% | $30,636 | 0.90 |
| Construction | 5,304 | 6.1% | $79,234 | 0.98 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,037 | 5.8% | $68,589 | 0.83 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,627 | 4.2% | $93,092 | 0.89 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,104 | 3.6% | $52,072 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,847 | 3.3% | $138,718 | 0.68 |
| Educational services | 2,787 | 3.2% | $43,975 | 1.30 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,500 | 2.9% | $60,165 | 0.57 |
| Information | 2,242 | 2.6% | $91,568 | 1.16 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,838 | 2.1% | $30,654 | 1.06 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,132 | 1.3% | $68,035 | 0.71 |
| Management of companies | 716 | 0.8% | $142,381 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 304 | 0.4% | $145,520 | 0.77 |
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 | 67.3% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 19.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,667 |
| Income per person | $59,566 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,787 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $443,400 |
| Homeowners | 61.6% |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 100.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $60,020 |
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; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. 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: Graduated, top rate 8.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 98.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 67.5% |
| Born abroad | 12.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 72.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -9.0 | 16 | 55 |
| Feb | -7.8 | 18 | 58 |
| Mar | -2.2 | 28 | 67 |
| Apr | 5.4 | 42 | 86 |
| May | 12.9 | 55 | 102 |
| Jun | 18.0 | 64 | 128 |
| Jul | 21.0 | 70 | 109 |
| Aug | 20.1 | 68 | 100 |
| Sep | 16.1 | 61 | 86 |
| Oct | 8.6 | 47 | 113 |
| Nov | 1.6 | 35 | 75 |
| Dec | -5.2 | 23 | 83 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelburne | VT | 4 mi | 6,499 | $109,583 | $1,439 |
| Winooski | VT | 4 mi | 8,293 | $79,522 | $1,643 |
| Burlington | VT | 5 mi | 44,675 | $71,109 | $1,649 |
| Essex Junction | VT | 5 mi | 10,803 | $89,257 | $1,544 |
| Milton | VT | 14 mi | 3,555 | $77,550 | $1,471 |
| Vergennes | VT | 19 mi | 2,565 | $76,587 | $1,000 |
| Bristol | VT | 21 mi | 2,142 | $73,064 | $1,288 |
| Plattsburgh | NY | 22 mi | 19,830 | $57,630 | $1,030 |
| St. Albans | VT | 26 mi | 6,954 | $57,980 | $1,150 |
| Middlebury | VT | 30 mi | 7,220 | $86,250 | $1,201 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
20,756 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,787 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$106,667 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.2% (BLS county, Chittenden County (latest month 2026M09)).
Vermont. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.