Essex Junction and Burlington receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Essex Junction
Burlington
Opportunity
59 · Top 43%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
25 · Bottom 12%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs48 · Bottom 9%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
75 · Top 16%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Essex Junction | Burlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,803 | 44,675 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,257 | $71,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,555 | $40,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,364/sq mi | 4,336/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $407,500 | $444,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,544 | $1,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.3% | 41.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.2% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.4% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 569 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 12.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -85.1% | 9383.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 26.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.29 | 11.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.6% | 40.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.0% | 52.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.6% | 54.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Essex Junction
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Essex Junction
67
Your Score
65
Area Score
Burlington
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Essex Junction, VT · Burlington, VT · How this is calculated: methodology