Burlington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mason City
Burlington
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
17 · Bottom 5%
vs21 · Bottom 8%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs69 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs20 · Bottom 10%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Mason City | Burlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,050 | 23,728 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,804 | $59,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,494 | $34,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 959/sq mi | 1,647/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $142,000 | $114,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $882 | $924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.5% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -95.9% | -81.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.3" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 17.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 42.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.12 | 13.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.8% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.5% | 48.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.2% | 53.1% | 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
Mason City
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Mason City
54
Your Score
53
Area Score
Burlington
55
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Mason City, IA · Burlington, IA · How this is calculated: methodology