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Buying a home in Burlington, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Burlington is worth about $114,300, 45% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 66% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,874 a year in property taxes, about 1.64% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $59,000 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 51% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Burlington at a glance

Burlington Iowa U.S.
Median home value $114,300 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,874 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.64% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $59,000 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 71% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 51% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,153 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.1% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $924 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.7% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1951 1972 1980
Vacant homes 10.0% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 23,728 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Burlington

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Burlington home of $114,300 with 20% down costs about $819 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,009, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $35,098 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Burlington household income of $59,000; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $192,000.

The median rent here is $924 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$22,860
Loan amount$91,440
Principal and interest$615
Property taxes (1.64% a year)$156
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
PMI$0
Total per month$819

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,000
Loan amount$112,230
Principal and interest$755
Property taxes (1.64% a year)$156
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
FHA mortgage insurance$51
Total per month$1,009

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Questions about home buying in Burlington

What is the median home value in Burlington?

About $114,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Burlington?

Homeowners pay a median $1,874 a year, which is about 1.64% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Burlington?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $819 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $35,098 a year.

More about Burlington

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data