Everything about Burlington drives health living. For starters it is surrounded by the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain. It has great skiing, hiking, biking throughout and nearby and a population that takes advantage of all these outdoor lifestyle opportunities. If that wasn’t enough it also has nearly universal single-payer healthcare, access to amazing medical facilities at the University of Vermont, and a well educated, engaged community.

A local point of view: *Plenty of people around if you're the social type, enjoy going out to bars, seeing live music shows, etc. Nice sunsets over the lake. You can live and work in the city without a car (I biked or walked everywhere, year round for several years). Burlington (and Winooski) have great options for dining out, or shopping for different cuisines (Vietnamese, Himalayan, and African Markets on North Street). Probably the most diverse and highest paying job market.*

Healthy Living

The Best Thing About Burlington? 

While Burlington doesn’t approach the price-iness of say Boston or NYC, it has acquired the higher cost of living of other popular groovy, beautiful, escape-the-big-city, lifestyle burgs. One other note, if you trend red-state, it should go without saying but you will not feel chill in Burlington.

Quick note from a local about the city: *cost of living is absurdly high for a town of its size, but not for a major metro area.*
*- wages are about average for a town of its size, but hideously awful for a major metro area.*



Do-Re-Mi

The Worst Thing About Burlington? 

While there is a growing condo scene downtown much of Burlington is as you might expect. Lots of beautiful tree-lined streets with older homes that all seem to have exposed brick, vintage floorings, wood trim and big fireplaces for the long winter -- you know the drill.

Check out the local calendar of events for a better understanding of the daily lifestyle options: https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/events/

Tree-Lined Streets

Lifestyle of Burlington

We’re going to assume you live in some crazy expensive city and are craving a new groovy, outdoorsy, liberal lifestyle but can’t completely give up city amenities? If the answer to all of those points is a resounding yes, then move to Burlington, now. 


Ditch The Big Cities

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**The Best Thing About Burlington?**  Healthy Living

Everything about Burlington drives health living. For starters it is surrounded by the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain. It has great skiing, hiking, biking throughout and nearby and a population that takes advantage of all these outdoor lifestyle opportunities. If that wasn’t enough it also has nearly universal single-payer healthcare, access to amazing medical facilities at the University of Vermont, and a well educated, engaged community. 

**The Worst Thing About Burlington?**  Do-Re-Mi

While Burlington doesn’t approach the priciness of say Boston or NYC, it has acquired the higher cost of living of other popular groovy, beautiful, escape-the-big-city, lifestyle burgs. One other note, if you trend red-state, it should go without saying but you will not feel chill in Burlington. 


**How You Living?**  Tree-Lined Streets

While there is a growing condo scene downtown much of Burlington is as you might expect. Lots of beautiful tree-lined streets with older homes that all seem to have exposed brick, vintage floorings, wood trim and big fireplaces for the long winter -- you know the drill. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?**  Ditch The Big Cities

We’re going to assume you live in some crazy expensive city and are craving a new groovy, outdoorsy, liberal lifestyle but can’t completely give up city amenities? If the answer to all of those points is a resounding yes, then move to Burlington, now. 


Burlington has five major neighborhoods and the Old North End is where most of the students end up. Older homes that have been cut up into apartments for rent are the dominant form of housing for students. The neighborhood is relatively diverse and is a short walk to downtown if you’re looking to head out for the night. There are also restaurants and pubs in Old North End but the bigger nightlife and activities are downtown. Young Professionals looking for a more cool vibe will often choose Old North End over Downtown. 
- Old North End


College Students

Old North End

Downtown is the dominant neighborhood for young professionals. Housing is mostly condos and apartment buildings that are sprinkled throughout the commercial district. Bars, clubs, parks, beach access and performing arts are all short walks from anywhere downtown making it the most convenient choice for those who either work downtown or who simply want to be near where they socialize.  
- Downtown
- Old North End


Young Professionals

Downtown

The entire city of Burlington is LGBTQ+ friendly but the neighborhood that pulls together the community the most is the South End post-industrial section. Housing and commercial operations are primarily converted warehouses where artists set up galleries and new condos were built to house the emerging population. Anywhere in Burlington works but South End is the starting point. https://www.gayrealestate.com/news/usa/vermont/burlington/burlington-vermont-lgbtq-city-guide.html
- South End


LGBTQ+

South End

The New North End is a popular neighborhood for families. Nice homes overlooking Lake Champlain are available, some with beach access, and plenty of bike trails and parks to keep the kiddos on their outdoor toes. The Hill is another beautiful neighborhood for families. Big homes, great yards, plenty of outdoor space and the Burlington Country Club for those who like to chase that little ball around the course. Lake views come with a premium and is one of the primary selling points of homes here. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/a-guide-to-burlington-home-buying-by-neighborhood/Content?oid=2539262
- New North End
- Hill


Families

New North End

Burlington

**What is it like to live in Burlington, VT?**

I’ve “lived” in Burlington, VT for 3 years now and it’s mainly because of college. In my first year, I just lived in a dorm on campus and then went home during breaks and the summer.

Last year, I stayed for the summer and it was so enjoyable. It’s expensive to live on your own but it’s more affordable with a roommate or two. It gets really warm sometimes which I don’t enjoy, but otherwise the weather is really nice.

If you’re college-aged or even a bit older, it’s a town with plenty to do and plenty of cool places to explore. I don’t know how it is if you’re older or not into the same things as other people.

Its a town that really makes walking where you need to go easy. You can just make a quick trip downtown to Church Street which is a sort of outdoor mall with tons of shops and cool eateries. My friends and I will just walk downtown on a nice day to do some light shopping and exploring.

**What is it like to live in Burlington, VT?**

Well,

Talking about the cost of living.. it is expensive.

The apartments in Burlington-the city itself are quite old and dated.. and you’d easily spend about $2000 in rent for a small apartment.

If you move a further out.. like in Winooski or Essex.. rent does go down.. about $500 and the apartments are decent.

Living in Burlington has its own perks though. A lot and I mean a lot of places to eat, the lake is nearby. It depends on where in Burlington you live.. but the lake is mostly accessible from anywhere in Burlington.

Parking can sometimes be an issue but there are multiple parking garages and street parking so it isn’t too terrible.

Public transportation is decent, it’s mostly around UVM (University of Vermont) so if you plan to go further out of Burlington you might have to take multiple buses. Uber/Lyft are pretty good here too.

It is very expensive to own a house here because the property taxes are high.

Vermont also ranks high in the state tax.. you’ll be paying about 8.75% in state taxes and about 7–8% in sales taxes.

Salaries aren’t quite high.

We do have an airport, so you have easy access to a lot of places. But it’s a small airport with 8 gates and flight prices are in the higher range too.

You can always drive out to Montreal(2hrs away) or Boston(3–4hrs away) for a good deal on flights.

Summer is beautiful. Lots of hikes and activities in the lake. Lots of swimming and BBQing. It’s awesome!

Hope that helps!

**What are some things I should know before moving to Burlington, VT?**

I was born and raised in Burlington, VT. Within the past year I have moved to a different state. Depending on where you are coming from, it can be a shock to move to the Green Mountain State. While majestic and beautiful from late spring to fall, winter can be a tough season, unless you love winter sports or really don't mind the cold. It is a very expensive state to live in (1 bedroom apartments in the city can run from $1000-studio to $1600 no utilities, no parking, decent size place), fuel is expensive, food is outrageous. The are some quirky laws-you cannot tie your giraffe to a telephone pole. You may leave your house naked, but you cannot leave your house dressed and take your clothes off in public (you will see people occasionally walking around naked). Often the bad and the strange are game changers for people…. The flip side, again beautiful, friendly, eclectic place to grow up. Free music in parks and on the pedestrian walk on Church Street fill the summer air. Festivals galore throughout the state (and it's only 4.5 hours from one end of the state to the other.). Most of the people are friendly, community is very big. If you are friendly, you will get to know your neighbors. Don't judge anyone by the way they dress or look, you may see someone with ragged clothes who is a millionaire. People with multicolor hair, tattoos and piercings could be a lawyer or doctor-people are expressive. In the summer you will see a lot of “homeless” people hanging on Church Street and you will learn you cannot help them all.

I hope this helped (I was only there for 46 years, so my opinion may not mean much!)!

**What's it like to live in Burlington, VT?**

I've lived in Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, and I live in Burlington now. I love it - I make trips up to Montreal when I want museums and botanical gardens, a wider variety of restaurants, etc. But Burlington is not a big city. There are great things to do, and a fair number of things to try. I moved in July and still haven't tried all the restaurants, visited all of the UVM museums, tried all the hiking trails or discovered all of the secret spots. Someone else mentioned the comedy club, I've been meaning to go but haven't made it and will have to wait until after quarantine.

But it's not comparable to living in a major city - you won't find twenty different events to choose from every night, multiple contemporary art galleries opening up new shows, multiple maker-spaces to choose from, or whatever. Expect the same amenities you'd find in a big city, but fewer.

And that's okay! If you're typical college age (late teens or early twenties), it probably won't matter. You'll likely be so involved in classes and campus things that Burlington will work well. If you're late twenties or older and value having all large city amenities nearby, it may be a difficult transition.

Burlington, Vermont

So Quaint It Will Make You Puke

Looklyloo Score: 88