BurlingtonOntario

The town, home to 197,737 people, lies in Ontario. It belongs to the Hamilton metropolitan area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Canmenwalker · CC BY 4.0

Population

197,737

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

44.4

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

64%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

A⁺

#61 of 2,556

Is Burlington a good place to live?

Plenty to like here, at a price. School results are strong (A+). Buying in is costly (C−). The overall grade comes out at A+, #23 of 858 in Ontario. It comes out better than 97% of Canadian towns.

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestA⁺Schools ASafety AHealthWeakestC⁻Cost of living

What makes Burlington stand out

The 3 things Burlington does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Immigrants

Who lives here

26% are immigrants

Where the typical figure for Canadian towns is 6%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

8.2 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $900,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

Schools

Better than 95%

of Canadian towns on schools

Its schools grade: A+.

How Burlington grades

Each subject compares Burlington with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

SchoolsNear the top of the towns comparedA⁺Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentAOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →WalkabilityIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesC⁻Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work beat most townsB⁺Open →Hazard riskBetter than most of the towns comparedB⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

Nearby attractions

Royal Botanical Gardens and 42 more in and around Burlington

Sights in Burlington and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.

All attractions →

GardenRoyal Botanical Gardensin town

Art galleryArt Gallery of Burlingtonin town

Historic ship · Parks CanadaHMCS Haida1.7 km outside town, to the south

MuseumDundurn Castle2 km outside town, to the south

CathedralCathedral Basilica of Christ the King2.8 km outside town, to the south GardenGardenSpencer Smith Parkin town

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · ODCAF · federal and Québec heritage registers · CPCAD

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (5)

Royal Botanical Gardens: Nhl4hamilton | Chit-Chat, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Art Gallery of Burlington: Secondarywaltz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
HMCS Haida: Balcer~commonswiki, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Dundurn Castle: Nhl4hamilton (Rick Cordeiro), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King: Jfvoll, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Burlington.

SchoolsSchools A⁺

6 school boards overlap in Burlington, covering Ontario’s four systems

Within 3 km of Burlington are 68 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools, teaching 40,800 students. Of the 75 with results, 51 sit in the upper two fifths in Ontario. Also worth knowing: over three years, results rose at 44 of its 75 tested schools. The largest is Nelson High School, with 1,330 students.

82schools within 3 kmA⁺Schools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
P. L. Robertson Public School Middle fifth in OntarioLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades JK–8	Elementary · Grades JK–8	1,025	English public
Nelson High School Second fifth in OntarioLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	1,330	English public
École élémentaire Renaissance FrenchTeaches in FrenchElementary · Grades JK–6	Elementary · Grades JK–6	220	French public
Aldershot High School Top fifth in OntarioResults in the top fifth in OntarioSecondary · Grades 9–12	Secondary · Grades 9–12	720	English public

See all 82 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public49

English Catholic27

French public3

French Catholic3

Schools within 3 km	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
School boards	6	4	3

40,800

students at the schools within 3 km, 2024-25

1.3 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageBurlington’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

The boards6 school boards · Halton DSB Every school82 schools within 3 km · 68 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 3 alternative or adult schools Results51 of 75 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in Ontario Language6 of 82 teach in French · 10% of schools in Ontario Questions“What schools are there in Burlington?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2024-25

SafetySafety A

Violent crime weighs less where Burlington is policed than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: a violent severity index of 28

Measured across the Halton Region (Oakville/Burlington) service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

Its police area recorded 3.6 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Ontario’s towns (10.5) and Canadian towns (12). Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 18.3 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed.

31Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202332

202431

202531

2023–2025	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Violent Crime Severity Index	28	76	86
Crime Severity Index	31	56	67
Violent crime	3.6	10.5	12
Property crime per 1,000	18.3	30.5	31.2

non-violent Crime Severity Index

39%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageBurlington’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety31 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Burlington’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Burlington safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

HealthHealth A

Health in Burlington beats 94% of Canadian towns

The three chronic conditions the survey tracks average 15% of adults, below both Ontario’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (17%). Adults here are more upbeat about their health than the province: 54% very good or excellent, against 51% in Ontario. What’s more, a baby born in the region can expect 84.9 years, 86.5 for a girl and 83.2 for a boy (2022/2024). The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of Burlington live 4.8 km from a hospital on average, close to the typical town’s 3.7 km. For health survey and life expectancy, the only official count covers all of the Halton Regional Health Unit, Burlington included.

54%very good or excellent healthAHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Burlington54%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	84.9	82.8	81.5
Chronic conditions (average share)	15%	17%	17%
Very good or excellent health	54%	51%	52%
Smokers	10%	10%	12%

84.9

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

4.8 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

10%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

0.8 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageBurlington’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey54% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care4.8 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 0.8 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 86.5, men 83.2 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

HousingCost of living C⁻

Renting in Burlington costs 18% of household income, less than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns

Area-wide: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, counted over the Hamilton metro area

23% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, above Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. Owners make up 75% of households, in line with Ontario’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%).

$900,000median home value, 2021C⁻Cost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Burlington$900,000

Ontario$695,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Rent as a share of income	18%	22%	20%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	23%	22%	18%

$1,659

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,720

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageBurlington’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,659 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living8.2 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $900,000, against the median household income Owners and renters75% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.

Work & commuteJobs & income B⁺

Household incomes in Burlington are higher than in 93% of Canadian towns

The average trip to work took 27 min, below Ontario’s towns (29 min) and close to Canadian towns (26 min). 89% of commuters drove, in line with Ontario’s towns (88%) and Canadian towns (89%).

9%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van89%

Public transit4%

Walk4%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	27 min	29 min	26 min
Car or van	89%	88%	89%

$110,000

median household income, 2020

37%

worked from home, May 2021

51%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageBurlington’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment11% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work9% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to6,590 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Oakville

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁺

Flood mapping exists for Burlington: 1 on record, latest by Conservation Halton

Seismic risk in Burlington sits near the middle: $0.047 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. In Health Canada’s survey, just 4.1% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical).

Lowwildfire bandB⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Burlington4.1%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	4.1%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.047	$0.043	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageBurlington’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

FloodOne flood study on record WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Earthquakes$0.047 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon4.1% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Climate

Winters are mild in Burlington: January nights hold at −6.3°C, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

July is the wettest month, with 98 mm of rain and snow on average. Snow totals 115 cm over the year, below Ontario’s towns (146 cm) and Canadian towns (141 cm) alike. A normal January brings 32 cm of snow, the most of any month.

25.5°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter1.2°C

Spring10.6°C

Summer24.3°C

Autumn14.9°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Days with frost a year	98	139	159
January night low	−6.3°C	−9.1°C	−13.5°C
Snowfall a year	115 cm	146 cm	141 cm
July afternoon high	25.5°C	26.7°C	25.5°C

115 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

114

days with precipitation a year

Full pageBurlington’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 25.5°C, January lows −6.3°C Rain and snow902 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow115 cm of snow a year Weather station6.9 km to the station · Burlington Piers

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Burlington Piers)

Weather

A normal November in Burlington runs from 3°C to 8°C

Expect about 78 mm of rain and snow over November. November usually brings some 9 cm of snow. July brings the warmest days, 26°C; January the coldest nights, −6°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Burlington.

8°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November8°C

December3°C

January0°C

February1°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	1°C	−5°C	194 mm
Spring	11°C	3°C	231 mm
Summer	24°C	17°C	242 mm
Autumn	15°C	9°C	236 mm

3°C

a normal November night

78 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageBurlington’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Burlington Piers); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

28,250 residents per council seat in Burlington, a higher ratio than 97% of Ontario municipalities

In the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Burlington is shared by 2 ridings (Burlington and Oakville North—Burlington).

Turnout	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Municipal election, 2022	28%	31%	31%

Full pageBurlington’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Member of ParliamentKarina Gould council seats7

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B⁻

More visits per person served than 89% of Ontario’s town libraries: Burlington Public Library counts 5.9

Burlington Public Library has 8 branches for the 195,764 people it serves.

Full pageBurlington’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong1.2 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Who lives here

Older residents shape Burlington: 21% are 65 or over, above Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

First Nations, Métis and Inuit people make up 1.3% of residents, below Ontario’s towns (1.6%) and Canadian towns (2.8%) alike. 16% are under 15, about level with both Ontario’s towns (15%) and Canadian towns (16%).

44.4median age

BurlingtonOntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

21%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree11%

Postsecondary qualification64%

Women and men · all residents

52.1% of Burlington’s residents are women

By the 2021 count the town had 97,485 women and 89,460 men, while Canada has 50.9% women.

Who lives in Burlington
	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	16%	15%	16%
15 to 64	63%	65%	64%
65+	21%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	11%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	64%	56%	56%

Full pageBurlington’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages44.4 median age · 21% are 65 or over Households73,180 households · 2.5 people per household Immigrants26% are immigrants · 21% belong to a visible minority English and French9% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Outdoors

Burlington borders Bronte Creek Provincial Park

Swimmers have 17 beaches within 5 km, Burlington Beach the nearest. For a national park, Rouge National Urban Park is 66 km away. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section and Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section side trails.

2.5%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Burlington2.5%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	2.5%	2.3%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	4	4	4

66 km

to Rouge National Urban Park

At the edge

to Bronte Creek Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

Full pageBurlington’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas27 protected areas within 10 km · Bronte Creek Provincial Park National & provincial parks66 km to a national park · Rouge National Urban Park Footpaths & routes2 named routes · Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

History

Burlington’s 1 historic place is a top designation

14% of its homes were built before 1961, below both Ontario’s towns (22%) and Canadian towns (18%).

1historic place

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings0

Among them

Royal Botanical Gardens 1929

1929

oldest construction date on the record

14%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Burlington	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	14%	22%	18%

Full pageBurlington’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registersOne historic place inside the town Highest designations1 top designation · Royal Botanical Gardens Older homes14% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Burlington have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Burlington

15pages on Burlington

The big questions

SafetyACrime Severity Index 31 Housing & costC⁻Homes 8.2 × income Property pricesSchoolsA⁺82 schools within 3 km HealthALife expectancy 84.9 in its region Work & commuteB⁺58% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors2.5% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 26°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 44.4 HistoryOne place on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from Burlington

108 notable people were born in Burlington.

See all 108 →

Katie DouglasCanadian actress · born 1998

Torri HigginsonCanadian actress · born 1969

Mark OldershawCanadian canoeist · born 1983

Josh AndersonCanadian ice hockey player · born 1994

Mfiondu KabengeleCanadian basketball player · born 1997

Melanie BoothCanadian soccer player · born 1984

Photo credits

Katie Douglas: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Torri Higginson: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mark Oldershaw: Tabercil, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Josh Anderson: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Mfiondu Kabengele: SneakinDeacon from New River Valley, Va, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Melanie Booth: Wilson Dias/ABr, CC BY 3.0

Burlington’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

WaterdownNorth End EastIndustrial Sector A and KeithBeasleyCentralParkview WestBurlington

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Burlington	197,737	—	A⁺	C⁻	A	A
Waterdown	23,858	7.9	B⁺	C⁺	B⁻	B
North End East	4,816	11	C⁻	D⁻	B⁻	B⁺
Industrial Sector A and Keith	3,723	11	D	D	B⁻	B
Beasley	6,338	12	C⁻	D⁻	B⁻	B⁺
Central	3,698	12	C⁻	D⁻	B⁻	B
Parkview West	3,686	12	C⁻	D	B⁻	B

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Burlington

What kind of homes are in Burlington?

Single-detached houses make up 50% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 18% are in high-rise apartments. 25% of households are one person, and the average is 2.5.

Has Burlington grown?

It added people: 183,314 in 2016, 186,948 in 2021, 2% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 197,737.

How old are the people of Burlington?

Its median age is 44.4, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 16% of residents; over-65s, 21%.

About Burlington

Town in Ontario

Statistics Canada treats Burlington as a single census subdivision in Ontario, and TownRatings keeps to that line.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 197,737 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
Census division: Halton
Metro area: Hamilton
Census subdivision: 3524002

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).