Goodwill, Burton MI (former Arbor Drugs), 2010
Burton’s story
195 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,363 in 1880, 29,715 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1899.
- 1831Burton is settled
BurtonMI
Population
29,313
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$157K
+1% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
10,715
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#686 of 697 in MI
Is Burton a good place to live?
Burton grades D− overall, ranked 686th of 697 in Michigan, mostly because of safety and health. It reports more crime per resident than 92% of U.S. towns, including 204 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Residents are less healthy than 85% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. One bright spot: natural-hazard risk is low. Burton’s violent crime rate is 6.9 per 1,000 residents, where Michigan’s towns sit at 1.9 and U.S. towns at 1.6. On civic life, just 76 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns do worse. The biggest place to walk is For-mar Nature Preserve, 365 acres with 10.4 miles of trail.
What makes Burton stand out
Where Burton beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1831
A long history
A history going back 195 years.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Burton6.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD
60% more violent crime than MI
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Burton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Burton is from typical.
SafetyDOpen →HealthHurley Medical Center 4.6 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Jobs & income$60K median household incomeCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.7 of 20; 7% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market15 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.7; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Burton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Burton, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Burton water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Burton’s trash rules yet
SchoolsAtherton Community SchoolsBentley Community Schools2 districts serve Burton; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBurton City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP codes48509, 48529, 48519, 4843948509 32% · 48529 32% · 48519 26% · 48439 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Burton.
Burton has homes that are cheap against local pay, trades workers with Flint and other neighbors and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
SafetyD
Burton’s grade for safety is a D
Reported crimes fell from 1,147 to 770 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Burton is 19.3 per 1,000 residents. Burton reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 92% report less.
8%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Burton6.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Burton19.3
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
8th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
12th
percentile among MI towns
204
violent crimes reported in 2025
566
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC−
Burton’s public schools trail 79% of Michigan districts
Two of its 19 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
21%of MI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burton Glen Charter AcademyLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 709 | D |
| Atherton Jr Sr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 323 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Burton’s grade for health is a D
21% of Burton adults report frequent mental distress. Burton beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19. 37% of Burton adults feel lonely.
15%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Burton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 32% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better13 too close to call19 worse
| What stands out | Burton | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 20.4% | 15.4% |
| More smokers | 19.3% | 14.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.4% | 10.2% |
Hurley Medical Center
4.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
#271for trails in MI
| Burton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.3% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
8.3%
conserved · 1,233 of 14,894 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. For-mar Nature Preserve | 10.4 mi | 365 |
| 2. Kelley Lake Park | 0.1 mi | 39 |
| 3. Davison Roadside Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B−
Burton’s typical home value is about $157K
At 2.5 years of the Flint metro’s $62K median household income, the typical home (about $157K) costs less against local pay than in 86% of Michigan towns; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living.
The typical Burton home is worth about $157,000, up 1% in a year, 41% below the Michigan typical home.
$157KZillow home value
| Burton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 76% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,009 a month | $1,047 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Burton$157K
Michigan$264K
Market temperature
15
days on market
97.6%
sale-to-list price
+1%
value change, 1 year
33
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Burton, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 60 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Burton.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
60
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Burton has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Burton has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall41–60°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Most working residents commute out of Burton
Burton has about as many jobs (10,715) as working residents, but only 866 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 8,014 in 2011 to 10,715.
Most working residents leave Burton for work: only 8% work in town. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Burton. Jobs based in Burton grew to 10,715 in 2021, 2,701 more than in 2011.
8%work in town
| Burton | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 10% | 11% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Burton8%
Flint14%
Flint Township7%
Grand Blanc Township6%
Warren3%
13 mi
median commute distance
10,715
jobs based in Burton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 56% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Nearby attractions
All 74 attractions →Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Burton. Close and well known come first.
35 mi MuseumMarvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
3 mi MuseumSloan Museum
3 mi MuseumFlint Institute of Arts7 mi MuseumCrossroads Village (Michigan)
4 mi MuseumRobert J. Whaley House
37 mi MuseumHolocaust Memorial Center
3 mi MuseumSloan Museum3 mi MuseumFlint Institute of Arts7 mi MuseumCrossroads Village (Michigan)4 mi MuseumRobert J. Whaley House37 mi MuseumHolocaust Memorial CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sloan Museum: Amancour, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Flint Institute of Arts: Blueskiesfalling at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Robert J. Whaley House: kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0 · Holocaust Memorial Center: Dave Parker, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Burton
20pages on Burton
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 79% of MI districts · 19 schoolsSafetyD6.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$157K typical home · up 1% in a yearWork & commuteC$60K median household income · 10,715 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Burton
Mott Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Flint3 mi$6,845 in-state tuitionUniversity of Michigan-FlintUniversity or college · Public · Flint3.9 mi$14,704 in-state tuitionKettering UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Flint4.9 mi$48,470 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Burton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Famous people from Burton
3 notable people were born in Burton.
About Burton
City in Michigan, United States
Burton is a city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States and a suburb of Flint. The population was 29,715 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 29,420 in 2024. making Burton the second largest city in Genesee County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1831
- Area
- 23 sq mi
- Elevation
- 771 ft
- ZIP code
- 48509, 48519, 48529
- Area code
- 810
Burton’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Burton.
Grand Blanc Township next door grades higher for schools (A− to Burton’s C−) and lower for cost of living (C− to B−).
FlintDavison TownshipGenesee TownshipGrand Blanc TownshipFlint TownshipBurton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burton | #686 | D− | B− | D | C− | D |
| Flint | #691 | D− | B+ | D | D− | D− |
| Davison Township | #492 | C+ | C− | B | A− | C+ |
| Genesee Township | #685 | D− | B | D | C | D− |
| Grand Blanc Township | #347 | B | C− | — | A− | B+ |
| Flint Township | #694 | D− | C+ | D− | C | D |
Grand Blanc Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Burton with a neighbor →
Questions about Burton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Burton, MI a good place to live?
Burton grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #686 of 697 in Michigan. It grades D for health, D for safety and C− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Burton, MI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Burton, MI known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Dan Skuta and Mike McFall.