Burien vs South Hill
Burien, Washington versus South Hill, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Burien and South Hill score about the same overall (50 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Burien | South Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $85k | $104k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $567k | $442k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.41% | 7.33% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.3 in | 45.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3 in | 5.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 114 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 83.1 | 36.9 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.0 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1431/100k | 1331/100k |
| Property Crime | 4117/100k | 4481/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 51,505 | 67,835 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 49.0% | 64.6% |
| Black (%) | 7.9% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 21.9% | 12.4% |
| Asian (%) | 14.0% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.2% | 11.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 36 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 2 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.4% | 95.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 119.60 | 67.37 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Burien or South Hill more affordable?
- South Hill has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Burien's $56k and South Hill's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Burien versus $2k in South Hill.
- Is Burien or South Hill safer?
- South Hill has the lower violent crime rate. Burien reports 1431/100k and South Hill reports 1331/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Burien or South Hill?
- The median home value is $567k in Burien and $442k in South Hill, so homes are more affordable in South Hill.