Burien, Washington
Among the top 8% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 23% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 53% of US places
- top 1% for airport distance
- top 5% for walkability
- bottom 3% for property crime
Burien is a mid-size city in Washington with about 52,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websiteburienwa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
71%31%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in1.0 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$85k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$56kbetter than 18% of US places
Home Value$567k92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 12% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.94%better than 54% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.41%better than 56% of US places
Unemployment4.8%better than 41% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.3 in42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.3 inbetter than 66% of US places
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 33% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 87% of US places
Comfortable Days119 daysbetter than 93% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk83.1better than 21% of US places
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 70% of US places
School Quality86.0better than 79% of US places
Violent Crime1431/100kbetter than 19% of US places
Property Crime4117/100kbetter than 3% of US places
Community
Population51,50597th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.543rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0768th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1220th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)49.0%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.9%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)21.9%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)14.0%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.2%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 39% of US places
Walkability12.9/20better than 95% of US places
Airport Distance2 mibetter than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.4%better than 74% of US places
Amenities Nearby119.60better than 59% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Burien an affordable place to live?
- Burien is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $56k, better than 18% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Burien?
- The median home value in Burien is $567k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Burien?
- Median household income in Burien is $85k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Burien?
- Median gross rent in Burien is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Burien safe?
- Burien is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1431/100k (better than 19%). Property crime is 4117/100k.
- What is the weather like in Burien?
- Burien averages 67°F in July and 43°F in January, with 39.3 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Burien?
- Public-school quality in Burien is above average, scoring better than 79% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Burien?
- The average one-way commute in Burien is 28 min.
Other places in Pierce County
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)