Known as Foxville throughout the early 19th century, Wisconsin’s city of Burlington officially earned its name in 1839. Nearly 50 years later, the town was incorporated as a village, then became a city in 1900. Now, the city is home to 11,000 residents, major employers like the Aurora Health System and the plastics manufacturer Lavelle Industries and a lively downtown district with dozens of local shops and restaurants. “It’s a growing city with small-town charm and a historic downtown,” says Morgan Volbrecht, social media manager for Experience Burlington. “And it’s close to Chicago, Milwaukee and Lake Geneva.”
Burlington is a small but bustling city mid-way between Chicago and Milwaukee.
Aurora brings hundreds of jobs to the Burlington area.
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Homes available downtown and by the water
The median price for a single-family home in Burlington is $387,450, down 1% from the previous year. Home styles range from ranch-style homes with less than 1,000 square feet to modern lakeside homes with over 3,500 square feet. Smaller homes southwest of Fox River typically sell between $200,000 and $450,000, while larger homes surrounding Browns Lake to the northeast sell from $400,000 to more than $1 million. The city also offers a selection of condos that range in price from $150,000 to $230,000.
Many Burlington homes have boat parking as well as a driveway.
Quaint, ranch-style homes can be found throughout Burlington.
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28 parks and a growing network of trails
The city maintains 28 parks within its boundaries, offering amenities like sports fields, playgrounds, walking trails and an outdoor aquatic center. Seven Waters Trail, White River State Trails and other smaller trails wind along Fox River and run through downtown, connecting trail-goers to green space and city amenities. Plans for further development include new trails around Brown’s Lake and Echo Lake.
Stop for some peace and quite along the 7 Waters Trail in Burlington, WI.
With 28 parks from which to choose, a playground is always close by in Burlington, WI.
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Downtown Burlington hosts local shopping, dining and theater
“We’re lucky enough to have a phenomenal list of local family-owned restaurants,” Volbrecht says. “We have two breweries, a wine bar and some pretty awesome ice cream spots.” Some of the city’s most popular local restaurants line North Pine Street, making downtown Burlington a hotbed of commercial activity. Along with local restaurants, downtown Burlington is home to locally-owned small businesses ranging from tabletop game stores and an indoor RC car race track to boutique clothing and shoe repair shops. Home to the theatre group The Haylofters, the Malt House Theatre offers live theater performances.
Some say Fred's in Burlington serves the best burgers in all of Wisconsin.
Hobbyists in Burlington can build and race RC cars at The Track.
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Interstate access to Milwaukee and Chicago
Burlington sits 36 miles south of downtown Milwaukee via Interstate 43 and 79 miles north of downtown Chicago via Interstate 41. The city has no public transportation offering but does maintain a network of sidewalks, giving residents space to get around on foot. The Burlington Municipal Airport sits northwest of downtown, but the airport does not have scheduled airline service. For commercial air travel, residents will have to head to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport or Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Residents don’t have to travel far for medical care, however. The Aurora Medical Center in Burlington serves as the city’s primary network for health care and emergency services.
Burlington Area School District
Students are served by the Burlington Area School District, which hosts three elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school and one high school. The district is home to 2,922 students, maintains a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and earns an overall grade of B-plus on Niche.
Burlington High School has a student to teacher ratio of 15 to 1 in Burlington, Wisconsin.
Nettie E. Karcher School serves about 600 students in Burlington, Wisconsin.
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Some risks to consider
The 2023 violent crime rate in Burlington was 27 per 100,000, lower than the U.S. national rate of 120 per 100,000. At that time, Burlington’s property crime rate was 45 per 100,000, compared to a national rate of 180. Other risks to property include flood, fire and wind-related damage. Within the next 30 years, 20% of properties in Burlington are expected to be impacted by flooding, with roads at the highest risk. Flooding risks to residential and other properties are minimal. Homes are at moderate risk of damage from wildfires, with 99% of the city’s properties expected to be impacted by wildfires in the next 30 years. Risks from wind-related damages are minimal. The city sees moderate weather patterns, with the warmest months being June through September. The snowiest month of the year is typically December, which brings an average of 5.3 inches per year.
Investing in downtown Burlington and more housing
The Burlington Vision 2040 Plan identifies the downtown district and housing as the city’s primary investment focus in the next couple of decades. Because downtown Burlington is an epicenter of activity and commerce, city officials plan to build out the area and add community spaces and more local restaurants and shops. In terms of housing, the 2040 plan forecasts that the city will have roughly 5,700 homes within 20 years, up from the current number of 4,600 homes.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
