CostIndexUSA

Burlington, VT vs Olympia, WA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableVT
Burlington
100.9
overall index
$2,150/mo rent
WA
Olympia
103.7
overall index
$2,025/mo rent

Burlington is slightly cheaper than Olympia — 2.8% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Burlington, you would need $82,200 in Olympia. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+12.4%
Burlington
103.8
Olympia
116.7
🛒 Groceries+7.9%
Burlington
97.3
Olympia
105
🚗 Transportation2.2%
Burlington
106.7
Olympia
104.4
🏥 Healthcare2.1%
Burlington
96.5
Olympia
94.5
Utilities27.0%
Burlington
125.6
Olympia
91.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Burlington to see what you'd need to earn in Olympia to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Olympia, WA
$82,200
$2,200 more needed in Olympia

Formula: salary × (103.7 ÷ 100.9) = salary × 1.0278. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Burlington, VT

Median Home Price
$459,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,150
Housing Index
103.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.8×

Olympia, WA

Median Home Price
$518,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,025
Housing Index
116.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.3×

Olympia has 12.4% higher housing costs compared to Burlington.

Income & Job Market

Burlington, VT

Median Household Income
$95,500
Per Capita Income
$54,400
Unemployment Rate
1.9%
Population
44,743
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyTourismFinance

Olympia, WA

Median Household Income
$93,200
Per Capita Income
$53,100
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
53,532
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationRetailManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Burlington, VT
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Olympia, WA
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.