Population 35,857 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Burien
Household size in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.30 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Burien average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has climbed from 2.33 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Burien are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Seattle area as a whole, where the median age is 38.8. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in seven households in Burien (13.6%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Burien has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Washington cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Burien
Renters in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.8% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.5% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.5% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.6% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Burien than nationally: 43.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. About a third of owners (32.7%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Burien as nationally: 9.2%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Seattle area as a whole (6.6%). Vacancy is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Burien is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Only five of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $985 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,054 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,516 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,968 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$983 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Burien runs $1,968 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area as a whole ($2,193). Rent has climbed $983 a month since 2006–10, up 100%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Burien
Bachelor's degrees in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.3% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Burien as nationally: 34.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Seattle area as a whole (46.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.9 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.8% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.9% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.6% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.7% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Burien never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Burien has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Washington cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Burien
| Period | Burien | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Burien than nationally: unemployment was 6.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Burien compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burien | 2.63 | 40.6 | 13.6% | 43.6% | 9.2% | 1966 | $1,968 | 34.6% | 86.7% | 6.9% |
| Normandy Park | 2.58 | 45.3 | 4.0% | 19.1% | 9.7% | 1962 | $2,218 | 59.3% | 97.7% | 2.7% |
| White Center | 2.60 | 37.5 | 16.1% | 45.0% | 6.7% | 1977 | $1,721 | 32.8% | 85.5% | 4.4% |
| Boulevard Park | 2.93 | 31.1 | 23.0% | 53.2% | 14.7% | 1973 | $1,952 | 21.6% | 77.2% | 5.4% |
| Tukwila | 2.66 | 34.9 | 12.8% | 59.3% | 6.7% | 1982 | $1,958 | 30.4% | 82.4% | 7.7% |
| SeaTac | 2.74 | 37.0 | 11.9% | 52.8% | 7.8% | 1977 | $1,779 | 28.0% | 84.9% | 8.6% |
| Bryn Mawr-Skyway | 2.81 | 40.7 | 14.2% | 42.7% | 8.1% | 1971 | $2,050 | 34.5% | 87.1% | 7.0% |
| Des Moines | 2.88 | 37.8 | 14.0% | 39.9% | 5.5% | 1974 | $1,903 | 29.6% | 87.4% | 7.0% |
| Vashon | 2.37 | 51.8 | 5.3% | 17.3% | 21.6% | 1974 | $1,600 | 50.7% | 97.4% | 6.0% |
| Renton | 2.65 | 38.3 | 11.2% | 45.9% | 6.3% | 1984 | $2,243 | 38.2% | 88.5% | 5.0% |
| Manchester | 2.48 | 44.6 | 1.8% | 11.5% | 11.1% | 1988 | $2,500 | 47.2% | 0.0% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Key West, FL · Cabo Rojo, PR · West Little River, FL · Kinston, NC · Torrington, CT · Gaffney, SC · San Luis, AZ · Elizabeth City, NC · Moca, PR · Port Angeles, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Burien. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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