Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Henderson?

Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Henderson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $57,000 in Henderson.

Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Henderson?

Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Henderson under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Burlington vs Henderson Cost of Living 2026

Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Burlington, VT versus $1,580 in Henderson, NV. Overall, Burlington, VT is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $88,654 in Henderson, NV — about 22% higher in Henderson, NV. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT

Henderson, NV

Rent

Studio

$1,284

$1,442

+12% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,275

$1,437

+13% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,731

$1,694

+2% in Burlington, VT

3 Bedroom

$2,002

$1,982

+1% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$400,200

$465,000

+16% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$68,854

$88,654

+29% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,020

$46,670

+22% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

26.7 yr

42.5 yr

+15.8 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

39.8%

65.6%

+25.8 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

60.5%

36.8%

+23.7 pp in Burlington, VT

Avg Commute

19.2 min

24.7 min

+5.5 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

497.1

271.8

+45% in Burlington, VT

Property Crime

4,408.9

1,725.7

+61% in Burlington, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.0°F

69.4°F

+23.4°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

36.8 in

4.2 in

+32.6 in in Burlington, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Henderson, NV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

24.9

13.6

+45% in Burlington, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.31

$12.09

+40% in Burlington, VT

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Burlington, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

Average prices — Northeast vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / NV)

6.85%

+0.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

8.75%

None

+8.8 pp in VT

Burlington vs Henderson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Henderson?: Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Henderson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $57,000 in Henderson.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Henderson?: Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Henderson under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).