Real Estate Investing in Burlington, North Carolina (27217)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Alamance County • Population: 40,561 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 27217 (Burlington, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (69/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 12.2% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Burlington, NC (27217)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $226,388
Avg Monthly Rent $1,446
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $50,450
% Renters 35.7%

Market Analysis: 27217 Burlington

Investors eyeing 27217 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $226K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

The investment case in 27217 is substantial only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $226K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Meanwhile, 27217 offers a low basis, the region around Burlington has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

A notable renter share of 36% in 27217 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

The 27217 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Burlington:

B+ Great
Buy Confidence Score: 78/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.5× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,446/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: This area shows favorable conditions for homebuyers. Solid fundamentals with reasonable affordability.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Burlington, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
50 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.0%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Burlington, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 27217

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+11.7% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$76,624/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $153,813 $1,180 5.5% +11.7% $76,907
3BR $234,816 $1,460 4.5% +10.7% $78,272
4BR $306,494 $1,730 4.1% +9.8% $76,624

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$242K$207K$172K$137K$103K$68KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,514$1,468$1,421$1,374$1,328$1,281Jan 2025Oct 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 27217 Compare?

Metric 27217 Burlington Burlington, NC North Carolina
Home Value $226,388 $131,635 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 7.2% 6.7% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,446 $1,371 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.0% 4.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 27217? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 36% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 27217 (Burlington, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 27217 (Burlington, NC)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.0%
Fair
5yr Growth
+7.2%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Burlington, NC metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
53%
Days Pending
1/2
50 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $226,388
Monthly Rent $1,446
Price-to-Rent 13.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.7%
Cap Rate 5.0%
5-Year IRR 12.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -3.2% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.0%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
12.2%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 27217

Population: 40,561

💰 Median Household Income
$50,450
This area
$50,450
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
35.7%
This area
35.7%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.4%
This area
4.4%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.0%
This area
15.0%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
36.2 years
This area
36.2 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
12.2%
This area
12.2%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 48.0%
Black/African American 30.9%
Other/Mixed 20.7%
Hispanic/Latino 17.2%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
27.1%
This area
27.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
14.7%
This area
14.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
15.2%
This area
15.2%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 27217

B+ Avg School Grade
8 Schools
14.8:1 Avg Class Size
$15,247 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Alamance Virtual School

📚 04 – 12 High School
👥
234 Students
👨‍🏫
7.8:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
A Very Good

Broadview Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
505 Students
👨‍🏫
13.8:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
A Very Good

R Homer Andrews Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
535 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Eastlawn Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
555 Students
👨‍🏫
16.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Hugh M Cummings High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
813 Students
👨‍🏫
17.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Pleasant Grove Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
282 Students
👨‍🏫
15.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,701 Per Student
C+ Average

Career and Technical Education Center

📚 09 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$15,701 Per Student
C+ Average

Clover Garden

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
950 Students
👨‍🏫
19.1:1 Class Size
💰
$12,070 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

3 Nearby 1,360 Off-Campus Students
C
Alamance Community College
3,739 students · 8.8 mi
C
Beyond Measure Barbering Institute
49 students · 8.8 mi
B
Elon University
7,207 students · 9.0 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,360 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do rentals sit vacant long in Burlington, NC?

Expect elevated vacancy in Burlington, NC. Rents at $1,446/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

Should investors consider Burlington, NC?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Burlington, NC ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $226K and rents of $1,446/mo drive the underlying numbers.

What price range are homes in Burlington, NC?

The median home value in Burlington, NC is roughly $226K. That puts it reasonable relative to the NC statewide average.

How landlord-friendly is Burlington, NC?

Landlord-friendliness in Burlington, NC is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

What type of investing works in Burlington, NC?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Burlington, NC best. The market produces reliable results for that approach at the $226K price point.

You know 27217 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 27217 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 27217 ranks in Burlington, NC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 27217 (Burlington)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 27217 (Burlington, NC).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.