The Town FilesBurnsville, Minnesota
City in Dakota County · population 64,317 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $355,200
- Household income
- $87,024
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 36.7
Burnsville is a city of 64,317 people in Dakota County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $355,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 94% of Minnesota towns.
How Burnsville ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burnsville is worth $355,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $87,024, which is more affordable than 20% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,513 a month. 64.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burnsville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $355,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,513 | $991 |
| Median household income | $87,024 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Burnsville
| People | Burnsville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Burnsville
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 32.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burnsville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1981 about 3.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 144 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 195 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 8, 1966.
Severe weather in Dakota County since 1996
Dakota County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 6, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4069: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Dakota County
Dakota County had 189,387 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,792 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Burnsville itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Burnsville
16 public schools with 6,405 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnsville High School | 9-12 | 2,100 | 18.9 |
| ECHO PARK LEADERSHIP ENGINEER/TECH | PK-5 | 765 | 12.0 |
| Joseph Nicollet Middle School | 6-8 | 748 | 14.4 |
| WILLIAM BYRNE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 569 | 17.8 |
| SKY OAKS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 459 | 12.8 |
| EDWARD NEILL ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 357 | 13.2 |
| GIDEON POND ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 352 | 13.5 |
| VISTA VIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 330 | 10.6 |
| STEP Academy Kg-5th - Burnsville (charter) | K-5 | 240 | 120.0 |
| EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM & SERVICES | PK-PK | 201 | 13.4 |
| Gateway STEM Academy Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 140 | 20.0 |
| STEP Academy 6-12 - Burnsville (charter) | 6-8 | 70 | — |
Towns near Burnsville
- Apple Valley, MN4.1 mi · 56,374 people · home $370,400
- Savage, MN4.2 mi · 32,465 people · home $432,300
- Bloomington, MN4.8 mi · 89,987 people · home $361,700
- Lakeville, MN6.2 mi · 69,490 people · home $452,500
- Eagan, MN6.7 mi · 68,855 people · home $397,100
- Richfield, MN7.6 mi · 36,994 people · home $344,000
- Prior Lake, MN8.4 mi · 27,617 people · home $450,700
- Farmington, MN9.1 mi · 23,632 people · home $366,200
Burnsville questions
Is Burnsville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burnsville scores better for retirees than 21% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 4%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Burnsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Burnsville is valued at $355,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,024, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,513 a month.
What is the weather like in Burnsville?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.3 inches of precipitation a year and 41.0 inches of snow.
Does Burnsville get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burnsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1981. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)