Burlington may feel like a stand-alone micropolitan area now, but as time goes on, the influence of Greensboro and the Triangle will only increase.
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Completing our Triangle Fringe City series with a look at the future of Burlington and Graham. Be sure to check out the introduction, Henderson, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Goldsboro, Smithfield / Selma, Sanford, Pittsboro, and Siler City features if you missed them.
The Burlington metropolitan area contains roughly 175,000 residents located along I-40/85 about 20 miles East of Greensboro, 35 miles West of Durham, and 60 miles Northwest of Raleigh.
While it’s the distance of many typical suburbs from Greensboro, it functions more like it’s own metropolitan area. Of note, it’s actually quicker to ride the train from Downtown Burlington to Downtown Greensboro than drive! Not many places in the South where that can be said.
Burlington’s Downtown covers a sizeable footprint for a city of it’s size, but is a bit decentralized and features ample infill opportunities. While there are a number of shops and restaurants, vacancy rates are also high.
Through the years, the center of activity has shifted from Downtown, to the mall and strip centers, and now even away from the mall and down to Alamance Crossing.
Downtown Graham is more of a typical small-town setup with a center courthouse and a couple blocks of historic brick buildings surrounding it.
Currently, there is a healthy selection of three bedroom properties in the area for under $300,000. Adding infill, will only increase the options.
Looking toward the future
Burlington’s location puts it within reach of both the Triangle and Triad. Easy Amtrak access even puts reaching Charlotte within easy range.
While it does function as a self-sufficient area, suburban style sprawl is closing in from both sides. With the amount of infill potential, Burlington can become a thriving standalone hub.
Phil Veasley is a registered Professional Engineer in NC and GA. Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization. Any ideas displayed on this site are purely that – just ideas to help improve the future of the built environment and begin discussions.
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Phil Veasley 
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