Burlington Township vs Willingboro NJ: Which Town Is Right for You?

Burlington Township is the better choice for buyers who want one of the strongest school districts in Burlington County, newer and larger homes, and a more established, polished suburban feel, while Willingboro is the better fit for buyers who want one of the most affordable single-family housing markets in the county, a quick Route 130 shot at Philadelphia, and a community with deep Levittown roots and an outstanding park system. These two towns sit side by side in Burlington County, New Jersey, separated by little more than a stretch of Route 130, yet they deliver genuinely different lifestyles and price points.

This guide compares Burlington Township and Willingboro across the factors that matter most: home prices, property taxes, schools, the commute to Philadelphia, housing stock, parks, and community feel. By the end, you will have a clear picture of which town fits your situation and your budget.

For a deeper look at each community individually, visit the Burlington Township Community Guide and the Willingboro Community Guide.

Which Town Is More Affordable, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Willingboro is the clear winner on price, and the gap is one of the largest between any two adjacent towns in Burlington County. Recent market data puts typical Burlington Township median home values in the roughly $395,000 to $405,000 range, while Willingboro's median home value lands around $155,000 to $160,000, among the most affordable entry points in the county. In practical terms, the same budget that buys a starter townhome or a modest older home in Burlington Township can often buy a freestanding single-family ranch with a yard in Willingboro.

The housing stock explains part of the difference. Burlington Township skews newer and larger, with colonials and contemporary single-family homes on generous lots plus a meaningful share of townhomes, and neighborhoods like Yorkshire, Stevens, Farnerville, Deacons, and Springside reflect that established, well-kept character. Willingboro is built almost entirely from the mid-century Levittown era: ranches, split-levels, and Cape Cods on comfortable lots, with some homes fully updated and others priced for sweat equity.

Winner depends on your budget: If you want the most house for the least money, Willingboro delivers value that is hard to match anywhere else in the county. If you want a newer, larger home in a more established setting and can afford the premium, Burlington Township is the stronger choice.

How Do Property Taxes Compare, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Both towns carry the property tax burden that is simply a reality across New Jersey, and the effective rates land in a similar range. Willingboro's effective property tax rate is roughly 2.7% of home value, and the average Willingboro residential tax bill was about $6,950 in 2024 according to the New Jersey Treasury. Burlington Township's effective rate runs a bit higher, in the roughly 2.5% to 3% range depending on the source, and because its homes sell for so much more, the dollar bill on a typical Burlington Township home is meaningfully higher.

The practical takeaway: the rate difference is modest, but the price difference is not, so the tax bill on a comparable purchase is larger in Burlington Township. As always, the exact bill on a specific home matters far more than a town-wide average, so ask for the current tax bill on any property you seriously consider.

For a deeper dive, see our Burlington County property tax guide.

Which Has Better Schools, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

This is the biggest trade-off in the comparison, and I want to be straight with you about it. Burlington Township runs a small, well-regarded PreK-12 district of four schools serving roughly 3,700 students: B. Bernice Young Elementary, Fountain Woods Elementary, the Burlington Township Middle School at Springside, and Burlington Township High School on Fountain Avenue. The district carries a B grade on Niche, ranks about #124 in New Jersey and #6 in Burlington County, and maintains a student-teacher ratio around 11 to 1. It is consistently one of the strongest school systems in the county.

Willingboro runs its own PreK-12 district of eight schools serving a similar enrollment, from preschool through Willingboro High School on JFK Way. Testing proficiency in the district runs well below the New Jersey state average, and that is the most significant trade-off families weigh when comparing Willingboro with Burlington Township or towns like Mount Laurel and Moorestown. On the other side of the ledger, Willingboro High School has a genuinely impressive athletics record, including 10 NJSIAA state team titles across its girls' programs, tied for the most in New Jersey.

Winner: Burlington Township on classroom performance, clearly. My honest advice is to spend time at the specific school your child would actually attend in either town, because every family weighs this differently.

For more detail, see our Best School Districts in Burlington County.

Which Has a Better Commute to Philadelphia, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Both towns are car-dependent commuter communities with easy highway access, and neither has PATCO service. Willingboro sits closer to the city in miles, roughly 18 to 20 miles from Center City, with a typical drive of 25 to 33 minutes via Route 130, and it is close to I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike. Burlington Township is a few minutes farther, with a typical 20 to 30 minute drive to Center City, and it also has NJ Transit River LINE light rail access from the nearby Burlington South station.

Winner: a near tie. Willingboro has a slight edge in miles and minutes on Route 130, while Burlington Township adds the River LINE option for riders who would rather not drive.

What Kinds of Homes and Neighborhoods Will You Find?

Burlington Township offers a broad mix: established single-family neighborhoods with colonials and contemporaries on generous lots, newer subdivisions, and townhome communities, with about 76% of homes owner-occupied. The township's neighborhoods, including Yorkshire, Stevens, Farnerville, Deacons, Plaza Park, and Springside, tend to be quiet, well-maintained, and family-oriented. It is also the town where Burlington Coat Factory got its start in 1972.

Willingboro is a planned community built by Levitt & Sons in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the third and final Levittown, officially named Levittown before residents voted to rename the township Willingboro in 1963. Its neighborhoods are still called parks: twelve sections including Deer Park, Millbrook, Pennypacker, Rittenhouse, Garfield, Hawthorne, Country Club Ridge, and Twin Hills, each originally planned with its own elementary school, playground, and community pool. The housing is classic mid-century with a wide spread of conditions and prices, and the curved streets and green spaces were designed to encourage neighborly connection.

Which Town Has Better Parks and Recreation, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Willingboro is the standout on recreation. Its park system is anchored by the 180-acre Millcreek Park, acquired through a Green Acres grant, and includes Kennedy Center Park, community gardens, sports fields, and walking trails woven through the township's neighborhoods. It is one of the most recreation-rich towns in Burlington County.

Burlington Township is no slouch either. The township maintains Green Acres I and II, with tennis and pickleball courts, picnic pavilions, and walking trails, plus the Skimmer complex for youth baseball, softball, and street hockey, and it sits minutes from county parks like Historic Smithville Park, Amico Island Park, and the Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area.

Winner: Willingboro for the sheer scale of its in-town park system, with Burlington Township a close second and a great list of nearby county parks.

Which Town Has a Better Community Feel, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Burlington Township is a family-friendly, sparse-suburban community of about 24,100 residents with a median household income around $104,000. It has a polished, established feel, sits right next to historic Burlington City, and puts the shopping and job centers of Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill a short drive away.

Willingboro is larger, about 31,900 residents at the 2020 Census, with a median household income in the roughly $92,000 to $98,000 range. It is a diverse, welcoming township with a strong sense of community pride and a neighborly, connected atmosphere.

Winner depends on what you want: a quieter, more established, more affluent suburban feel points to Burlington Township; a more diverse, community-driven, recreation-first atmosphere points to Willingboro.

Which Town Is Better for First-Time Buyers and Investors?

Willingboro is one of the most practical first-time buyer markets in Burlington County: entry prices are low enough that a freestanding single-family home is within reach, and the same price points attract investors looking for rental properties with strong cash-flow potential. Burlington Township is a better fit for move-up families and buyers who want a top school district and a more established housing stock, and its higher entry price reflects that.

Which Town Is Right for You, Burlington Township or Willingboro?

Here is my honest advice as someone who has helped families weigh these two neighboring towns:

Choose Burlington Township if: You want one of the strongest school districts in Burlington County, a newer and larger housing stock, a more established and polished suburban feel, and you can afford the premium. You want the River LINE option for commuting and easy access to the shopping and jobs of Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill.

Choose Willingboro if: You want the most affordable single-family housing in the county, a quick Route 130 commute to Philadelphia, a community with deep Levittown roots and an outstanding park system, and you are comfortable weighing the school trade-offs honestly.

Both are welcoming communities, and there is no single correct answer. I would be glad to help you explore both, look at real homes in each, and find the right fit for your family.

For more, explore the Complete Burlington Township Living Guide and the Complete Willingboro Living Guide. For a county-wide view, see the best places to live in Burlington County, and for related reading, the Burlington City vs Burlington Township comparison and the Willingboro pros and cons breakdown.

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