As of the census of 2010, there were 301 people, 118 households, and 83 families residing in the town. The population density was. There were 138 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the town was 94.7% White, 1.0% African American, 1.3% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population. There were 118 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couplesliving together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the town was 41.6 years. 26.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 18.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 285 people, 112 households, and 76 families residing in the town. The population density was 93.2 people per square mile. There were 117 housing units at an average density of 38.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 96.14% White, 0.70% Native American, 1.75% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population. There were 112 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $33,333. Males had a median income of $23,929 versus $19,286 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,460. About 7.3% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 12.8% of those 65 or over.
Originally, Burns was a siding with a water tank on the Union Pacific Railroad. The community of Burns was conceived and marketed as a German-Lutheran settlement named New Berlin and initially platted as the Town of Luther in 1907 The original name was given by settlers of German Ancestry in honor of Martin Luther. Burns was the center of the Golden Prairie District promoted by the James R. Carpenter's Federal Land & Securities Co. formed in 1905.
