County housing intelligence
Vermont Housing Market by County
Vermont is not one housing market. Across 14 counties, the median county home value is $288,150 and the median county rent is $1,139/mo. The useful question is not whether Vermont is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$288,150
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$1,139/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
14
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Vermont Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Chittenden County, Grand Isle County, Addison County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Essex County, Orleans County, Caledonia County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Chittenden County, Grand Isle County, Franklin County lead on rent, while Essex County, Orleans County, Caledonia County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Essex County, Orleans County, Caledonia County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Essex County
$172,500
- 2. Orleans County
$223,400
- 3. Caledonia County
$227,900
- 4. Rutland County
$229,400
- 5. Orange County
$271,300
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Essex County
2.9x home-value-to-income
- 2. Orleans County
3.2x home-value-to-income
- 3. Caledonia County
3.3x home-value-to-income
- 4. Orange County
3.3x home-value-to-income
- 5. Rutland County
3.3x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Essex County
$827/mo
- 2. Orleans County
$892/mo
- 3. Caledonia County
$920/mo
- 4. Rutland County
$1,000/mo
- 5. Windham County
$1,056/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Windsor County
26.8% rent burden
- 2. Washington County
26.9% rent burden
- 3. Orleans County
27.6% rent burden
- 4. Addison County
27.8% rent burden
- 5. Grand Isle County
27.8% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Grand Isle County
1.32% effective tax rate
- 2. Franklin County
1.41% effective tax rate
- 3. Chittenden County
1.51% effective tax rate
- 4. Lamoille County
1.57% effective tax rate
- 5. Addison County
1.58% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Essex County
$-105/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Orange County
$-149/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Chittenden County
$-180/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Grand Isle County
$-193/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Rutland County
$-209/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Orange County
$82,232 income, 3.3x value-to-income
- 2. Grand Isle County
$97,396 income, 4.0x value-to-income
- 3. Addison County
$89,639 income, 4.0x value-to-income
- 4. Washington County
$83,449 income, 3.8x value-to-income
- 5. Orleans County
$70,103 income, 3.2x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Essex County $172,500 home value, $59,294 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Renter pressure | Bennington County $1,109/mo rent, 37.80% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Chittenden County $439,200 home value, $96,759 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Vermont County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | $172,500 | $827/mo | $59,294 | 2.9x | 1.76% |
| Orleans County | $223,400 | $892/mo | $70,103 | 3.2x | 1.65% |
| Caledonia County | $227,900 | $920/mo | $69,970 | 3.3x | 1.76% |
| Orange County | $271,300 | $1,173/mo | $82,232 | 3.3x | 1.66% |
| Rutland County | $229,400 | $1,000/mo | $68,616 | 3.3x | 1.81% |
| Bennington County | $279,900 | $1,109/mo | $73,325 | 3.8x | 1.64% |
| Franklin County | $306,700 | $1,180/mo | $81,313 | 3.8x | 1.41% |
| Washington County | $315,000 | $1,163/mo | $83,449 | 3.8x | 1.75% |
| Windsor County | $296,400 | $1,118/mo | $77,594 | 3.8x | 1.84% |
| Windham County | $279,600 | $1,056/mo | $72,217 | 3.9x | 1.81% |
| Addison County | $361,200 | $1,177/mo | $89,639 | 4.0x | 1.58% |
| Grand Isle County | $394,100 | $1,425/mo | $97,396 | 4.0x | 1.32% |
| Lamoille County | $304,700 | $1,160/mo | $74,908 | 4.1x | 1.57% |
| Chittenden County | $439,200 | $1,646/mo | $96,759 | 4.5x | 1.51% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Vermont by county?
What is the typical rent in Vermont by county?
Which Vermont counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.