Housing decision brief
Grand Isle County, VT Housing Market
Grand Isle County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
13th lowest home value out of 14 Vermont counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 14
Median home value
$363,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,436/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,597/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$161/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 98.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Grand Isle County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $363,500 | $266,250 | $281,900 | 37% pressure37% above Vermont county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,436 | $1,092 | $1,163 | 32% pressure32% above Vermont county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,597 | $1,328 | $1,672 | 20% pressure20% above Vermont county median |
Median household income | $90,625 | $73,371 | $74,755 | 24% favorable24% above Vermont county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.36% | 2.00% | 1.02% | 32% favorable32% below Vermont county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$33,185
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,182
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Grand Isle County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,436/month representing approximately 19.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 28.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Grand Isle County is $1,436/month, while owner costs run $1,597/month. Renting saves approximately $161/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $57,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $68,443/year. With a median household income of $90,625, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Grand Isle County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Vermont, Grand Isle County is less affordable than Chittenden County by roughly 10% ($1,436/mo vs $1,590/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County, VT | $404,500 | $1,590/mo | Same-state comparison near $404,500 home value and $1,590/mo rent. |
| Addison County, VT | $333,700 | $1,201/mo | Same-state comparison near $333,700 home value and $1,201/mo rent. |
| Dawson County, GA | $351,900 | $1,425/mo | Out-of-state peer near $351,900 home value and $1,425/mo rent. |
| Hays County, TX | $371,400 | $1,417/mo | Out-of-state peer near $371,400 home value and $1,417/mo rent. |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK | $379,000 | $1,388/mo | Out-of-state peer near $379,000 home value and $1,388/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Grand Isle County
Is Grand Isle County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Grand Isle County?
How much income do you need for housing in Grand Isle County?
What should I double-check before moving to Grand Isle County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.