Before you decide to relocate to Vermont, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Vermont that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 13 places in Vermont with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Vermont for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Vermont For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Vermont? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Essex Junction is the most expensive place to live in Vermont.
St. Johnsbury (the cheapest place to live in Vermont) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Vermont and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Vermont For 2024
/10
Population: 10,646
Cost Of Living Index: 120
Median Income: $92,589
Average Home Price: $498,949
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.4x
More on Essex Junction: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Essex Junction is 120. The median income in Essex Junction comes in at $92,589 and the average home value is $498,949 for 2024.
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Population: 6,195
Cost Of Living Index: 120
Median Income: $102,213
Average Home Price: $666,121
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.5x
More on Shelburne: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Shelburne is 120. The median income in Shelburne comes in at $102,213 and the average home value is $666,121 for 2024.
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Population: 44,646
Cost Of Living Index: 119
Median Income: $64,931
Average Home Price: $503,909
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.8x
More on Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Burlington is 119. The median income in Burlington comes in at $64,931 and the average home value is $503,909 for 2024.
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Population: 20,241
Cost Of Living Index: 118
Median Income: $90,410
Average Home Price: $462,054
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.1x
More on South Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in South Burlington is 118. The median income in South Burlington comes in at $90,410 and the average home value is $462,054 for 2024.
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Population: 6,913
Cost Of Living Index: 114
Median Income: $76,420
Average Home Price: $431,724
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.6x
More on Middlebury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Middlebury is 114. The median income in Middlebury comes in at $76,420 and the average home value is $431,724 for 2024.
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Population: 8,122
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $69,783
Average Home Price: $399,286
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.7x
More on Winooski: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Winooski is 113. The median income in Winooski comes in at $69,783 and the average home value is $399,286 for 2024.
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Population: 8,030
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $76,143
Average Home Price: $400,336
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.3x
More on Montpelier: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Montpelier is 113. The median income in Montpelier comes in at $76,143 and the average home value is $400,336 for 2024.
/10
Population: 7,543
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $42,776
Average Home Price: $322,734
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.5x
More on Brattleboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Brattleboro is 107. The median income in Brattleboro comes in at $42,776 and the average home value is $322,734 for 2024.
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Population: 6,891
Cost Of Living Index: 104
Median Income: $49,736
Average Home Price: $342,754
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.9x
More on St. Albans: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in St. Albans is 104. The median income in St. Albans comes in at $49,736 and the average home value is $342,754 for 2024.
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Population: 8,753
Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $51,221
Average Home Price: $236,017
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Bennington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bennington is 102. The median income in Bennington comes in at $51,221 and the average home value is $236,017 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Green Mountain State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Vermont are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Vermont to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 13 places in Vermont that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Vermont according to the data is Essex Junction. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Vermont.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Vermont For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Vermont that have the highest cost of living, with Essex Junction ranking as the most expensive city in the Green Mountain State.
The most expensive cities in Vermont are Essex Junction, Shelburne, Burlington, South Burlington, Middlebury, Winooski, Montpelier, Brattleboro, St. Albans, and Bennington.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Vermont according to the data:
- St. Johnsbury
- Barre
- Rutland
For more Vermont reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Vermont
- Cheapest Places To Live In Vermont
- Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Vermont
- Safest Places In Vermont
- Worst Places To Live In Vermont
Most Expensive Cities In Vermont
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essex Junction | 120 | 10,646 | $92,589 | $498,949 | 5.4x |
| 2 | Shelburne | 120 | 6,195 | $102,213 | $666,121 | 6.5x |
| 3 | Burlington | 119 | 44,646 | $64,931 | $503,909 | 7.8x |
| 4 | South Burlington | 118 | 20,241 | $90,410 | $462,054 | 5.1x |
| 5 | Middlebury | 114 | 6,913 | $76,420 | $431,724 | 5.6x |
| 6 | Winooski | 113 | 8,122 | $69,783 | $399,286 | 5.7x |
| 7 | Montpelier | 113 | 8,030 | $76,143 | $400,336 | 5.3x |
| 8 | Brattleboro | 107 | 7,543 | $42,776 | $322,734 | 7.5x |
| 9 | St. Albans | 104 | 6,891 | $49,736 | $342,754 | 6.9x |
| 10 | Bennington | 102 | 8,753 | $51,221 | $236,017 | 4.6x |
| 11 | Rutland | 101 | 15,819 | $53,304 | $245,284 | 4.6x |
| 12 | Barre | 101 | 8,488 | $53,798 | $287,477 | 5.3x |
| 13 | St. Johnsbury | 99 | 5,963 | $48,542 | $226,487 | 4.7x |