You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Vermont.
The median household income in Chittenden County, the richest county in Vermont is $89,494, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 14 counties in the Green Mountain State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Vermont For 2024
What is the richest county in Vermont? The richest county in Vermont is Chittenden County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Essex County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Vermont. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Vermont and the cheapest places to live in Vermont.
The Richest Counties In Vermont For 2024
1. Chittenden County
Biggest Place: Burlington
Population: 168,309
Median Income: $89,494 (highest)
Median Home Price: $484,884 (highest)
More on Chittenden County: Data
2. Grand Isle County
Biggest Place: Alburgh
Population: 7,335
Median Income: $86,639 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $466,334 (2nd highest)
More on Grand Isle County: Data
3. Addison County
Biggest Place: Middlebury
Population: 37,434
Median Income: $85,870 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $419,261 (4th highest)
More on Addison County: Data
4. Lamoille County
Biggest Place: Morrisville
Population: 25,977
Median Income: $69,886 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $456,431 (3rd highest)
More on Lamoille County: Data
5. Washington County
Biggest Place: Barre
Population: 59,768
Median Income: $77,278 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $378,545 (6th highest)
More on Washington County: Data
6. Windsor County
Biggest Place: Springfield
Population: 57,832
Median Income: $69,492 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $403,426 (5th highest)
More on Windsor County: Data
7. Franklin County
Biggest Place: St. Albans
Population: 50,101
Median Income: $73,633 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $348,800 (9th highest)
More on Franklin County: Data
8. Orange County
Biggest Place: Randolph
Population: 29,439
Median Income: $74,534 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $322,043 (10th highest)
More on Orange County: Data
9. Bennington County
Biggest Place: Bennington
Population: 37,326
Median Income: $68,558 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $367,950 (8th highest)
More on Bennington County: Data
10. Windham County
Biggest Place: Brattleboro
Population: 45,857
Median Income: $65,473 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $368,628 (7th highest)
More on Windham County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Vermont county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Vermont, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Vermont for each of the criteria from one to 14, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Vermont.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Green Mountain State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Vermont. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Vermont For 2024
Living in Vermont can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Vermont are Chittenden County, Grand Isle County, Addison County, Lamoille County, Washington County, Windsor County, Franklin County, Orange County, Bennington County, and Windham County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Vermont according to the data:
- Essex County
- Caledonia County
- Rutland County
For more Vermont reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Vermont
- Safest Places In Vermont
- Best Counties To Live In Vermont
- Richest Cities In Vermont
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Vermont
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chittenden County | 168,309 | $89,494 | $484,884 |
| 2 | Grand Isle County | 7,335 | $86,639 | $466,334 |
| 3 | Addison County | 37,434 | $85,870 | $419,261 |
| 4 | Lamoille County | 25,977 | $69,886 | $456,431 |
| 5 | Washington County | 59,768 | $77,278 | $378,545 |
| 6 | Windsor County | 57,832 | $69,492 | $403,426 |
| 7 | Franklin County | 50,101 | $73,633 | $348,800 |
| 8 | Orange County | 29,439 | $74,534 | $322,043 |
| 9 | Bennington County | 37,326 | $68,558 | $367,950 |
| 10 | Windham County | 45,857 | $65,473 | $368,628 |
| 11 | Orleans County | 27,459 | $63,981 | $272,548 |
| 12 | Rutland County | 60,585 | $62,641 | $303,086 |
| 13 | Caledonia County | 30,418 | $62,964 | $277,845 |
| 14 | Essex County | 5,976 | $55,247 | $217,096 |