Cost of living in Vermont
Prices in Vermont are 2.0% below the US average (23rd highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $2,446 in state income tax. State sales tax: 6%.
Price levels in Vermont
| BEA RPP 2024 | Vermont | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.0 | −2.0% |
| Goods | 97.3 | −2.7% |
| Housing (rents) | 86.5 | −13.5% |
| Utilities | 125.8 | +25.8% |
| Other services | 101.6 | +1.6% |
Metros in Vermont
Metros whose principal city is in Vermont. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, VT | 227,803 | 100.9 | $2,165 | $362 (2021) | $723 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Taxes in Vermont (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Vermont income tax | $1,241 | $2,446 | $5,416 | $2,797 |
| Vermont payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,426 | $4,929 | $7,320 | $8,532 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Vermont’s income and payroll taxes cost $2,446 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Vermont
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2021) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $309 | $20,441 | $203 |
| Toddler (2) | $293 | $19,348 | $197 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $302 | $19,952 | $198 |
| School-age (5–12) | $224 | $14,828 | $171 |
DOL has no 2022 childcare prices for Vermont; these are the latest published, from 2021.
Center-based infant care ranges from $258 a week in Caledonia County to $362 in Chittenden County (2021 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2021; median across 14 counties with 2021 data. *52 weeks × 1.2707 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2021 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | $439,200 | $6,617 | 1.51% |
| Franklin County | $306,700 | $4,332 | 1.41% |
| Grand Isle County | $394,100 | $5,195 | 1.32% |
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Vermont
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 24,112 in, 14,653 out (net +9,459).
- Massachusetts4,274 ±1,447
- New York3,565 ±1,311
- Pennsylvania2,434 ±1,052
- New Hampshire1,769 ±662
- New Jersey1,356 ±968
- California1,152 ±790
- Texas1,152 ±891
- Maryland956 ±699
- New York2,668 ±927
- Massachusetts1,734 ±600
- New Hampshire1,592 ±780
- Texas970 ±851
- Florida872 ±476
- Connecticut835 ±566
- Illinois809 ±850
- Pennsylvania744 ±570
Frequently asked questions
Is Vermont expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Vermont’s overall price level at 98.0 in 2024 (US = 100), the 23rd highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 86.5 and goods 97.3.
Does Vermont have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $2,446 in Vermont income tax under 2026 law (3.3% of pay).
What is the sales tax in Vermont?+
The state rate is 6% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.