Best overall
Washington County
Overall score 68.8
Economy 79.5 / Affordability 42
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Vermont
Compare counties in Vermont by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 14 Vermont counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Vermont
Put Vermont counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Vermont rankings
Open the full Vermont ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Vermont county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Washington County
Family score 78.3
Schools 92.4 / Safety 99.9
Best value
Orange County
Value score 57.4
Affordability 58.6 / Taxes 8.7
Most affordable
Orange County
Affordability 58.6
Typical home $325,123
Best schools
Chittenden County
Schools 97.7
Safety 54.8 / Economy 83.1
Safest
Washington County
Safety 99.9
Schools 92.4 / Peace 82.4
Low taxes
Lamoille County
Taxes 28.4
Affordability 16.5 / Typical home $493,398
Peace & quiet
Addison County
Peace & Quiet 85.6
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Vermont
View full- 1Washington County
Typical home $390,836
68.8
Overall
- 2Orange County
Typical home $325,123
66.3
Overall
- 3Franklin County
Typical home $366,552
66.2
Overall
- 4Addison County
Typical home $429,581
66.1
Overall
- 5Grand Isle County
Typical home $449,029
65
Overall
Best counties for families in Vermont
View full- 1Washington County
Typical home $390,836
78.3
Family
- 2Windsor County
Typical home $415,906
75.2
Family
- 3Windham County
Typical home $369,559
73.4
Family
- 4Franklin County
Typical home $366,552
73.0
Family
- 5Addison County
Typical home $429,581
72.6
Family
Best value counties in Vermont
View full- 1Orange County
Typical home $325,123
57.4
Value
- 2Franklin County
Typical home $366,552
55.6
Value
- 3Caledonia County
Typical home $294,635
55.3
Value
- 4Orleans County
Typical home $287,959
53.7
Value
- 5Essex County
Typical home $233,281
53.2
Value
Most affordable counties in Vermont
View full- 1Orange County
Typical home $325,123
58.6
Afford.
- 2Essex County
Typical home $233,281
55.1
Afford.
- 3Caledonia County
Typical home $294,635
53.3
Afford.
- 4Orleans County
Typical home $287,959
51.4
Afford.
- 5Franklin County
Typical home $366,552
47.8
Afford.
Best school counties in Vermont
View full- 1Chittenden County
Typical home $511,927
97.7
Schools
- 2Addison County
Typical home $429,581
95.6
Schools
- 3Washington County
Typical home $390,836
92.4
Schools
- 4Windsor County
Typical home $415,906
92.3
Schools
- 5Lamoille County
Typical home $493,398
88.2
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Vermont
View full- 1Lamoille County
Typical home $493,398
28.4
Taxes
- 2Grand Isle County
Typical home $449,029
20.1
Taxes
- 3Franklin County
Typical home $366,552
19
Taxes
- 4Bennington County
Typical home $368,440
15.6
Taxes
- 5Orleans County
Typical home $287,959
14.6
Taxes
Quietest counties in Vermont
View full- 1Addison County
Typical home $429,581
85.6
Quiet
- 2Orange County
Typical home $325,123
83.9
Quiet
- 3Washington County
Typical home $390,836
82.4
Quiet
- 4Caledonia County
Typical home $294,635
82.4
Quiet
- 5Lamoille County
Typical home $493,398
81.7
Quiet
Safest counties in Vermont
View full- 1Washington County
Typical home $390,836
99.9
Safety
- 2Windsor County
Typical home $415,906
99.9
Safety
- 3Rutland County
Typical home $308,205
99.8
Safety
- 4Windham County
Typical home $369,559
99.7
Safety
- 5Caledonia County
Typical home $294,635
99.5
Safety
Popular Vermont county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Vermont
The best county in Vermont depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Vermont
For best overall counties in Vermont, Washington County, Orange County, and Franklin County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Vermont
For families, Washington County, Windsor County, and Windham County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Vermont
For affordability-focused movers, Orange County, Essex County, and Caledonia County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Vermont
For school-first households, Chittenden County, Addison County, and Washington County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Vermont
For lower tax-pressure searches, Lamoille County, Grand Isle County, and Franklin County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Vermont
For quieter-living searches, Addison County, Orange County, and Washington County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Vermont
Compare county scale carefully in Vermont; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Vermont
What is the best county to live in Vermont?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Washington County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Vermont for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Washington County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Vermont?
Orange County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Vermont counties score well for schools or taxes?
Chittenden County currently leads the school-score view, while Lamoille County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Vermont counties
Showing all 14 Vermont counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington County FIPS 50023 | 68.8 | 79.5 | 42 | 92.4 | 99.9 | 7.9 | 82.4 | $390,836 | $83,449 |
| 2 | Orange County FIPS 50017 | 66.3 | 79 | 58.6 | 61.7 | 96.8 | 8.7 | 83.9 | $325,123 | $82,232 |
| 3 | Franklin County FIPS 50011 | 66.2 | 74.5 | 47.8 | 73.9 | 98.9 | 19 | 81.6 | $366,552 | $81,313 |
| 4 | Addison County FIPS 50001 | 66.1 | 82.1 | 41.9 | 95.6 | 70.2 | 11.7 | 85.6 | $429,581 | $89,639 |
| 5 | Grand Isle County FIPS 50013 | 65 | 81.4 | 37.7 | 82 | 89.4 | 20.1 | 67.4 | $449,029 | $97,396 |
| 6 | Caledonia County FIPS 50005 | 64.8 | 73.4 | 53.3 | 65.6 | 99.5 | 9.8 | 82.4 | $294,635 | $69,970 |
| 7 | Windsor County FIPS 50027 | 64.3 | 74.4 | 28.3 | 92.3 | 99.9 | 12.3 | 79.7 | $415,906 | $77,594 |
| 8 | Orleans County FIPS 50019 | 63.7 | 63.7 | 51.4 | 74.1 | 99.1 | 14.6 | 76.1 | $287,959 | $70,103 |
| 9 | Rutland County FIPS 50021 | 62.7 | 69.2 | 45.1 | 70.3 | 99.8 | 10.6 | 80.1 | $308,205 | $68,616 |
| 10 | Windham County FIPS 50025 | 62.6 | 70 | 32.2 | 86.6 | 99.7 | 9.6 | 77 | $369,559 | $72,217 |
| 11 | Lamoille County FIPS 50015 | 61.9 | 74.8 | 16.5 | 88.2 | 96.4 | 28.4 | 81.7 | $493,398 | $74,908 |
| 12 | Chittenden County FIPS 50007 | 60.7 | 83.1 | 28.8 | 97.7 | 54.8 | 13.2 | 73.2 | $511,927 | $96,759 |
| 13 | Bennington County FIPS 50003 | 57.1 | 69.2 | 35.2 | 52.3 | 99.3 | 15.6 | 81.6 | $368,440 | $73,325 |
| 14 | Essex County FIPS 50009 | 56.3 | 54.3 | 55.1 | 45.7 | 97 | 14.5 | 75.5 | $233,281 | $59,294 |