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The Best Places to Buy a Home in Vermont, by What You Want

Updated September 28, 2026 by Tony Walton, Principal Broker, New England Landmark Realty

Quick Answer

The best place to buy in Vermont depends on what you want the home to do. For the lowest prices near jobs and services, look at Central Vermont: Barre City's 2026 single-family median was $299,750 and Montpelier's $477,500. For easy access to Burlington, Colchester ($559,000), Jericho ($582,000), and Burlington itself ($606,500) cost less than Williston or Shelburne. Ski towns range from Fayston ($585,000) to Stowe ($1,285,000), and classic southern villages like Manchester and Dorset sit in the high $600,000s. Vermont's statewide median was $438,280 in August 2026.

Key Takeaways

Two-Sentence Summary

Vermont's prices change more from town to town than almost anything else about buying here: 2026 medians in the towns below ran from about $300,000 to $1.3 million. Decide what matters most (price, commute, skiing, water, or village life), then compare the towns that deliver it.

If You Only Remember 3 Things

1. Central Vermont offers the lowest prices of the towns we track, with medians from about $300,000 to $525,000.
2. Neighboring towns can differ by hundreds of thousands of dollars: Waterbury's median was $573,800, and Waterbury Center's $804,250.
3. Check the tax bill, heating system, and internet service for any specific home. They vary as much as prices do.

Quick Facts

• Vermont median sale price (Aug 2026): $438,280
• Lowest town median below: Barre City, $299,750
• Highest town medians below: Charlotte, $1,300,000; Stowe, $1,285,000
• County medians (single-family, Jan to June 2026): Chittenden $577,000; Lamoille $530,000; Washington $400,000

Vermont Town Prices at a Glance (2026)

Median single-family sale prices, 2026 sales through late September, from MLS data. Click a town for the full market page and current listings.

Small towns have few sales, so one or two high or low sales can move the median. Use the town pages for the ranges behind each number.

Best for Value: Central Vermont

Central Vermont has the lowest prices of the towns we track, and it isn't remote. Barre City ($299,750) and Barre Town ($397,500) sit next to Montpelier ($477,500), the state capital, with its walkable downtown and state government jobs. Middlesex ($353,500) and Duxbury ($465,000) add rural land within a short drive of I-89. See our Montpelier vs. Barre comparison.

Best for Burlington Access

Chittenden County has the most jobs in the state, plus the University of Vermont and its medical center, the airport, and Lake Champlain. Inside the county, prices step up quickly. Colchester ($559,000), Jericho ($582,000), Burlington ($606,500), and Underhill ($625,000) cost less than South Burlington ($712,500), Williston ($786,543), Shelburne ($939,000), and Charlotte ($1,300,000). Jericho and Underhill trade a longer drive for more land and a quieter setting.

Best for Skiing and Mountain Living

• Mad River Valley (Sugarbush and Mad River Glen): Moretown ($430,000), Fayston ($585,000), Waitsfield ($721,250), and Warren. A working valley with year-round residents, farms, and two ski areas. See the Mad River Valley guide.
• Stowe: Stowe ($1,285,000) is Vermont's best-known resort town, with a village, a major ski resort, and year-round visitors. Waterbury ($573,800) and Morristown ($525,000) sit on either side of it for less.
• Southern Vermont: Killington ($1,212,500) and Winhall ($834,500), near Stratton and Bromley.

Planning to rent the home when you're not there? Check the town's short-term rental rules before you count on the income. Some towns, including Stowe, now require a rental license.

Best for Classic Village Life

If you picture a white steeple, a green, and a general store, look at Woodstock ($777,500), Manchester ($682,500), Dorset ($684,000), and Norwich ($1,042,500), across the river from Hanover, New Hampshire, and Dartmouth College. Closer to Burlington, Shelburne and Waterbury offer walkable village centers too.

Best for Lake Living

In 2026, 23 waterfront homes sold in South Hero, Grand Isle, North Hero, and Ferrisburgh at a median of $915,000. North Hero had the most choices and the lowest prices, with a median of $640,000. Colchester, Shelburne, and Charlotte have lake frontage too. See our Lake Champlain waterfront guide.

Best for Land

If you want acreage, look beyond village centers. Rural roads in Central Vermont, the Mad River Valley, Jericho and Underhill, and the Northeast Kingdom offer larger parcels. Before you buy, check road access, soils for septic, and whether the land is enrolled in Vermont's Current Use program. Read our Vermont Land Buying Guide and Current Use guide, or search land listings.

How to Choose Among Vermont Towns

• Price the whole year, not just the house: property tax bills, heating fuel, and snow removal vary by town and by home.
• Drive the commute at the time you'd actually make it, in winter if you can.
• Check internet service at the exact address if you work from home.
• Look up the school district for any address you're considering. Districts often cover several towns.
• Read the flood disclosure for homes near rivers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most affordable places to buy a home in Vermont?

Of the towns we track, Central Vermont has the lowest 2026 single-family medians: Barre City $299,750, Middlesex $353,500, Barre Town $397,500, and Moretown $430,000.

Where should I buy if I work in Burlington?

Colchester ($559,000), Jericho ($582,000), Burlington ($606,500), and Underhill ($625,000) had lower 2026 medians than South Burlington, Williston, Shelburne, or Charlotte.

What are the best Vermont towns for a ski home?

The Mad River Valley (Moretown, Fayston, Waitsfield, Warren), Stowe, Killington, and Winhall near Stratton. 2026 medians ranged from $430,000 in Moretown to $1,285,000 in Stowe.

What is the median home price in Vermont?

The statewide median sale price was $438,280 in August 2026, but town medians ranged from about $300,000 to $1.3 million.

How much does a Lake Champlain waterfront home cost?

Waterfront homes in South Hero, Grand Isle, North Hero, and Ferrisburgh sold at a median of $915,000 in 2026. North Hero was lowest, at a median of $640,000.

What to Do Next

Tell us what you want the home to do, and we'll help you narrow the towns. Call our office at 802-253-4711, reach Tony Walton directly at 802-233-4107, or contact us.

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• Vermont Home Buying Guide
• Living in Vermont
• Vermont Cost of Living Guide
• Vermont Real Estate Market Report

Sources

• Town medians: New England Landmark Realty from MLS single-family sales, 2026 through late September (Lake Champlain: waterfront single-family sales in South Hero, Grand Isle, North Hero, and Ferrisburgh). Each town page lists its exact date range and number of sales.
• Redfin, Vermont Housing Market (August 2026 data)
• Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman, Mid-Year 2026 Market Report (NEREN data): county medians