Moving to Vermont: City Guides, Checklist & Tips
Updated July 2026
Vermont taxes income on a progressive scale that runs from 3.35% up to 8.75%, one of the steeper top rates in the country, with that top bracket starting above roughly $229,550 as of 2026. The state's cost of living runs close to the national average overall — Vermont's BestPlaces index sits just under 101 — but housing costs about 24% above average, and the market varies sharply by region: Burlington's typical home value runs over $500,000, while Rutland, in the state's southwest, sits closer to $230,000. Burlington is also home to the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, the first Air National Guard unit in the country to fly the F-35 Lightning II, receiving its first jets in 2019. This hub collects our city-by-city relocation guides for Vermont, plus the practical steps to become a resident.
Vermont City Guides
Burlington
Vermont's largest city on Lake Champlain, home to the Vermont ANG's 158th Fighter Wing and its F-35s.
Guide coming soonMontpelier
The nation's smallest state capital by population, at a typical home value around $414,000.
Guide coming soonRutland
A former marble-industry hub in Vermont's southwest, with the most affordable housing of the three.
Guide coming soon
Vermont Living and Vacationing Quick Reference
Living here
- State income tax
- Progressive, 3.35% to 8.75% across four brackets, the top rate starting above roughly $229,550 as of 2026
- Sales tax
- 6% statewide; groceries, clothing, and prescription drugs are exempt
- Median home price
- About $400,000 statewide as of 2026 — roughly $506,000 in Burlington, $414,000 in Montpelier, $230,000 in Rutland, per Zillow
- Cost of living
- Close to the national average overall, though estimates vary by source; housing runs about 24% above average
- Driver's license deadline
- 60 days after moving, or before an out-of-state license expires — whichever comes first
- Population
- About 647,000, the second-least populous state after Wyoming
Visiting first
- Main airport
- Burlington International (BTV), on Lake Champlain
- National parks
- None — the draw is the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, not a park system
- Best scouting months
- Late September into early October for foliage; February and March if you need to see the winter you would actually live with
- Winters, honestly
- Snow routinely arrives by November and lingers into April, with the Northeast Kingdom colder and snowier than the Champlain Valley
- Rural reality
- Vermont has no large cities — Burlington, the biggest, holds under 45,000 people — so daily life leans small-town even near the capital
- Getting around
- A car is essential outside Burlington; winter tires and a plan for unplowed back roads are not optional in most towns
How Vermont Got Its Name
Vermont's name looks French — vert mont, "green mountain" — but the state was never a French colony when it was coined. Popular tradition credits explorer Samuel de Champlain, who mapped the region's mountains in 1647, but historians who have traced the actual documents find no French-era record of anyone calling the region "Vermont," "Verd Mont," or any variant. The name appears to trace instead to Dr. Thomas Young, a Revolutionary-era physician and pamphleteer, who proposed it in 1777 as an English coinage built from French words — a deliberate, faintly literary gesture, and one that may have quietly honored Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys. Vermont went on to spend 14 years as an independent republic, printing its own money and granting its own citizenship, before joining the United States in 1791 as the 14th state — the first admitted after the original 13.
How to Become a Vermont Resident
Establishing residency unlocks a Vermont driver's license, vehicle registration, in-state tuition, and resident access to state parks and programs. You establish residency in Vermont by doing any one of the following — you don't need all of them:
- Renting or buying a home in Vermont
- Working for a Vermont employer
- Registering to vote in Vermont
- Operating a business located in Vermont
- Enrolling children in a Vermont primary or secondary school
- Spending more than 183 days of a 12-month period in the state, which triggers tax residency automatically
Vermont Moving Checklist
- Transfer your driver's license — deadline in the quick reference above
- Register your vehicle within 60 days of moving, then schedule inspection within 15 days of registering
- Register to vote at your new address
- Set up utilities — many rural areas rely on wood or oil heat, so budget for that before your first winter
- Transfer medical and dental records and find new providers
- File your change of address with USPS
- Review the tax picture: a progressive income tax from 3.35% up to 8.75%
Questions Movers Ask About Vermont
Does Vermont have state income tax?
Yes, and it is progressive across four brackets: 3.35%, 6.60%, 7.60%, and 8.75%, with the top rate applying above roughly $229,550 as of 2026, according to the Vermont Department of Taxes. Vermont also applies its own standard deduction and personal exemption before those brackets apply.
How expensive is it to live in Vermont?
Close to the national average overall, though sources disagree on the exact figure — BestPlaces puts Vermont's cost of living index just under 101, while other estimates run closer to 113. Housing is the clearest outlier, running about 24% above the national average, and it varies widely by city: a typical home in Burlington runs over $500,000, versus about $230,000 in Rutland, as of 2026.
How long do I have to get a Vermont driver's license after moving?
60 days. Vermont requires new residents to obtain a Vermont driver's license within 60 days of moving, or before an out-of-state license expires if that happens sooner. Vehicle registration follows the same 60-day window, with a safety inspection due within 15 days after that.
What military base is in Vermont?
The Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, based in Burlington, became the first Air National Guard unit in the country to fly the F-35 Lightning II, receiving its first two jets in September 2019 after retiring its F-16s earlier that year.
When should I visit Vermont before deciding to move?
Late September into early October shows the state at its most famous — peak fall foliage, starting in the Northeast Kingdom and moving south over about a month. But a February or March visit matters more for a relocation decision: it shows the long, snowy winter and the rural, small-town pace you would live with most of the year, not just the postcard season.
Which Vermont city should I move to?
It depends on what you are optimizing for. Burlington is the largest city and the deepest job market, anchored by the University of Vermont and Lake Champlain, at a typical home value over $500,000. Montpelier, the state capital, is the smallest state capital in the country by population. Rutland, in the southwest, offers the most affordable housing of the three, with a typical home value near $230,000.
Moving to Vermont from Another State?
We compare the two states side by side — taxes, housing, and what changes on day one:
Sources and Data Notes
Residency options, license and vehicle-registration deadlines, and tax rates on this page reflect requirements published by the Vermont DMV and the Vermont Department of Taxes. Cost, housing, and job-market figures draw on the public datasets used across ScoutLocale's city guides, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BestPlaces.net, and Niche.com.
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