Moving from California to Vermont
What Your California Equity Buys in Vermont
A straight comparison of price, space, taxes, and monthly cost, plus a closing cost credit when you buy in Vermont.
Equity comparison
California versus Vermont, side by side
- Median home value
- $725,800
- $332,000
- Median annual property tax
- $5,114
- $4,851
- Median monthly cost, owners with a mortgage
- $2,844
- $1,827
- Median rooms
- 5.0 rooms
- 5.7 rooms
Vermont funds education through a statewide property tax, and homeowners below an income threshold can pay the education portion based on income rather than property value.
These are Census medians for current homeowners, not estimates for a new purchase. California’s figure is held down by Proposition 13 assessments and long-held mortgages, so a new buyer at today’s prices would pay meaningfully more than the California column shows. Both columns measure the same thing, so the comparison holds.
Sources
- Median home value: US Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year 2023, table B25077
- Median annual property tax: US Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year 2023, table B25103 (median real estate taxes paid, owner-occupied units with a mortgage)
- Median monthly cost, owners with a mortgage: US Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year 2023, table B25088 (median selected monthly owner costs, owner-occupied units WITH a mortgage). Reflects what current owners pay, including long-held mortgages; not an estimate of a new buyer's payment.
- Median rooms: US Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year 2023, table B25018 (median rooms, all housing units)
Data as of 2026-09-02.
Why California homeowners choose Vermont
Vermont sells itself on quality of life and mostly delivers, but the financial case is weak and worth stating plainly. Property taxes are high, the income tax is graduated with meaningful rates, and heating oil, propane, and electricity all cost more here than the national average.
The bigger obstacle is supply. Vermont has one of the tightest housing markets in the country, with very little new construction, strict local permitting under Act 250, and a large share of the existing stock tied up in second homes near the ski areas. Buyers regularly search for a year. Rentals as a landing pad are close to nonexistent in Chittenden County.
The mechanism worth knowing about is income sensitivity: Vermont's education property tax can be calculated against household income rather than home value for residents below a threshold, which is why two neighbors in identical houses can owe very different amounts. If you want New England without the supply crisis, compare Maine or New Hampshire, where the tax structure is completely different.
Cost of living versus California
Groceries, healthcare, and energy all price above national averages, partly because of distance from distribution and partly because the population is small and spread out.
Housing is cheaper than coastal California in absolute terms, but the gap narrows once property tax and heating are added to the monthly figure.
- Overall cost index vs California
- About 15% lower
- Effective property tax rate
- Among the highest in the nation
- State income tax
- Graduated, with a high top rate
- Home heating cost
- Well above the national average
Taxes: what actually changes
The income tax is graduated with a top rate that gives a high California earner only modest relief. Vermont taxes a portion of Social Security benefits above income thresholds, which is unusual and matters for retirees.
Property tax includes both a municipal portion and a statewide education portion. The education portion is where the income sensitivity adjustment applies, and filing for it is a required annual step.
Vermont has a state estate tax with an exemption well below the federal level, which catches estates that owe nothing federally.
The housing market
Expect a long search. Listings in Burlington and the surrounding towns often draw multiple offers within days, and the shortage is structural rather than cyclical.
Most homes are old and many are rural. Private wells, septic systems, oil tanks, and wood or pellet heat are all common. A state wastewater permit governs septic capacity and directly limits whether you can add a bedroom later, which is a detail that surprises buyers planning to expand.
Where people land in Vermont
Moving to Burlington
The state's only real city, with the university, a hospital system, and a lakefront downtown.
Moving to South Burlington
Adjacent to the city with newer housing and the most inventory in the region.
Moving to Montpelier
Small state capital with steady government employment and a walkable center.
Moving to Stowe
Ski town economy, second-home pricing, and the highest costs in the state.
Moving to Brattleboro
Southern Vermont arts town with lower prices and easier access to Boston and New York.
Understand what a Vermont move actually costs
We will build your equity report against real town and education tax rates, including income sensitivity where it applies, and introduce you to a vetted local agent. A closing cost credit applies at purchase. Free, with no obligation.
Start your Vermont move
Four short questions. We use them to decide which agent fits your move, and to build your equity report.