What is the average property tax rate in Vermont?

Statewide, Vermont's effective property-tax rate is 1.592% — the state median real-estate taxes ($5,039) divided by the state median home value ($316,600), from the Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. The national figure is about 0.937%, which puts Vermont at #5 of 51 (1 = highest). Individual counties vary widely; the table above shows every one.

Which Vermont county has the highest property taxes?

By effective rate, Windsor County is highest in Vermont at 1.841% (median bill $5,458), and Grand Isle County is lowest at 1.318% (median bill $5,195). Ranked by dollars paid rather than rate the order changes, because home values differ so much across the state — the table above shows both columns and sorts on either.

What property tax exemptions are available in Vermont?

State law mandates a minimum $10,000 property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans on both the municipal and education grand lists, and cities and towns may vote to increase it up to $40,000 on the municipal grand list. Eligibility requires disability compensation for 50% or higher disability, a VA non-service-connected pension, or permanent medical military retirement pay. Apply by May 1 each year. Eligibility and filing are handled by your county assessor, and the exemption you qualify for changes your bill far more than the county you are in — the rates above are county medians and do not account for any exemption.

How do I appeal a property tax assessment in Vermont?

Appeals begin with a grievance hearing before the town listers. After Result of Grievance notices are mailed, the deadline to appeal to the town's BCA (Board of Civil Authority) is 14 calendar days from the date of mailing, under 32 V.S.A. § 4404. BCA hearings then start 44 to 46 calendar days after the appeal deadline, depending on population. Missing the deadline usually means waiting a full year, so check the date on your own assessment notice rather than relying on a general figure.

When are property taxes due in Vermont?

Payment dates are set locally, not statewide. Towns send out tax bills only once per year but may have annual, semi-annual, or quarterly payment due dates, so installment due dates vary from town to town. Bills are generally mailed 30 days prior to the due date, and owners must contact their town to learn that date. If your taxes are paid through a mortgage escrow account, your servicer pays on this schedule on your behalf.

How is property assessed in Vermont?

Assessments are made by listers, municipal officials unique to Vermont; towns have elected listers, an independently hired assessor, or a combination. Property is appraised at fair market value using the cost, market data, and income approaches. Once fair market value is determined, the assessment is calculated using that value and the town or city's level of assessment. This is why an effective rate computed from market value — as every rate on this page is — will not match the millage rate printed on your bill: the two are applied to different bases.

Vermont property taxes by county

Statewide effective rate 1.592% · national rank #5 of 51 (1 = highest) · 14 county-equivalents · U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Across Vermont, the median owner-occupied home pays $5,039 a year in real-estate taxes on a median home value of $316,600 — an effective property-tax rate of 1.592%. That ranks Vermont #5 of 51 states and the District of Columbia (1 = highest). This page carries all 14 Vermont county-equivalents in the Census data — 14 with a published effective rate — sortable by rate, taxes paid, home value, income, or five-year change. It also sets out how property tax actually works in Vermont: how property is assessed, which exemptions exist and who qualifies, the deadline and body for an appeal, and the payment schedule and penalties — each hand-sourced from official Vermont sources. Figures are U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates.

Statewide figures Vermont · ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Effective tax rate: 1.592%
Median real-estate taxes: $5,039 ± $66
Median home value: $316,600
Median household income: $81,203
National rank: #5 of 51
County-equivalents: 14

How property tax varies across Vermont

Across Vermont's 14 county-equivalents with a published rate, the effective property-tax rate runs from 1.841% in Windsor County down to 1.318% in Grand Isle County — a 1.4× spread inside a single state, which is why a statewide average tells a buyer very little.

The largest median real-estate tax bill in Vermont is $6,617 in Chittenden County, which ranks #12 of 14 by RATE — while the state's highest rate, 1.841%, is in Windsor County, where the median bill is $5,458. Dollars and rate are different questions and rank counties differently.

Measured against the national median effective rate of 0.937%, 14 of Vermont's 14 ranked counties sit above it and 0 below. Vermont as a whole ranks #5 of 51 (1 = highest).

Median home value statewide is $316,600, but within Vermont it ranges from $439,200 in Chittenden County to $172,500 in Essex County — the denominator of the effective rate, and the main reason two counties with similar bills can show very different rates.

Statewide, the median real-estate tax bill equals about 6.2% of median household income. That share is heaviest in Windsor County (7.0%) and lightest in Essex County (5.1%).

Comparing the non-overlapping Census periods 2015–2019 and 2020–2024, median real-estate taxes rose by a statistically significant amount in 14 of Vermont's 14 counties with a comparable trend, fell significantly in 0, and showed no statistically significant change in 0.

Estimate a Vermont property tax bill

A median-based estimate, not a quote, an assessment, or a tax bill — it cannot know your assessed value, exemptions, or special districts. How this is computed.

Every Vermont county

All 14 Vermont county-equivalents in the Census data (14 with a published effective rate). Click a column heading to sort. Counties in bold have a full detail card further down this page — margins of error, nearby counties, and their five-year trend.

Filter counties

Vermont county-equivalents by effective property-tax rate (highest first). Median taxes, home value and income are U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; the five-year change compares the non-overlapping 2015–2019 and 2020–2024 periods.

Windsor County	1.841%	$5,458	$5,806	$4,994	$296,400	$77,594	7.0%	#1	#130	+17.1%
Rutland County	1.811%	$4,154	$4,247	$4,031	$229,400	$68,616	6.0%	#2	#142	+13.4%
Windham County	1.810%	$5,062	$5,085	$5,022	$279,600	$72,217	7.0%	#3	#143	+13.1%
Caledonia County	1.765%	$4,022	$4,205	$3,767	$227,900	$69,970	5.8%	#4	#163	+18.5%
Essex County	1.759%	$3,035	$3,264	$2,855	$172,500	$59,294	5.1%	#5	#165	+24.2%
Washington County	1.745%	$5,498	$5,766	$4,944	$315,000	$83,449	6.6%	#6	#167	+17.3%
Orange County	1.665%	$4,516	$4,617	$4,283	$271,300	$82,232	5.5%	#7	#213	+17.5%
Orleans County	1.653%	$3,692	$3,763	$3,549	$223,400	$70,103	5.3%	#8	#224	+27.9%
Bennington County	1.636%	$4,580	$4,680	$4,435	$279,900	$73,325	6.3%	#9	#235	+19.2%
Addison County	1.575%	$5,690	$5,977	$5,133	$361,200	$89,639	6.3%	#10	#280	+19.1%
Lamoille County	1.570%	$4,785	$4,752	$4,836	$304,700	$74,908	6.4%	#11	#284	+16.5%
Chittenden County	1.507%	$6,617	$6,637	$6,566	$439,200	$96,759	6.8%	#12	#339	+18.2%
Franklin County	1.412%	$4,332	$4,458	$4,023	$306,700	$81,313	5.3%	#13	#455	+16.5%
Grand Isle County	1.318%	$5,195	$4,921	$5,799	$394,100	$97,396	5.3%	#14	#571	+12.5%

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-year estimates — tables B25103 (real-estate taxes), B25077 (home value), B19013 (household income) — and the 2024 Census county gazetteer. Public domain (Title 17 U.S.C. §105).

How property tax works in Vermont

Assessment, exemptions, appeals and payment are set by Vermont law and practice, so they apply to every county in the table above. Each fact is taken from an official government source and linked to it.

How property is assessed: Assessments are made by listers, municipal officials unique to Vermont; towns have elected listers, an independently hired assessor, or a combination. Property is appraised at fair market value using the cost, market data, and income approaches. Once fair market value is determined, the assessment is calculated using that value and the town or city's level of assessment. source →
Exemptions & credits: State law mandates a minimum $10,000 property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans on both the municipal and education grand lists, and cities and towns may vote to increase it up to $40,000 on the municipal grand list. Eligibility requires disability compensation for 50% or higher disability, a VA non-service-connected pension, or permanent medical military retirement pay. Apply by May 1 each year. source →
Appealing an assessment: Appeals begin with a grievance hearing before the town listers. After Result of Grievance notices are mailed, the deadline to appeal to the town's BCA (Board of Civil Authority) is 14 calendar days from the date of mailing, under 32 V.S.A. § 4404. BCA hearings then start 44 to 46 calendar days after the appeal deadline, depending on population. source →
Payment schedule & penalties: Payment dates are set locally, not statewide. Towns send out tax bills only once per year but may have annual, semi-annual, or quarterly payment due dates, so installment due dates vary from town to town. Bills are generally mailed 30 days prior to the due date, and owners must contact their town to learn that date. source →
Why rates vary within the state: Two separate rates combine. The municipal legislative body sets the municipal rate, levied against the municipal grand list and voted on at Town Meeting Day. Separate homestead and nonhomestead education tax rates are set annually by the legislature and levied against the education grand list. Since the 2025-2026 tax year the town CLA is divided by the average statewide CLA before being applied to the school district rate. source →
What makes this state's system distinctive: Because towns do not reappraise every year, a correction factor called the Common Level of Appraisal equalizes education property taxes across towns. The CLA is the primary result of the Equalization Study the Department of Taxes performs annually, comparing the ratio of grand list listed value to sale price for all arm's-length sales over the prior three-year period. source →

Hand-sourced from official government sources — not a substitute for your own assessor's notice, and not legal or tax advice. Where a fact isn't confirmed on an official source, it is left off rather than guessed, which is why some states show fewer rows than others.

Official Vermont tax authority

Property tax in Vermont is assessed and collected locally. For an individual property's assessed value, exemptions, and bill, use the county assessor or appraisal district. For statewide rules and forms:

Vermont Department of Taxes →

This state link is hand-verified. Per-county assessor URLs are not published (no verified nationwide source exists) and are never guessed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average property tax rate in Vermont?: Statewide, Vermont's effective property-tax rate is 1.592% — the state median real-estate taxes ($5,039) divided by the state median home value ($316,600), from the Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. The national figure is about 0.937%, which puts Vermont at #5 of 51 (1 = highest). Individual counties vary widely; the table above shows every one.
Which Vermont county has the highest property taxes?: By effective rate, Windsor County is highest in Vermont at 1.841% (median bill $5,458), and Grand Isle County is lowest at 1.318% (median bill $5,195). Ranked by dollars paid rather than rate the order changes, because home values differ so much across the state — the table above shows both columns and sorts on either.
What property tax exemptions are available in Vermont?: State law mandates a minimum $10,000 property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans on both the municipal and education grand lists, and cities and towns may vote to increase it up to $40,000 on the municipal grand list. Eligibility requires disability compensation for 50% or higher disability, a VA non-service-connected pension, or permanent medical military retirement pay. Apply by May 1 each year. Eligibility and filing are handled by your county assessor, and the exemption you qualify for changes your bill far more than the county you are in — the rates above are county medians and do not account for any exemption.
How do I appeal a property tax assessment in Vermont?: Appeals begin with a grievance hearing before the town listers. After Result of Grievance notices are mailed, the deadline to appeal to the town's BCA (Board of Civil Authority) is 14 calendar days from the date of mailing, under 32 V.S.A. § 4404. BCA hearings then start 44 to 46 calendar days after the appeal deadline, depending on population. Missing the deadline usually means waiting a full year, so check the date on your own assessment notice rather than relying on a general figure.
When are property taxes due in Vermont?: Payment dates are set locally, not statewide. Towns send out tax bills only once per year but may have annual, semi-annual, or quarterly payment due dates, so installment due dates vary from town to town. Bills are generally mailed 30 days prior to the due date, and owners must contact their town to learn that date. If your taxes are paid through a mortgage escrow account, your servicer pays on this schedule on your behalf.
How is property assessed in Vermont?: Assessments are made by listers, municipal officials unique to Vermont; towns have elected listers, an independently hired assessor, or a combination. Property is appraised at fair market value using the cost, market data, and income approaches. Once fair market value is determined, the assessment is calculated using that value and the town or city's level of assessment. This is why an effective rate computed from market value — as every rate on this page is — will not match the millage rate printed on your bill: the two are applied to different bases.

Compare & explore

See the national highest and lowest property-tax rates, or read the methodology behind every figure. The national median effective rate is 0.937%; Vermont's statewide figure is 1.592%.