Best Counties in Vermont — 2026 Rankings
14 of 14 counties scored across 12 dimensions
14
14 scored
45/100
composite score
59/100
33.9—59
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Vermont
Vermont Trailing Slightly Behind National Average
Vermont holds a composite livability score of 44.6, placing it just below the national median of 50.0. Data from all 14 counties suggests a state with high social standards but significant economic hurdles.
A National Leader in Health and Safety
The state excels in community well-being with a standout Health Score of 88.5 and a resilient Risk Score of 63.6. These numbers indicate that Vermont is one of the safest and healthiest places to live in the country, far exceeding national norms for wellness.
High Taxes and Living Costs Create Barriers
Financial accessibility is the state's primary struggle, marked by a low Tax Score of 7.6 and a Cost Score of 19.0. While residents enjoy a strong Income Score of 71.7, high state taxes and general affordability issues offset much of that earning power.
Grand Isle and Essex Lead the State
Grand Isle County takes the top spot with a score of 59.0, buoyed by a robust 92.2 Income Score. Essex and Addison counties follow with scores of 55.7 and 53.8, respectively, offering the best overall balance of livability in the state.
Best for Health-Conscious Residents Who Value Safety
Vermont is a premier destination for families prioritizing wellness and low environmental risk over bottom-line affordability. Although the high cost of living pulls the composite score down, the state offers an exceptionally high quality of life for those with stable incomes.
All County Rankings in Vermont
Search, sort, and filter all 14 ranked counties
Showing 1–14 of 14 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Isle County | 59 | 18.7 | 7.5 | 92.2 | 77.2 | 91 | 92.7 | 98.1 | 51.8 | 54.5 | 64.4 | 72.5 | |
| 2 | Essex County | 55.7 | 7.4 | 38 | 35.6 | 93.1 | 80.5 | 43.9 | 96.8 | 86 | 49.9 | 66.8 | 48 | |
| 3 | Addison County | 53.8 | 7.3 | 12.2 | 91.1 | 72.4 | 97.4 | 64 | 73.2 | 86 | 49.8 | 57 | 61.6 | |
| 4 | Orange County | 53.3 | 6 | 16.4 | 80.4 | 90.7 | 94 | 48.1 | 73.6 | 41.3 | 50.3 | 49 | 49 | |
| 5 | Lamoille County | 47.7 | 7.8 | 15.3 | 66.1 | 55.1 | 88.1 | 69.5 | 81.8 | 22.6 | 50.3 | 66 | 35.2 | |
| 6 | Franklin County | 44 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 82.6 | 39.6 | 89 | 54.6 | 70.8 | 50 | 51.6 | 54 | 65.2 | |
| 7 | Orleans County | 43 | 7.7 | 31.9 | 58 | 40.6 | 77.8 | 48 | 63.2 | 50.9 | 50.4 | 66.9 | 47 | |
| 8 | Windsor County | 42.5 | 3.5 | 17.9 | 77.7 | 43.3 | 90.5 | 53.8 | 38.4 | 37.9 | 49.8 | 66.7 | 44.8 | |
| 9 | Caledonia County | 41.9 | 4.9 | 31.7 | 57.2 | 32.5 | 82.8 | 51.2 | 69.9 | 34.9 | 49.8 | 67.1 | 46.3 | |
| 10 | Washington County | 41.7 | 4.4 | 15.2 | 83.7 | 38 | 92.2 | 56.3 | 47.8 | 19.4 | 49 | 67.1 | 47.3 | |
| 11 | Chittenden County | 36.9 | 9.2 | 4.6 | 93.6 | 6.2 | 96.4 | 62 | 36.1 | 62.6 | 53.3 | 57.4 | 70.1 | |
| 12 | Rutland County | 36.3 | 4.6 | 25.1 | 53.5 | 13.3 | 83.5 | 56.1 | 49.5 | 27 | 52.3 | 61.8 | 58 | |
| 13 | Windham County | 35 | 4.4 | 18 | 62 | 13.6 | 90.6 | 48.4 | 43.1 | 25 | 51.6 | 61.5 | 16.1 | |
| 14 | Bennington County | 33.9 | 6.9 | 19 | 70.3 | 24.7 | 84.9 | 19.7 | 47.7 | 43.6 | 56 | 67.7 | 58 |
Grand Isle County
Essex County
Addison County
Orange County
Lamoille County
Franklin County
Orleans County
Windsor County
Caledonia County
Washington County
Chittenden County
Rutland County
Windham County
Bennington County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Vermont
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Vermont.
What is the best county in Vermont?
Grand Isle County is the top-ranked county in Vermont with a CountyScore of 59/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Vermont?
Vermont has 14 counties in total. Of those, 14 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Vermont?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Vermont is 45/100. The national average is 50/100, so Vermont counties score 5 points below the national average.
How does Vermont compare to other states?
Vermont's average county score of 45/100 is 5 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Vermont counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Vermont.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.