Photo: The original uploader was Redjar at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0Measured against area pay, Chittenden costs more to live in than 77% of U.S. towns
Up 3.4% in a year, close to the Vermont typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Rutland, VT micro area ($69K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 1 sale in March 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across the Rutland-area micro earn ($69K, Census 2020–24). Even so, the typical home costs 5.1 years of area income, and 15% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $389Ktypical home, 1% below the Vermont typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,350a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 5.1 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$69K, Rutland-area income
- 20%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 20%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
The short version on homes in Chittenden
Nearly every household owns
94% of Chittenden households own their home, against 73% across Vermont. There are only 27 renter households, so rentals are scarce. Property taxes ↓
A median income goes further next door
At Chittenden’s median income, the calculator’s budget of about $379K falls short here but covers the typical home in Pittsford ($289K), Rutland ($302K) and Brandon ($302K). Can I afford it? ↓
Written from the data on this page. Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index, through September 2026; permits are Census figures through 2025 (2025 partly estimated); incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Chittenden’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Chittenden is more affordable than 23% of U.S. towns. Property tax pulls the grade down most; the share of households paying 30%+ for housing holds it up.
Values have lagged Vermont: the typical Chittenden home is up 7.0% in five years, against 16.9% statewide (Zillow).
Up 7% in five years
Slower than Vermont (16.9%).
Show as a table
| January | Chittenden | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $259,000 | $240,000 |
| 2018 | $273,000 | $252,000 |
| 2019 | $281,000 | $260,000 |
| 2020 | $286,000 | $270,000 |
| 2021 | $314,000 | $297,000 |
| 2022 | $371,000 | $343,000 |
| 2023 | $385,000 | $371,000 |
| 2024 | $407,000 | $392,000 |
| 2025 | $395,000 | $392,000 |
| 2026 | $385,000 | $391,000 |
| September 2026 | $389,000 | $392,000 |
A typical Chittenden home worth $256K in October 2016 is worth about $389K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs 5.1 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Chittenden’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $142K short of a typical Chittenden home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,350 a month here, $1,190 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Chittenden’s typical property tax (1.54% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,350
Renters already here pay a median of $1,125, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Rutland County, VT): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
2 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 2 new homes in Chittenden in 2025, all single-family houses. That's 1.5 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Vermont (4). Over the past 10 years, Chittenden has permitted 11 homes in all.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Chittenden's population fell by 21 even though 14 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 17% of Chittenden's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across Vermont: 1.1 new residents per new home.
Every year as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $518,000 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $518,000 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $778,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $518,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $518,000 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $503,000 |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $405,000 |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $2.6 million |
| 2012 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $20,000 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $380,000 |
| 2008 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $879,000 |
| 2007 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2006 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.9 million |
| 2005 | 16 | 16 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2004 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2002 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $646,000 |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $380,000 |
Chittenden's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
High tax bills, but a low tax rate
The median bill is $5,346 (Vermont: $5,039), because homes cost more. As a share of value it’s 1.54% a year, against 1.59% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Chittenden vs. its neighbors
Of the 6 towns here with a Zillow value, Chittenden has the 4th-lowest. Rutland has no Zillow value, so it is in the table only.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden | C− | $389K | $347K | 1.54% | $1,350 |
| Rochester | B | $342K | $254K | 1.57% | $1,270 |
| Pittsfield | – | $413K | $313K | 1.65% | $1,320 |
| Goshen | – | — | $330K | 1.59% | $1,440 |
| Pittsford | B | $289K | $197K | 1.71% | $1,460 |
| Brandon | C− | $302K | $228K | 1.86% | $1,440 |
| Killington | D− | $496K | $488K | 1.40% | $1,780 |
| Rutland | D | — | $302K | 1.32% | $1,320 |
“—” under Cost: not graded (too little Census data, or under 1,000 residents). “—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures.
Questions about the cost of living in Chittenden
Is Chittenden expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Chittenden costs more than 77% of U.S. towns: a C− for cost of living. The typical home costs 5.1 years of the median household income of the Rutland, VT micro area ($69K).
How much does a house cost in Chittenden?
About $389K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 3.4% in a year. The Vermont typical home is $392K.
What salary do you need to live in Chittenden?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $109,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $2,540 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $54,000.
How much is rent in Chittenden?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,350 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $1,125 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Chittenden?
The median bill is $5,346 a year, 1.54% of the median home value (Vermont: $5,039, 1.59%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Chittenden going up?
Yes: up 3.4% in the past year and 7.0% in five years, against 16.9% across Vermont (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Chittenden buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, March 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.