Got kids? Need a safe, affordable place with good jobs and competitive salaries so that you can take care of all of your family? Vermont has you and your family covered!
And lucky for you, HomeSnacks has created the ultimate guide for families to navigate the best places to raise a family in Vermont for 2026. How did we do it? We consulted the US Census on places in The Green Mountain State with more than 2,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 22 family friendly cities.
Vermont is the second least populous state in the country. So, using our top ten most family friendly places in Vermont list should be very helpful for finding the perfect place to live on any budget. There are family friendly places like Burlington, on Lake Champlain, that provide safe neighborhoods and suburban living. There are quaint, affluent places like Winooski that look like they jumped off of a postcard. And places like Hardwick, provide solitude and that good ‘ol New England state livin’.
In all family friendly seriousness, Vermont has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools with focus in STEM and the Arts, and colleges like Middlebury College in Middlebury and the University of Vermont in Burlington have been delivering the next generation to work at major Vermont companies like Ben & Jerry’s and Burton Snowboards.
So, if you’re looking for safe cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good food, and just overall good family friendly fun, take a look below.
$75,069 median income · 17.8% households with kids
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it.
When the area was originally settled there were three villagesRandolph Center, East Randolph and West Randolph–the current locations of the three fire departments. What is now the central village of the current town had previously been the village of West Randolph.
$86,250 median income · 17.4% households with kids
Middlebury is the shire town of Addison County, Vermont, United States. The population was 8,496 at the 2010 census. Middlebury is home to Middlebury College and the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History.
$81,030 median income · 23.4% households with kids
Located in
Washington County, Vermont
Montpelier is the capital city of the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Washington County. As the site of Vermont’s state government, it is the least populous state capital in the United States. The population was 7,855 at the 2010 census. However, the daytime population swells to about 21,000, due to the large number of jobs within city limits. The Vermont College of Fine Arts and New England Culinary Institute are located in the municipality. It was named for Montpellier, France.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$109,583 median income · 33.4% households with kids
Shelburne is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. Located along the shores of Lake Champlain, Shelburne is a suburb of Burlington, the largest city in the state of Vermont. Shelburne’s town center lies approximately 7 miles south of Burlington’s city’s center. The population of Shelburne was 7,144 at the 2010 census.
The main settlement of Shelburne in the center of town is a census-designated place, with a population of 592 at the 2010 census. The town is the wealthiest municipality in both Chittenden County and the Burlington, Vermont metropolitan area.
$76,587 median income · 23.6% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,064 median income · 18.1% households with kids
Bristol is a town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. The town was founded June 26, 1762. The population was 3,894 at the 2010 census. Main Street is home to most of the businesses of the town. The town is also home to the Lord’s Prayer Rock.
$56,086 median income · 24.5% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$51,197 median income · 19.2% households with kids
$66,131 median income · 20.6% households with kids
$52,734 median income · 24.6% households with kids
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont’s eastern border, Brattleboro is located about 10 miles north of the Massachusetts state line, at the confluence of Vermont’s West River and the Connecticut. In 2014, Brattleboro’s population was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 11,765.
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Vermont’s statewide median.
Vermont statewide median: $81,203
Vermont statewide median: $394,038
On the map
Where Vermont’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Vermont anyways?
To give you the places in Vermont that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Vermont, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 2,000 people. For Vermont, that meant a total of 22 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Vermont.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Vermont
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randolph | 2,007 | $75,069 | $344,904 | 17.8% |
| 2 | Middlebury | 7,220 | $86,250 | $451,189 | 17.4% |
| 3 | Montpelier | 8,014 | $81,030 | $414,351 | 23.4% |
| 4 | Shelburne | 6,499 | $109,583 | $689,015 | 33.4% |
| 5 | Vergennes | 2,565 | $76,587 | $357,849 | 23.6% |
| 6 | Bristol | 2,142 | $73,064 | $389,881 | 18.1% |
| 7 | Bellows Falls | 2,891 | $56,086 | $235,015 | 24.5% |
| 8 | Windsor | 2,060 | $51,197 | $285,515 | 19.2% |
| 9 | Fair Haven | 2,537 | $66,131 | $234,349 | 20.6% |
| 10 | Brattleboro | 7,657 | $52,734 | $314,813 | 24.6% |
| 11 | Springfield | 4,237 | $46,760 | $239,335 | 30.0% |
| 12 | Swanton | 2,670 | $66,607 | $340,862 | 29.2% |
| 13 | South Burlington | 20,756 | $106,667 | $481,493 | 24.3% |
| 14 | Bennington | 9,245 | $54,257 | $243,918 | 20.0% |
| 15 | Barre | 8,412 | $65,625 | $300,280 | 14.9% |
| 16 | St. Johnsbury | 5,859 | $53,711 | $217,181 | 31.5% |
| 17 | Rutland | 15,712 | $57,675 | $276,480 | 16.1% |
| 18 | Winooski | 8,293 | $79,522 | $427,517 | 13.7% |
| 19 | Burlington | 44,675 | $71,109 | $506,784 | 15.9% |
| 20 | Milton | 3,555 | $77,550 | $457,022 | 14.6% |
| 21 | Newport | 4,394 | $54,646 | $254,527 | 17.3% |
| 22 | St. Albans | 6,954 | $57,980 | $361,249 | 26.1% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 22 Vermont cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Vermont
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Vermont ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Vermont are Randolph, Middlebury, Montpelier, Shelburne, Vergennes, Bristol, Bellows Falls, Windsor, Fair Haven, and Brattleboro. Not sold on Vermont? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In Vermont FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in Vermont?
Randolph is the best place to raise a family in Vermont for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Middlebury and Montpelier round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in Vermont?
The best Vermont places to raise a family are Randolph, Middlebury, Montpelier, Shelburne, Vergennes, Bristol, Bellows Falls, Windsor, Fair Haven, and Brattleboro. We ranked all 22 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in Vermont is Randolph.
Is Randolph affordable for families?
The median home in Randolph costs $344,904 against a median household income of $75,069. Statewide, the median home runs $394,038, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in Vermont?
St. Albans lands at the bottom of the family ranking for Vermont. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
