Are you considering hanging up your skis and settling in the Green Mountain State? We’ve figured out which places in Vermont are the best for retirement.
If the cold doesn’t bother you, Vermont’s a great state to retire in. Whether you’re a life-long Ben and Jerry’s fan who wants to be closer to the source or a maple syrup enthusiast who wants to tap a tree in their backyard, Vermont’s got you covered.
As a bonus, Vermont is the third safest state in the country, so you won’t have to worry about crime in your retirement.
How did we conclude that these are the best places for retirement in Vermont? We looked at cities with a population of at least 2,000. Then we analyzed which places had the least crime, the most to do, a higher median age, and the best weather, all at the lowest price.
Snap on your skis, fill a mason jar with maple syrup, and get ready because we’re visiting the best places in Vermont to retire.
$1,000 median rent · $76,587 median income · #6 cheapest rent in Vermont
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,095 median rent · $75,069 median income · #10 cheapest rent in Vermont
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.
$1,288 median rent · $73,064 median income · #16 cheapest rent in Vermont
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.
$1,002 median rent · $51,197 median income · #7 cheapest rent in Vermont
$1,439 median rent · $109,583 median income · #18 cheapest rent in Vermont
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.
$1,038 median rent · $56,086 median income · #8 cheapest rent in Vermont
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$850 median rent · $54,646 median income · #3 cheapest rent in Vermont
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,302 median rent · $81,030 median income · #17 cheapest rent in Vermont
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
$1,471 median rent · $77,550 median income · #19 cheapest rent in Vermont
$768 median rent · $66,131 median income · #1 cheapest rent in Vermont
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 to retire in Vermont
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Green Mountain State for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in Vermont to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Green Mountain State — 120 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 2,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 22 places from across the state.
For these 22, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 22, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Vergennes, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in Vermont.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In Vermont
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vergennes | 5.90 | 2,565 | $76,587 | $357,849 | $1,000 |
| 2 | Randolph | 6.00 | 2,007 | $75,069 | $344,904 | $1,095 |
| 3 | Bristol | 7.80 | 2,142 | $73,064 | $389,881 | $1,288 |
| 4 | Windsor | 8.60 | 2,060 | $51,197 | $285,515 | $1,002 |
| 5 | Shelburne | 9.00 | 6,499 | $109,583 | $689,015 | $1,439 |
| 6 | Bellows Falls | 9.80 | 2,891 | $56,086 | $235,015 | $1,038 |
| 7 | Newport | 10.10 | 4,394 | $54,646 | $254,527 | $850 |
| 8 | Montpelier | 10.80 | 8,014 | $81,030 | $414,351 | $1,302 |
| 9 | Milton | 10.80 | 3,555 | $77,550 | $457,022 | $1,471 |
| 10 | Fair Haven | 11.30 | 2,537 | $66,131 | $234,349 | $768 |
| 11 | Bennington | 11.80 | 9,245 | $54,257 | $243,918 | $1,115 |
| 12 | Barre | 12.20 | 8,412 | $65,625 | $300,280 | $1,093 |
| 13 | Rutland | 12.30 | 15,712 | $57,675 | $276,480 | $995 |
| 14 | Middlebury | 12.40 | 7,220 | $86,250 | $451,189 | $1,201 |
| 15 | Springfield | 12.40 | 4,237 | $46,760 | $239,335 | $818 |
| 16 | Swanton | 12.40 | 2,670 | $66,607 | $340,862 | $1,238 |
| 17 | St. Johnsbury | 12.90 | 5,859 | $53,711 | $217,181 | $912 |
| 18 | Brattleboro | 13.20 | 7,657 | $52,734 | $314,813 | $1,113 |
| 19 | Winooski | 15.10 | 8,293 | $79,522 | $427,517 | $1,643 |
| 20 | St. Albans | 15.50 | 6,954 | $57,980 | $361,249 | $1,150 |
| 21 | South Burlington | 16.30 | 20,756 | $106,667 | $481,493 | $1,787 |
| 22 | Burlington | 16.40 | 44,675 | $71,109 | $506,784 | $1,649 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 22 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Vermont Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Vermont goes to Vergennes.
The best places to retire in Vermont are Vergennes, Randolph, Bristol, Windsor, Shelburne, Bellows Falls, Newport, Montpelier, Milton, and Fair Haven.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley. Not sold on Vermont? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places To Retire In Vermont FAQs
What is the best place to retire in Vermont?
Vergennes is the best place to retire in Vermont for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Randolph and Bristol are next.
What are the best places to retire in Vermont?
The best places to retire in Vermont are Vergennes, Randolph, Bristol, Windsor, Shelburne, Bellows Falls, Newport, Montpelier, Milton, and Fair Haven. We ranked all 22 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
How do you rank retirement spots?
We score every qualifying Vermont city on rent, crime, things to do, weather, airport access, and median age. The city that balances all six best, Vergennes, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Vergennes?
The median home in Vergennes runs $357,849, against $394,038 across Vermont as a whole. Across the full top ten, the median home costs $351,376.
Which Vermont place came in last for retirees?
Burlington lands at the bottom of the retirement ranking for Vermont. Not ready to retire anyway? Then Burlington might suit you fine.
