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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Vermont

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Vermont from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 1 metro areas.

98.0
Statewide RPP
#23
of 51 states by cost
86.5
Rents RPP
1
Metro areas

The verdict

Vermont costs less than 45% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 98.0, 2.0% below the national average.

98.0
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#23
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 55%
nationally, among all states
86.5
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $102,085 when earned in Vermont.

Reading the Vermont Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Vermont's statewide Regional Price Parity at 98.0 for the 2024 data year, 2.0% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 125.8, while rents offer the biggest relief at 86.5. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Vermont captures 1 metro area in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. With a single metro reporting in the BEA series, the statewide figure reflects that urban anchor directly. For goods the state indexes at 97.3, for services 125.8, and for rents 86.5 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Vermont's statewide index has eased by 2.7 points, narrowing the premium versus lower-cost states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $102,085 of national buying power when earned inside Vermont, and a household relocating here would need roughly $97,958 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

98.0
Overall
97.3
Goods
125.8
Services
86.5
Rents

Vermont vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

98 Top 45% higher than 55% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Metro areas in Vermont, ranked by cost

Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
Burlington-South Burlington 100.9 97.3 125.5 103.8

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 100.7
2009 101.4
2010 99.4
2011 99.1
2012 100.0
2013 100.4
2014 97.9
2015 100.0
2016 98.2
2017 100.3
2018 100.2
2019 99.6
2020 102.1
2021 98.7
2022 101.0
2023 97.1
2024 98.0

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Vermont? ▼
Vermont has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.0, meaning it is 2.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.3, services at 125.8, and rents at 86.5.
What salary in Vermont equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $97,958 in Vermont. Conversely, $100K earned in Vermont has the purchasing power of $102,085 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Vermont? ▼
Rents in Vermont are indexed at 86.5, which is 13.5% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Is Vermont getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Vermont's overall cost index changed by -2.7 points (from 100.7 to 98.0). The cost of living has been declining.
What is most expensive in Vermont compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Vermont is services at 125.8, which is 25.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 86.5, 13.5% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.