Best Rental Markets in Vermont (2026)
Data updated April 2026 · 6 cities screened
Vermont's median home value is $394,227 with a median rent of $1,319/mo across our 6 investable cities. At 4.0% annual rent-to-price (30th percentile nationally), it's a price-appreciation market more than a cash-flow one — rents are small relative to purchase prices. Landlord-tenant law leans tenant-friendly — factor longer eviction timelines into your worst case.
Top Vermont cities for cash flow
Ranked by annual rent ÷ median home value. Higher means the rent check is bigger relative to what you paid — the first screen for a cash-flowing rental.
| # | City | Median Home Value | Median Rent | Rent / Price | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rutland | $279,492 | $1,550/mo | 6.7% | 15,712 |
| 2 | South Burlington | $483,760 | $2,586/mo | 6.4% | 20,756 |
| 3 | Hartford | $425,202 | $1,902/mo | 5.4% | 10,736 |
| 4 | Colchester | $486,085 | $2,122/mo | 5.2% | 17,648 |
| 5 | Burlington | $510,361 | $2,066/mo | 4.9% | 44,675 |
| 6 | Essex | $480,000 | $1,897/mo | 4.7% | 11,516 |
Most affordable entry points
Lowest median home values — where a first deal or a limited budget goes furthest. Cheap is not automatically good: check rent and condition before assuming a bargain.
| # | City | Median Home Value | Median Rent | Rent / Price | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rutland | $279,492 | $1,550/mo | 6.7% | 15,712 |
| 2 | Hartford | $425,202 | $1,902/mo | 5.4% | 10,736 |
| 3 | Essex | $480,000 | $1,897/mo | 4.7% | 11,516 |
| 4 | South Burlington | $483,760 | $2,586/mo | 6.4% | 20,756 |
| 5 | Colchester | $486,085 | $2,122/mo | 5.2% | 17,648 |
| 6 | Burlington | $510,361 | $2,066/mo | 4.9% | 44,675 |
Vermont fundamentals for landlords
The state-level numbers that shape every deal here — what taxes and law take out of the rent check, and whether demand is growing.
Annual tax as a share of home value (Tax Foundation). Comes straight out of cash flow.
Top marginal state rate (Tax Foundation) — what your rental profit is taxed at in-state.
Composite of rent control, eviction timeline, deposit caps, and notice rules in state statute.
Census ACS. People moving in = housing demand; sustained decline is the risk flag.
BLS, latest month. Tenant quality and vacancy risk track the job market.
Census BPS, latest year. Heavy new supply competes with your unit at renewal time.
FBI Crime Data Explorer. Affects insurance, tenant pool, and appreciation.
FEMA declarations — a proxy for insurance cost and climate exposure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rental market in Vermont for cash flow?
By rent-to-price ratio, Rutland leads Vermont at 6.7% — a median rent of $1,550/mo against a $279,492 median home value (Zillow, April 2026).
Does Vermont pass the 1% rule?
At state medians — $1,319 rent on a $394,227 home — monthly rent is 0.33% of the purchase price, so the median Vermont deal falls short of the 1% screen. Individual cities can still clear it — see the table above.
Is Vermont landlord-friendly?
Vermont scores 25/100 on our landlord-friendliness composite (rent control status, eviction timeline, deposit caps, notice requirements) — less owner-friendly than 90% of states.
How high are property taxes in Vermont?
The effective property tax rate is 1.90% of home value per year (Tax Foundation) — on the median $394,227 home, roughly $7,490 a year off your cash flow.
Compare with similar states
Colorado · Wisconsin · North Dakota · New York · Oregon
About this data: compiled by RehabRange from Zillow Research (ZHVI home values, ZORI rents), U.S. Census Bureau (ACS population and income, Building Permits Survey), Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment), FBI Crime Data Explorer, FEMA, and Tax Foundation. Last updated April 2026.
RehabRange is built by Mitchell Haughton, a practicing eastern-Connecticut real estate investor — the same screens he runs before walking a property. How we rank markets