Vermont · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Essex County, VT

Prices around Essex County, VT run 2% below the U.S. average (BEA, Vermont). The typical household there earns $59,294 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,007 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $40,280 a year.

Essex County, VT at a glance

Median household income

$59,294$4,941 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,007HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)98.0-2% · BEA, Vermont
Electricity24.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential VT
Population5,982Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Essex County, VT?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,007Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$40,280To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,482At 30% of $59,294
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Essex County, VT? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Essex County, VT, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Essex County, VT, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$780$9,360$31,20015.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$919$11,028$36,76018.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,007$12,084$40,28020.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,400$16,800$56,00028.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,640$19,680$65,60033.2%

Rent in Essex County, VT, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Essex County, VT

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,294 a year ($4,941 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,471/moRent ($1,007 2-BR), utilities (~$220/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,482/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$988/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,294 leaves after Vermont taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Vermont tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$59,294
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,294
Net 81%
Fed 8%
VT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$48,270After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,023Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,857Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,935 / yr
Vermont state income tax$1,553 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,536 / yr

Living in Essex County, VT: common questions

What is the median household income in Essex County, VT?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Essex County, VT is $59,294 per year (approximately $4,941 per month).

What is the average rent in Essex County, VT?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $780 for a studio, $919 for one bedroom, $1,007 for two, $1,400 for three and $1,640 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Essex County, VT expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Vermont is 98.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Essex County, VT?

To keep a $1,007 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $40,280 a year, or $3,357 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in Essex County, VT earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Essex County, VT?

On the local median income of $59,294 ($4,941 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,471 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,482 for everything else and $988 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,007 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Essex County, VT?

Homes in Vermont paid 24.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $220. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.