Chittenden County vs Franklin County
Chittenden County, Vermont versus Franklin County, Vermont: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Chittenden County edges out Franklin County on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chittenden County | Franklin County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $68k | $62k |
| Home Value | $378k | $263k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.69% | 1.59% |
| Income Tax | 8.63% | 8.60% |
| Sales Tax | 6.36% | 6.36% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.89% | 16.38% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 18°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.4 in | 42.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 92.2 in | 85.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 207 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 63.9 | 29.2 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 93.2 |
| Violent Crime | 587/100k | 736/100k |
| Property Crime | 2930/100k | 1036/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 168,309 | 50,101 |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.13 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+56 | Even |
| White (%) | 87.0% | 92.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.5% | 0.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.5% | 1.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.9% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 10.6/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 174 mi | 194 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.7% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.95 | 0.60 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chittenden County or Franklin County more affordable?
- Franklin County has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Chittenden County's $68k and Franklin County's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Chittenden County versus $1k in Franklin County.
- Is Chittenden County or Franklin County safer?
- Chittenden County has the lower violent crime rate. Chittenden County reports 587/100k and Franklin County reports 736/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chittenden County or Franklin County?
- The median home value is $378k in Chittenden County and $263k in Franklin County, so homes are more affordable in Franklin County.