Franklin County vs Windsor County
Franklin County, Vermont versus Windsor County, Vermont: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Franklin County and Windsor County score about the same overall (41 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Franklin County | Windsor County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $61k |
| Home Value | $263k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 2.02% |
| Income Tax | 8.60% | 8.60% |
| Sales Tax | 6.36% | 6.36% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.38% | 17.97% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4 in | 42.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.8 in | 71.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 207 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 68 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.2 | 61.6 |
| School Quality | 93.2 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 736/100k | 639/100k |
| Property Crime | 1036/100k | 1083/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,101 | 57,832 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 47.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.13 | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+40 |
| White (%) | 92.8% | 93.2% |
| Black (%) | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 194 mi | 114 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 86.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.60 | 4.15 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
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 Franklin County or Windsor County more affordable?
- Windsor County has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Franklin County's $62k and Windsor County's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Franklin County versus $1k in Windsor County.
- Is Franklin County or Windsor County safer?
- Windsor County has the lower violent crime rate. Franklin County reports 736/100k and Windsor County reports 639/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Franklin County or Windsor County?
- The median home value is $263k in Franklin County and $250k in Windsor County, so homes are more affordable in Windsor County.