The average Vermont property tax rate is about 1.51% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $5,039 a year on the typical Vermont home. That makes Vermont property tax one of the higher burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Vermont property tax rate, what the typical bill looks like, how your bill is figured, where the money goes, and — most useful of all — how
to check whether you are overpaying and how to pay less.
Vermont Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 1.51% |
| Median annual bill | $5,039 |
| Median home value | $316,600 |
| Rank among states | #4 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $768 above the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Value is set each year as of April 1, and towns must do a full reappraisal of properties at least once every several years (a statewide minimum reappraisal cycle now applies); between reappraisals the state’s yearly equalization keeps values in line. Check your assessment notice for your town’s current figures. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Vermont Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 1.51% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $5,039 |
| Median home value | $316,600 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #4 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Vermont Guide:
What Is the Vermont Property Tax Rate?
The Vermont property tax rate is not one flat number — it is the combined result of your county, city, township, and school-district rates, applied to your home’s assessed value. Across Vermont, homeowners pay about 1.51% of their home’s value on average, or around $5,039 a year on a typical $316,600 home. That puts Vermont near the top nationally — ranked #4 of 50 states from highest to lowest. Two
homes worth the same amount can still owe very different bills depending on the town and school district, so treat the statewide figure as a starting point, not your exact bill.
If your bill went up, start by reading the appraised value and the homestead/nonhomestead classification on your notice — those two things, along with the school and municipal rates, drive the total. Many homeowners find it worth confirming they’ve filed their Homestead Declaration and checking whether they qualify for the income-based Property Tax Credit or a veteran, senior, or disability exemption. If the appraised value looks wrong, you generally have
the right to grieve it with your listers and, if needed, appeal to the Board of Civil Authority — ask your town for the current steps and dates.
Think your Vermont bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Vermont Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Vermont property tax starts with an assessed value set by Property in Vermont is valued at the town/municipal level by **town listers** (elected local officials) or by a professionally appointed/hired **town assessor** — Vermont does not use county assessors. Each town’s listers or assessor prepare the “grand list” of all property and its appraised value.. Vermont law directs listers to appraise your property at its fair market value —
roughly what it would sell for on the open market — and that figure goes on the town grand list.
Because towns don’t all reappraise in the same year, the state applies an equalization factor called the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) so towns pay a fair share; check the appraised (assessed) value printed on your notice rather than assuming it equals today’s sale price. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Vermont, property is generally reassessed Value is set
each year as of April 1, and towns must do a full reappraisal of properties at least once every several years (a statewide minimum reappraisal cycle now applies); between reappraisals the state’s yearly equalization keeps values in line.
Check your assessment notice for your town’s current figures.. The single most important number to check is your assessed value: if it is higher than what your home would sell for, your bill is too high — and that is exactly what an appeal fixes.
The actual rates in Vermont are set by Vermont splits the rate: the **education (school) portion** is set at the state level by the Commissioner of Taxes and is driven by local school district budgets that voters approve, while the **municipal portion** is set by your town for local services. So both your town and the statewide school-funding system shape your total bill.. That is why your neighbor one town
over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
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Where Your Vermont Property Tax Money Goes
The largest share of Vermont property tax funds public schools through the statewide Education Fund, with property classified as either homestead or nonhomestead. The municipal portion pays for local town services such as roads, police and fire, and general town operations. For most Vermont homeowners, the school-district share is the biggest single piece of the bill, which is why property taxes tend to be highest where schools rely most on
local funding.
One Vermont note: Vermont is unusual in funding schools mainly through a statewide education property tax rather than purely local rates, and it uses the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) to equalize across towns. Homeowners must file an annual Homestead Declaration (Form HS-122) to have their primary home classified as a homestead; there is also an income-based Property Tax Credit that can lower what qualifying homeowners actually pay.
How Vermont Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Vermont bill of $5,039 is $768 above that. Remember that a low rate does not always mean a low bill — a state with cheap rates but expensive homes can still cost you more than Vermont. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Vermont Property Tax
You cannot change the Vermont property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Vermont offers property tax relief that can lower your bill — including homestead classification for your primary residence, an income-based property tax credit, and exemptions for veterans (particularly disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses), seniors, and disabled homeowners. Amounts and eligibility vary, so check whether
you qualify with your town and the Department of Taxes; see the data box above for any figures.
Second, appeal your assessment if your home is valued higher than it would sell for — studies suggest a large share of homes are over-assessed, and appeals often succeed.
Don’t want to appeal your Vermont taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vermont property tax rate?
The average effective Vermont property tax rate is about 1.51% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Vermont home that works out to roughly $5,039 a year. Your own bill depends on your county, city, and school district, plus any exemptions you claim — see the data box above.
Why is my Vermont property tax so high?
Property tax in Vermont is driven mostly by your local rates (especially school levies) and by your home’s assessed value. If your assessment is higher than what your home would actually sell for, you may be overpaying — that is the most common reason a bill is too high, and it is something you can appeal.
How can I lower my Vermont property tax?
Two things help most in Vermont: make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for (homestead, senior, veteran, or disability), and appeal your assessment if your home is over-valued. Both can lower your bill, and both are free to do yourself.
Vermont Property Tax Sources & Data
- Vermont Department of Revenue (property tax): https://tax.vermont.gov/property-owners/understanding-property-taxes/assessment
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Vermont property tax rates and typical bills on this page come from U.S. Census (American Community Survey) data as
published by the Tax Foundation, and were last checked in July 2026. Rates and bills change each year and vary by county
— confirm your own figures with your county assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.