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Franklin County, VT

Rent vs Own in Franklin County, Vermont

Owning the median home in Franklin County works out cheaper than renting: about $2,001/mo against HUD's $2,140/mo for a 2-bedroom. Here is the arithmetic behind that. Owner-occupied homes: 15,449.

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Buying is cheaper in Franklin County

Owning runs about $2,001/mo here, under $2,140/mo to rent a comparable 2-bedroom. That is a $139/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in Franklin County

Primary driver

Buying compares well inside the state

Using the assumptions above, Franklin County ranks 1 of 14 Vermont counties for buy-vs-rent value (rank 1 = the best relative deal for buying). It is the state's most buy-favorable county by this measure.

Decision signal 2

Price and income sit in the middle band

Median household income is $81,313, putting the home-price-to-income ratio at 3.8x. Property taxes consume 5.3% of median income; use those two burdens separately rather than treating the mortgage payment as the whole ownership cost.

Decision signal 3

HUD moved the rent benchmark up

HUD raised its 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Franklin County from $1,936/mo in FY2025 to $2,140/mo in FY2026: it increased by $204/mo (+10.5%). A rising rent benchmark widens the gap in favour of owning over time, because the mortgage share of the ownership cost below is fixed at origination while the rent it is compared against reprices every year.

Decision signal 4

The monthly comparison favours owning

The median home value in Franklin County, Vermont is $306,700 with a median annual property tax of $4,332, an effective rate of 1.41%. At 20% down on a 6.5% 30-year mortgage, the all-in monthly ownership cost comes to $2,001, under the $2,140/mo HUD prices a 2-bedroom rental at. Owning is about $139/mo cheaper before maintenance, HOA fees, or closing costs.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$2,001
Mortgage (P&I) $1,551
Property Tax $361
Insurance (est.) $89
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$2,140
Studio$1,497
1-Bedroom$1,651
2-Bedroom$2,140
3-Bedroom$2,745
4-Bedroom$2,833

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$81,313
$6,776/mo
Home Price / Income
3.8x
Moderate (3-5x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
5.3%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Who actually pays it here

Even with the loan gone, the largest group of owners here still owes $3,000 or more every year. That is a permanent monthly obligation of a few hundred dollars, and it is why "paid off" understates the real cost of holding property in this county.

As across most of the country, six-figure earners between $100,000 and $200,000 account for more of these write-offs than any other group.

Bill bands are Census ACS counts of owner-occupied homes without a mortgage. Income brackets are IRS Statistics of Income county data for tax year 2022, counted over FILERS reporting real-estate taxes on Schedule A, which is a smaller group than homeowners: most filers take the standard deduction.

Nearby Counties

Chittenden County
Home: $439,200 Tax: $6,617/yr
Washington County
Home: $315,000 Tax: $5,498/yr
Rutland County
Home: $229,400 Tax: $4,154/yr
Windsor County
Home: $296,400 Tax: $5,458/yr
Windham County
Home: $279,600 Tax: $5,062/yr
Addison County
Home: $361,200 Tax: $5,690/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Franklin County, Vermont? ▼
Renting comes out ahead in Franklin County under the standard 20%-down, 6.5% assumptions used on this page, by roughly $139 a month. That gap narrows or reverses with a bigger down payment, a lower rate, or a longer time horizon (owning builds equity that renting doesn't), so treat the number as a starting point, not a verdict, and rerun it with your own terms in the calculator above.
What is the average rent in Franklin County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $2,140/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $1,336/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How does Franklin County compare to other Vermont counties for renting vs buying? ▼
Out of 14 Vermont counties ranked here on buy-vs-rent value, Franklin County lands at spot 1, putting it in the more buy-favorable quarter of the state. See the <a href="/states/vermont">Vermont property tax overview</a> for how neighboring counties stack up.
How much house can you afford in Franklin County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $81,313 household here can afford up to $243,939 -- about $62,761 short of this county's $306,700 median home. That gap is typically closed with a larger down payment, dual incomes, or a longer search outside the median price band.
What is the median home price in Franklin County? ▼
$306,700, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 1.41% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.
Is rent going up or down in Franklin County? ▼
HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent figure has risen 10.5% between the FY2025 and FY2026 publications, the two most recent years tracked here.

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Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

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