Does Vermont have a state income tax?

Yes — a graduated rate from 3.35% up to 8.75%, with the top rate applying to income above $249,700 for single filers ($304,000 married filing jointly).

Do movers need a special license for in-state moves in Vermont?

No dedicated Vermont state license for intrastate-only household-goods movers turned up in this research — the state's Public Utility Commission and Agency of Transportation don't appear to regulate movers the way some states' commerce commissions do. Movers handling interstate moves into or out of Vermont still need federal FMCSA (USDOT/MC) authority regardless. Confirm directly with a mover before assuming no state paperwork applies.

When is moving season busiest in Vermont?

Summer is the general peak, as in most states, but Vermont has a real added constraint on the early end: "mud season" (roughly March-April) turns many of the state's dirt and back roads muddy and difficult for heavy trucks, pushing the practical start of moving season later than in flatter, more paved states.

Why is Vermont's population growing if it's the 2nd-least-populous state?

Vermont posted net domestic in-migration of about 9,100 people in 2024 (24,500 moving in against 15,400 moving out) — a continuation, at a more modest pace, of the trend that made Vermont a widely covered pandemic-era relocation destination, with people drawn more by quality of life and remote-work flexibility than by jobs or low costs.

Is Vermont still paying people to move there?

Not directly. Vermont ran a state-funded Remote Worker Grant Program (up to $10,000 per qualifying worker) that closed out its funding in 2019-2020. The state's current relocation-marketing site, ThinkVermont, offers a free "concierge"-style connection service to prospective residents rather than a cash grant.

Why is housing so expensive in a state this rural?

Vermont's overall price level is close to the national average, but housing specifically runs high: the statewide typical home value is around $400,000 (Zillow) and a 2-bedroom rental in the Burlington area has a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,140/month for FY2026 — both notably elevated for the least-urbanized state in the country, reflecting a housing supply that hasn't kept pace with demand.

How much does it cost to move within Vermont, like Burlington to Rutland or Burlington to Montpelier?

There's no Vermont-specific corridor pricing published yet — use the local-move rows in the cost table above as a starting range, or the [moving cost calculator](/moving-calculator) for a number based on your actual home size and distance.

Does Vermont really have no large cities?

Correct — Burlington, the state's biggest city, has just 44,019 residents. Vermont is the most rural state in the country by 2020 Census measures, with only 35.1% of its population classified as urban versus 64.9% rural, more than any other state.

Where are people moving to Vermont from, and where are Vermonters leaving to?

Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania are the top sources of new Vermont residents; New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are the top destinations for people leaving Vermont — mostly an exchange with neighboring Northeastern states rather than long-distance Sun Belt moves.

How long do I have to register my car and get a Vermont driver's license after moving here?

Both have the same window: 60 days from establishing residency (or before your out-of-state license/registration expires, if that's sooner). A safety inspection is then required within 15 days of registering your vehicle.

Moving to Vermont: Costs, Routes & What to Know

Last reviewed 2026-08-25 · Next review due 2026-09-25

A typical 3-bedroom move in or out of Vermont runs $1,400-$2,450 locally or $4,200-$6,720 long-distance (national planning ranges). Vermont is the nation's 2nd-least-populous state and its most rural (only 35.1% of residents live in urban areas) — yet it posted net domestic in-migration of about 9,100 people in 2024, and its housing market is tight enough that a 2-bedroom in the Burlington area now rents for more than the national median.

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Vermont at a glance

Vermont is the 2nd-least-populous U.S. state at 644,663 residents, trailing only Wyoming, and the country's most rural — just 35.1% of Vermonters live in urban areas per the 2020 Census, versus 64.9% in rural areas, more than any other state. There is no large city: Burlington, the state's biggest, has just 44,019 residents, followed by South Burlington (21,394) and Rutland (15,363); the Burlington-South Burlington metro area totals roughly 229,400 people, the 209th-largest metro in the U.S. Vermont levies a graduated state income tax with rates from 3.35% to 8.75%. Its draw is largely quality-of-life and remote-work flexibility rather than jobs or low taxes — the state became a well-publicized pandemic-era relocation destination and continues to post modest net in-migration from denser, pricier neighbors, even as its own housing supply struggles to keep pace.

Population: 644,663; July 1, 2025
State income tax: Yes
Major metros: Burlington (44,019), South Burlington (21,394), Rutland (15,363), Montpelier — state capital (7,823) — 2025 Census QuickFacts (V2025); Burlington-South Burlington MSA totals ~229,400 (2024). [USAFacts — Burlington, VT metro area population](https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-live-in-the-us/metro-area/burlington-vt/)

graduated individual income tax, 3.35% to 8.75% across four brackets (top rate applies above $249,700 single / $304,000 married filing jointly for 2026). Tax Foundation — State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2026

Who is moving in and out

Vermont posted net domestic in-migration of about 9,100 people in 2024 — roughly 24,500 moving in against 15,400 moving out — ranking it 18th among states for net domestic migration and equal to about 3.8% of its total population arriving from elsewhere that year. This continues, at a more modest pace, the trend that made Vermont a nationally covered pandemic-era relocation story: the state ran an official cash relocation-incentive program (the Remote Worker Grant Program, up to $10,000 per worker) that closed out its funding in 2019-2020, and the state's relocation-marketing arm, ThinkVermont, has since shifted to a lower-cost "concierge"-style connection service rather than a cash grant. Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania are the top sources of people moving into Vermont; New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are the top destinations for Vermonters leaving — a pattern of exchange mostly with other Northeastern states rather than the Sun Belt.

Inbound: 24,500
Outbound: 15,400
Net domestic: +9,100

Top origin states

Massachusetts (4,300)
New York (3,600)
Pennsylvania (2,400)

Top destination states

New York (2,700)
Massachusetts (1,700)
New Hampshire (1,600)

Data year: 2024 ACS state-to-state migration flows

figures come from a single secondary aggregator (USAFacts, citing Census ACS state-to-state flow tables), not independently cross-verified against the raw Census table. A separate, more recent Census Population Estimates Program net-domestic-migration figure for the year through July 2025 was not located in this research pass — the 2024 ACS figure above is the most current available and should not be assumed to match a separate vintage. Importantly, this 2024 figure (+9,100) is presented as the current data point on its own terms — it is not a restatement or extrapolation of Vermont's more heavily publicized pandemic-era (2020-2021) migration bump, whose exact contemporaneous net figure was not independently re-verified in this pass.

Typical moving costs

These figures are national industry planning ranges scaled by home size, not Vermont-specific pricing — state-level moving cost data isn't reliably published at this granularity. They use the same national $/hour (local) and $/pound (long-distance) benchmarks behind MoverQuoteEngine's own moving cost calculator, applied across six home sizes rather than a single estimate. Real Vermont-specific pricing would come from this state's own priced move corridors once enough live route pages exist to derive a state-specific range — see the upgrade note below.

National planning ranges by home size for local and long-distance moves
Home size	Local	Long-distance
Studio	$600-$1,050	$1,250-$2,000
1 Bedroom	$800-$1,400	$2,000-$3,200
2 Bedroom	$1,100-$1,925	$3,000-$4,800
3 Bedroom	$1,400-$2,450	$4,200-$6,720
4 Bedroom	$1,800-$3,150	$5,500-$8,800
5+ Bedroom	$2,200-$3,850	$7,000-$11,200

Vermont's overall price level is close to the national average (a Regional Price Parity index of 97.96 in 2024, where 100 is the national baseline) — but housing specifically runs well above what that average implies: the statewide typical home value is $400,247 (Zillow, 12-month period ending September 2025) and HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the Burlington area is $2,140/month, both high for a rural, low-density state. Local moving-labor costs in Vermont's small, tight metros plausibly run above the flat national benchmark below as a result, though no Vermont-specific $/hour labor rate was found to confirm that directly.

For a number tailored to your actual move, use the moving cost calculator.

Once this state has enough live `/moving-from-{city}-us-to-{city}-us` route pages, replace this national-benchmark table with a state-specific range derived from those priced corridors — the same approach movingcostadvisor.com uses. Not done here because the route inventory wasn't available to this research pass.

New-resident deadlines

Topic	Requirement	Source
Driver's license	New Vermont residents must obtain a Vermont driver's license within 60 days of establishing residency, or before an out-of-state license expires if that comes first. An eye exam is required at application.	Vermont DMV — Moving to Vermont (Registration & Licensing)
Vehicle registration	Vehicles must be registered in Vermont within 60 days of establishing residency (or before the out-of-state registration expires, whichever comes first); a safety inspection is then required within 15 days of registering.	Vermont DMV — Moving to Vermont
Voter registration	Vermont has same-day voter registration with no advance deadline — residents may register any day up to and including Election Day itself, in person at their town/city clerk's office or online in advance via the Vermont Voter Portal.	Vermont Secretary of State — Voter Registration

Housing, season and licensing

Housing snapshot

Vermont's statewide typical home value is $400,247, down 2.1% over the prior year (Zillow Home Value Index, 12 months ending September 2025); HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the Burlington area is $2,140/month. Both figures are notably high for the least-urbanized state in the country. Zillow Home Values — Vermont; HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rents, Chittenden County VT, via fmr.fyi

Peak moving season

Vermont follows the general national summer moving peak, but with a real state-specific squeeze on the front end: "mud season" (roughly March-April), when thawing ground turns many of the state's back roads and dirt roads to mud, is a well-documented seasonal phenomenon across Vermont and greater New England that can make rural roads difficult or impassable for heavy moving trucks — one estimate puts the cost of re-engineering Vermont dirt roads to stay passable through mud season as high as $140,000 per mile. In practice this compresses Vermont's realistic moving window toward late spring through fall more than in flatter, more urban states. Mud season — background and Vermont road-cost estimate

Mover licensing

No dedicated Vermont state license or authority specifically for intrastate (in-state-only) household-goods movers was found in this research pass. The Vermont Public Utility Commission's stated regulatory scope (electric, gas, energy efficiency, telecommunications, cable, water and large wastewater utilities) does not include moving companies, and the Agency of Transportation's public site has no equivalent household-goods carrier licensing program. This is an absence-of-evidence finding rather than a primary source explicitly stating "no license required" — worth a direct confirmation call to the Vermont Agency of Transportation before publishing as fact. Regardless of any state-level rule, movers doing interstate work into or out of Vermont still need federal FMCSA (USDOT/MC) operating authority. Vermont Public Utility Commission — regulatory scope; Vermont Agency of Transportation

Common in-state corridors

Burlington → Montpelier — Vermont's largest city to its state capital, ~40 miles
Burlington → Rutland — the state's two largest population centers outside the capital region, ~65 miles
Burlington → Barre — twin-city pairing with Montpelier in central Vermont, ~40 miles

Popular routes

Live city-pair route pages touching Vermont will appear here as they publish.

Main inbound partners

Main outbound partners

Partner-state lists come from Census migration flows. Linked corridors above are live published route pages, not guessed slugs.

Vermont city guides

No live Vermont city guide is published yet — more cities coming soon.

Coming soon: | City | Status | Slug |, |---|---|---|, | Burlington | coming_soon |, | South Burlington | coming_soon |, | Rutland | coming_soon |, | Montpelier | coming_soon |, No live MQE city guide exists yet for any Vermont city.

Frequently asked questions

Does Vermont have a state income tax?: Yes — a graduated rate from 3.35% up to 8.75%, with the top rate applying to income above $249,700 for single filers ($304,000 married filing jointly).
Do movers need a special license for in-state moves in Vermont?: No dedicated Vermont state license for intrastate-only household-goods movers turned up in this research — the state's Public Utility Commission and Agency of Transportation don't appear to regulate movers the way some states' commerce commissions do. Movers handling interstate moves into or out of Vermont still need federal FMCSA (USDOT/MC) authority regardless. Confirm directly with a mover before assuming no state paperwork applies.
When is moving season busiest in Vermont?: Summer is the general peak, as in most states, but Vermont has a real added constraint on the early end: "mud season" (roughly March-April) turns many of the state's dirt and back roads muddy and difficult for heavy trucks, pushing the practical start of moving season later than in flatter, more paved states.
Why is Vermont's population growing if it's the 2nd-least-populous state?: Vermont posted net domestic in-migration of about 9,100 people in 2024 (24,500 moving in against 15,400 moving out) — a continuation, at a more modest pace, of the trend that made Vermont a widely covered pandemic-era relocation destination, with people drawn more by quality of life and remote-work flexibility than by jobs or low costs.
Is Vermont still paying people to move there?: Not directly. Vermont ran a state-funded Remote Worker Grant Program (up to $10,000 per qualifying worker) that closed out its funding in 2019-2020. The state's current relocation-marketing site, ThinkVermont, offers a free "concierge"-style connection service to prospective residents rather than a cash grant.
Why is housing so expensive in a state this rural?: Vermont's overall price level is close to the national average, but housing specifically runs high: the statewide typical home value is around $400,000 (Zillow) and a 2-bedroom rental in the Burlington area has a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,140/month for FY2026 — both notably elevated for the least-urbanized state in the country, reflecting a housing supply that hasn't kept pace with demand.
How much does it cost to move within Vermont, like Burlington to Rutland or Burlington to Montpelier?: There's no Vermont-specific corridor pricing published yet — use the local-move rows in the cost table above as a starting range, or the moving cost calculator for a number based on your actual home size and distance.
Does Vermont really have no large cities?: Correct — Burlington, the state's biggest city, has just 44,019 residents. Vermont is the most rural state in the country by 2020 Census measures, with only 35.1% of its population classified as urban versus 64.9% rural, more than any other state.
Where are people moving to Vermont from, and where are Vermonters leaving to?: Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania are the top sources of new Vermont residents; New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are the top destinations for people leaving Vermont — mostly an exchange with neighboring Northeastern states rather than long-distance Sun Belt moves.
How long do I have to register my car and get a Vermont driver's license after moving here?: Both have the same window: 60 days from establishing residency (or before your out-of-state license/registration expires, if that's sooner). A safety inspection is then required within 15 days of registering your vehicle.