Overall
Vermont feels cheaper overall
Vermont has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Massachusetts by 31.2 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Massachusetts vs Vermont: Cost of Living
Vermont is cheaper overall by 31.2 cost-of-living points, but Vermont has lower median home values.
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
148.8
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
117.6
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Massachusetts
148.8
Vermont
117.6
Difference: 31.2 points — Vermont leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
Massachusetts
#49 · 148.8
Vermont
#43 · 117.6
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#49
Massachusetts
148.8
Massachusetts
#43
Vermont
117.6
Vermont
Massachusetts ranks 49th and Vermont ranks 43rd nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.7x more for a home
Vermont has the lower median home value, while buying in Massachusetts costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Vermont puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Vermont than in Massachusetts, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Massachusetts keeps more income after state tax
Massachusetts has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Massachusetts
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
148.8
Regional price parity
110.4
Regular gas price
$3.933/gal
Electricity price
31.16 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,678/mo
Median home value
$510,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.00%
State sales tax
6.25%
Property tax
1.07%
Income
Median household income
$96,505
Income after median rent
$6,364
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Vermont
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
117.6
Regional price parity
102.5
Regular gas price
$4.094/gal
Electricity price
23.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,147/mo
Median home value
$295,900
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
8.75%
State sales tax
6.00%
Property tax
1.59%
Income
Median household income
$74,014
Income after median rent
$5,021
Minimum wage
$14.01/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Vermont has lower median home values.
- Vermont has the lower overall cost index.
- Massachusetts has the higher median household income.
- Vermont looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Massachusetts vs Vermont: Cost of Living in context
Vermont has a cost of living of 117.6, compared with 148.8 in Massachusetts. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Massachusetts
148.8
Vermont
117.6
Difference
31.2 points
People Also Ask
Massachusetts vs Vermont Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Massachusetts's cost of living?
Massachusetts's cost of living is 148.8.
Q What is Vermont's cost of living?
Vermont's cost of living is 117.6.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Massachusetts or Vermont?
Vermont is cheaper overall by 31.2 cost-of-living points, but Vermont has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Massachusetts vs Vermont
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.