Moving to Vermont from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Vermont? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Vermont, you would find that Vermont is 10.9% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $63,322 in Vermont to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Montpelier averages 56°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and Vermont.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $63,322
To maintain the same standard of living in Vermont
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 10.2% less
Groceries
pay 5.2% less
Transportation
pay 9.8% less
Housing
pay 23.1% less
Childcare
pay 14.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Vermont compared to California.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Vermont performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Vermont generally does better on health & wellbeing, though California leads in adult smoking rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Vermont performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
California generally does better on infrastructure, though Vermont leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Vermont leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
California generally does better on family life, though Vermont leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 34°/8°F (1°/-13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 67°/42°F (20°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 28°/3°F (-2.2°/-15.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 33°/6°F (0.3°/-14.5°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 42°/16°F (5.4°/-8.9°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 55°/30°F (12.8°/-1.1°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 69°/42°F (20.3°/5.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 78°/53°F (25.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 83°/58°F (28.4°/14.2°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 73°/47°F (22.8°/8.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 59°/35°F (15.1°/1.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 46°/26°F (7.6°/-3.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 32°/13°F (0.2°/-10.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Vermont than California?
On average Vermont is about 16% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Vermont?
Budget about $15,830 for 3 months in Vermont (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Vermont safe?
Vermont performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Vermont compared to California?
Vermont generally does better on health & wellbeing, though California leads in adult smoking rate.
What's the weather like in Vermont compared to California?
The average high temperature in Montpelier is 56°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Montpelier receives around 42.4 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
