Moving to Washington from Vermont

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Vermont to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Vermont to Washington, you would find that Washington is 6.4% more expensive than Vermont. A $75,000 salary in Vermont would need to be roughly $79,176 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Vermont and Washington.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,176

To maintain the same standard of living in Washington

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.4% more

Groceries

pay 0.4% more

Transportation

pay 13.5% more

Housing

pay 10.0% more

Childcare

pay 8.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Washington compared to Vermont.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

VT
211
WA
349
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

VT
1802
WA
2819

Vermont performs better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

VT
3.9%
WA
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

VT
27.2%
WA
31.1%

Vermont generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Washington leads in adult smoking rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

VT
$290,500
WA
$519,800
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

VT
$1,193
WA
$1,682

Vermont performs better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

VT
88.4%
WA
93.1%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

VT
23 min
WA
27 min

Vermont generally does better on infrastructure, though Washington leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

VT
2.6%
WA
5.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

VT
$56,462
WA
$87,768

Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Vermont leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

VT
78.8 yrs
WA
79.2 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

VT
31%
WA
26%

Vermont generally does better on family life, though Washington leads in life expectancy.

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.

Montpelier Rain: 42.4 in/yr (1078 mm)
56° / 32°F

Avg. annual high / low

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montpelier Olympia
Jan–Mar 34°/8°F (1°/-13°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/42°F (20°/5°C) 65°/43°F (18°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) 76°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 51°/36°F (11°/2°C)
View all months
Month Montpelier Olympia
Jan 28°/3°F (-2.2°/-15.9°C) 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)
Feb 33°/6°F (0.3°/-14.5°C) 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)
Mar 42°/16°F (5.4°/-8.9°C) 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)
Apr 55°/30°F (12.8°/-1.1°C) 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)
May 69°/42°F (20.3°/5.5°C) 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)
Jun 78°/53°F (25.5°/11.7°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)
Jul 83°/58°F (28.4°/14.2°C) 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)
Aug 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)
Sep 73°/47°F (22.8°/8.2°C) 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)
Oct 59°/35°F (15.1°/1.4°C) 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)
Nov 46°/26°F (7.6°/-3.4°C) 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)
Dec 32°/13°F (0.2°/-10.8°C) 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Washington than Vermont?

On average Washington is around 6% pricier than Vermont, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Washington?

Budget about $19,794 for 3 months in Washington (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Washington safe?

Vermont performs better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Washington compared to Vermont?

Vermont generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Washington leads in adult smoking rate.

What's the weather like in Washington compared to Vermont?

The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Montpelier. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Montpelier gets 42.4 in.

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