Vermont
Thinking of buying a home in Vermont? Here’s what you need to earn.
Existing home sales fall to lowest level since 1995
The latest home sales numbers painted a discouraging picture for the real estate industry as sales fell to the lowest level since 1995.
Straight Arrow News
Owning a home in the United States can seem like an impossible dream right now, as a new analysis by Realtor.com found that in nearly half of states, the typical four-person family does not earn enough to afford a median-priced three-bedroom home.
The analysis found that in Vermont, it is recommended that a family of four have an annual median income of $143,168 to buy a home.
Realtor.com ranked the top ten most affordable and least affordable states in the country. The rankings are based off of an analysis that compared the actual median household income to the recommended median household income to buy a median-priced three-bedroom home in each state.
Vermont did not make either list, putting it somewhere in the middle for affordability. However, it is one of 35 states where families need to make six figures to buy a home.
How much does a family of four in Vermont need to earn to buy a home?
According to Realtor.com’s analysis, the median household income recommended to purchase a three-bedroom home in Vermont is $143,168.
The median income needed was calculated by factoring a rate of 6.65% on a 30-year fixed mortgage, property taxes, and insurance, and assume a 10% down payment, according to the website.
In which states do buyers need the highest incomes to purchase a home?
Hawaii is the least affordable place to buy a home, according to the analysis.
The median household income recommended to buy a home in Hawaii is $229,341 as the median home price is $796,947. However, the median income for a family of four is $133,656 – about 41% less than the minimum recommended income.
“Hawaii and California are among the nation’s most expensive states. Even though the typical four-person family income in these states is relatively high, it pales in comparison to home prices,” said Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones.
Here are the states where families of four need the highest incomes to buy a three-bedroom house.
Place
State
Median home price
Median household income recommended
1
Hawaii
$796,947
$229,341
2
California
$728,500
$209,643
3
Montana
$111,516
$176,513
4
Idaho
$566,950
$163,153
5
New York
$659,974
$189,923
6
Utah
$586,200
$168,693
7
Nevada
$485,598
$139,742
8
New Mexico
$389,700
$112,146
9
Massachusetts
$749,950
$215,816
10
Oregon
$550,000
$158,276
In which states do buyers need the lowest incomes to buy a home?
If you’re looking for affordability, try the Midwest. Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois are the three most affordable states in this category.
In Ohio, a family of four has a median annual income of $113,453. That’s much more than the recommended $74,000 recommended to buy a home in the state, which has a median price of $259,450.
Here are the states where families of four with the lowest incomes can buy a three-bedroom house.
| Place | State | Median home price | Median household income recommended |
| 1 | Ohio | $259,450 | $74,663 |
| 2 | Michigan | $265,350 | $76,361 |
| 3 | Illinois | $289,950 | $83,440 |
| 4 | Iowa | $279,950 | $80,562 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $296,750 | $85,397 |
| 6 | Kansas | $280,298 | $80,662 |
| 7 | Indiana | $279,450 | $80,418 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $380,948 | $109,627 |
| 9 | Maryland | $408,323 | $117,505 |
| 10 | Missouri | $289,000 | $83,167 |
What is the median income recommended for buying a home in each state?
- Alabama: $92,583
- Alaska: $121,585
- Arizona: $140,578
- Arkansas: $83,440
- California: $209,643
- Colorado: $161,002
- Connecticut: $143,729
- Delaware: $137,986
- Florida: $125,182
- Georgia: $109,354
- Hawaii: $229,341
- Idaho: $163,153
- Illinois: $83,440
- Indiana: $80,418
- Iowa: $80,562
- Kansas: $80,662
- Kentucky: $86,044
- Louisiana: $79,138
- Maine: $129,340
- Maryland: $117,505
- Massachusetts: $215,816
- Michigan: $76,361
- Minnesota: $109,627
- Mississippi: $83,426
- Missouri: $83,167
- Montana: $176,513
- Nebraska: $99,836
- Nevada: 139,742
- New Hampshire: $165,456
- New Jersey: $156,822
- New Mexico: $112,146
- New York: $189,923
- North Carolina: $114,951
- North Dakota: $104,555
- Ohio: $74,663
- Oklahoma: $84,892
- Oregon: $158276
- Pennsylvania: $85,397
- Rhode Island: $151,067
- South Carolina: $101,426
- South Dakota: $107196
- Tennessee: $120,855
- Texas: $102,160
- Utah: $168,693
- Vermont: $143,168
- Virginia: $121,534
- Washington: $174,700
- West Virginia: $71,080
- Wisconsin: $109,196
- Wyoming: $132,297
Vermont
Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI
BOLTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A wrong-way driver was safely stopped on Interstate 89 overnight Sunday.
Vermont State Police say just before 12:30 a.m., they stopped the car near marker 77, near Bolton.
The driver, Denise Lear, 60, of Revere, was charged with driving under the influence and gross negligent operation.
Lear is expected in court Monday.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Vermont
Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes
Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14
Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.
Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)
Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.
Key Stats
- Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.
- Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.
- Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.
- Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.
- Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.
How It Happened
- The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.
- Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.
- The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.
- Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.
- Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.
- Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.
- The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.
Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.
Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse), and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.
Vermont
Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list
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Here’s another reason Vermont is the best New England state: It’s home to one of the top 5 happiest cities in the United States.
Plus, it has another within the top 15.
Massachusetts, on the other hand, doesn’t even break the top 50. Nor, does Connecticut or Rhode Island.
The personal finance website analyzed 182 of the largest cities in the country, and ranked Boston 63rd overall. Although the city is home to some of the nation’s top universities, high-ranking hospitals, and well-regarded companies, it didn’t break the top 50.
To get the rankings, WalletHub compared the cities using 29 metrics, including life-satisfaction index, depression rate, poverty rate, job security, and acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and cities were assigned an overall happiness score.
Here’s a look at how the cities ranked.
South Burlington is No. 4 happiest city, Burlington is No. 11
South Burlington came on top for Vermont in WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the United States, ranking at No. 4. In scored very high for emotional and physical well-being coming in at the No. 4 spot, which made up for coming in No. 48 for community and environment. It was No. 9 for income and employment ranking. That gave it a total happiness of score of 70.15
Burlington wasn’t far behind at all, taking the No. 11 spot on the list and a happiness score of 67.54. It’s highest score was for income and employment ranking where it came second. It ranked No. 13 for community and environment and No. 21 for emotional and physical well-being.
Happiest cities in the US, per WalletHub
Here are the 25 happiest cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- Fremont, California – 74.09
- Bismarck, North Dakota – 73.11
- Scottsdale, Arizona – 71.36
- South Burlington, Vermont – 70.15
- Fargo, North Dakota – 69.36
- Overland Park, Kansas – 68.45
- Charleston, South Carolina – 68.44
- Irvine, California – 67.99
- Gilbert, Arizona – 67.96
- San Jose, California – 67.79
- Burlington, Vermont – 67.54
- Madison, Wisconsin – 66.35
- Columbia, Maryland – 66.28
- Chandler, Arizona – 65.69
- Seattle, Washington – 65.62
- Plano, Texas – 65.34
- San Francisco, California – 64.99
- Lincoln, Nebraska – 64.90
- Portland, Maine – 64.59
- Tempe, Arizona – 64.30
- San Diego, California – 64.30
- Raleigh, North Carolina – 63.47
- Peoria, Arizona – 63.38
- Durham, North Carolina – 62.84
- Huntington Beach, California – 62.80
Least happy cities in the US, per WalletHub
Here are the 25 least happy cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- Detroit, Michigan (#182 overall) – 29.55
- Memphis, Tennessee (#181 overall) – 34.39
- Shreveport, Louisiana (#180 overall) – 34.93
- Cleveland, Ohio (#179 overall) – 36.50
- Huntington, West Virginia (#178 overall) – 37.20
- Toledo, Ohio (#177 overall) – 37.21
- Augusta, Georgia (#176 overall) – 38.24
- Fort Smith, Arkansas (#175 overall) – 38.66
- Dover, Delaware (#174 overall) – 39.08
- Akron, Ohio (#173 overall) – 40.11
- Baltimore, Maryland (#172 overall) – 40.28
- Birmingham, Alabama (#171 overall) – 40.37
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (#170 overall) – 40.47
- Columbus, Georgia (#169 overall) – 40.61
- Montgomery, Alabama (#168 overall) – 41.35
- Gulfport, Mississippi (#167 overall) – 41.65
- Charleston, West Virginia (#166 overall) – 42.18
- Jackson, Mississippi (#165 overall) – 42.60
- St. Louis, Missouri (#164 overall) – 43.53
- Knoxville, Tennessee (#163 overall) – 44.04
- Wilmington, Delaware (#162 overall) – 44.34
- Little Rock, Arkansas (#161 overall) – 44.48
- Mobile, Alabama (#160 overall) – 44.85
- New Orleans, Louisiana (#159 overall) – 45.19
- Tulsa, Oklahoma (#158 overall) – 45.33
Where New England cities ranked
Here are the 12 happiest cities in New England, and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- South Burlington, Vermont (#6 overall) – 70.15
- Burlington, Vermont (#11 overall) – 67.54
- Portland, Maine (#19 overall) – 64.59
- Nashua, New Hampshire (#27 overall) – 62.49
- Manchester, New Hampshire (#51 overall) – 59.10
- Boston, Massachusetts (#63 overall) – 56.88
- Warwick, Rhode Island (#66 overall) – 56.59
- New Haven, Connecticut (#95 overall) – 54.14
- Bridgeport, Connecticut (#96 overall) – 54.01
- Providence, Rhode Island (#98 overall) – 53.52
- Worcester, Massachusetts (#116 overall) – 50.12
- Lewiston, Maine (#145 overall) – 47.28
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