The Town FilesColchester, Vermont
Town in Chittenden County · population 17,524 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $394,400
- Household income
- $97,891
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.3
Colchester is a town of 17,524 people in Chittenden County, Vermont. The median home is worth $394,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of Vermont towns, better for cycling than 90% of Vermont towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Vermont towns.
How Colchester ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Colchester is worth $394,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $97,891, which is more affordable than 37% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,474 a month. 74.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colchester | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $394,400 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,474 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $97,891 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 74.1% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Colchester
| People | Colchester | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.9% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 89.3% |
Weather in Colchester
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 35.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.1 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colchester since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 8, 1983 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 1983.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 9, 1968.
Severe weather in Chittenden County since 1996
Chittenden County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chittenden County
Chittenden County had 103,301 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,186 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Colchester itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Colchester
5 public schools with 2,402 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester High School | 9-12 | 718 | 12.6 |
| Porters Point School | PK-2 | 497 | 24.9 |
| Malletts Bay School | 3-5 | 494 | 14.1 |
| Colchester Middle School | 6-8 | 482 | 11.5 |
| Union Memorial School | PK-2 | 211 | 11.1 |
Towns near Colchester
- Burlington, VT4.3 mi · 44,743 people · home $444,800
- Winooski, VT4.5 mi · 7,997 people · home $381,500
- Essex Junction, VT7.0 mi · 10,590 people · home $407,500
- Milton, VT7.1 mi · 10,723 people · home $372,500
- Milton, VT7.3 mi · 3,804 people · home $337,600
- South Burlington, VT8.4 mi · 20,292 people · home $443,400
- Essex, VT8.7 mi · 22,094 people · home $447,300
- Williston, VT10.7 mi · 10,103 people · home $475,800
Colchester questions
Is Colchester, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colchester scores better for retirees than 17% of Vermont towns and quieter than 15%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Colchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Colchester is valued at $394,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,891, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,474 a month.
What is the weather like in Colchester?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.0 inches of precipitation a year and 50.1 inches of snow.
Does Colchester get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colchester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 8, 1983. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)