How to Assess Vermont’s Land Market in 2026

Vermont’s land market continues to evolve as buyers weigh lifestyle goals, development constraints, and long-term agricultural value. The result is a landscape where farmland can appreciate even as certain residential land-sale metrics soften—often within the same year and across neighboring counties.

Vermont Land Market Snapshot (2025): What the Numbers Say

Recent data shows a market that’s active, but more price-sensitive and slower-moving than many sellers expect.

• Across five Vermont counties, the median sale price of land declined 8.14% to $141,000 in 2025, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.
• The average sale price across the same five counties dropped 33.65% to $183,952 in 2025, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.
• Sales volume rose slightly: 116 land parcels sold in 2025, up 3.57% from 2024, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.
• Marketing timelines lengthened: average days on market increased to 134 days in 2025, up 8% from 2024, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.
• Inventory expanded: new listings for land increased 9.6% to 228 in 2025, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.

Farmland Values vs. Land Sales: Why Both Can Be True

It’s easy to assume “land is land,” but Vermont’s market is split between working farmland economics and buildable or recreational parcel demand. Farmland value trends often reflect long-term production capacity, conservation pressure, and limited supply—while residential land metrics can swing with financing, buyer sentiment, and listing volume.

In fact, Vermont farm real estate values averaged $4,350 per acre in 2025, up 5.1% from 2024, according to Vermont Farm to Plate. That resilience connects directly to what the land can produce: 52 percent of Vermont farmland is dedicated to dairy and dairy crops in 2024, per the Cheese Reporter - Vermont Dairy Industry Report.

Understanding Vermont’s Real Estate Market Dynamics

Assessing Vermont land requires a local lens. Supply constraints, zoning, and access to services can shift pricing dramatically from one town—or even one road—to the next.

Land availability and affordability relative to neighboring states

Vermont still attracts buyers who feel priced out of much of New England. Yet “affordable” depends on where you look: close-in towns and destination communities can behave like high-demand resort markets, while more rural regions offer greater acreage and fewer bidding wars.

Growing interest from out-of-state buyers

Remote work flexibility, second-home demand, and lifestyle migration continue to pull attention toward Vermont. When that demand concentrates around ski areas and walkable villages, the market can heat up quickly—even if broader county averages cool.

Tight inventory in more developed areas

Buildable land near Burlington, Stowe, and other employment or tourism hubs remains scarce. Even when listings rise, parcels that are “ready to build” (clear access, power nearby, feasible septic) often command outsized premiums.

Variable market activity across counties

County-level performance can differ sharply. For example, Chittenden County’s median land sale price was $250,000 in 2025, up 11.1% from 2023, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report. Lamoille County also posted notable gains: its median land sale price increased 36.4% to $120,000 in 2025, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.

Sales volume also clusters. Washington County recorded 38 land parcels sold in 2025—the highest sales volume—according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.

Land value goes beyond homebuilding potential

In many Vermont towns, buyers pay for community as much as acreage—school quality, local amenities, commute feasibility, and neighborhood character can set the pricing floor. That’s why similar-sized lots can trade at very different values depending on the town and the road.

Weather and natural factors affect salability

Vermont’s terrain and climate amplify practical considerations: road frontage, winter maintenance, flood risk, slope and ledge, cell coverage, and solar exposure can all influence financing, permitting, and how long a property sits on the market.

Key Metrics That Drive Vermont Land Valuations

If you’re preparing to buy or sell, focus on the factors that buyers, lenders, and appraisers consistently prioritize.

Location

Proximity to village centers, ski areas, highways, and major employers drives demand. Even “nearby” can mean different things in Vermont—winter roads and travel time matter as much as mileage.

Developability

Buildability often determines whether a parcel competes with home sites or sits in a narrower buyer pool. Septic feasibility, wetlands, slope, access, and depth to ledge can shift a property from straightforward to costly fast.

Lot shape and dimensions

Road frontage, usable acreage, and the ability to subdivide influence valuation. Buyers tend to favor parcels that offer flexibility for future building envelopes, outbuildings, and resale options.

Permitted use

Zoning, conservation easements, and right-of-way constraints can either protect value (through permanence and privacy) or limit it (by restricting future options). Versatile zoning typically supports stronger demand.

Site improvements and utilities

Existing driveways, cleared building sites, power at the road, and completed feasibility work can reduce buyer uncertainty and speed up closing timelines—especially for buyers who want to build quickly.

Surrounding parcel dynamics

Adjacency to conserved land, state forests, or low-density neighbors can add meaningful value, while nearby intensive commercial or industrial uses may reduce perceived quality of life.

Historic comps

Comparable sales remain the backbone of pricing. The best comps match your parcel’s actual utility—buildable vs. non-buildable, utilities vs. off-grid, access vs. landlocked—not just acreage.

Best Process to Determine an Optimal Listing Price

In a market where median and average prices can drop while sales still rise, accurate pricing becomes the difference between a clean transaction and a long, expensive listing period.

1) Identify highest and best use

Confirm what the land can realistically support under zoning and environmental constraints. Bring in local zoning officials and qualified professionals early if the parcel has complexity.

2) Validate value with multiple perspectives

Use appraisals, agent opinions of value, and comp reviews to reduce bias. If the land has more than one plausible use case, pressure-test pricing for each scenario.

3) Study recent nearby sales (micro-market comps)

Pull relevant comps that reflect access, buildability, and town-level demand. In Vermont, a “three-mile radius” can still include very different neighborhoods and road conditions—so match context, not just distance.

4) Inspect on-site constraints and opportunities

Walk the land and document what a buyer will discover: slopes, wetlands, stone, timber quality, and driveway options. Clear documentation reduces friction during due diligence.

5) Factor carrying costs and time-to-sale

Taxes, maintenance, insurance, and opportunity cost add up—especially when marketing times stretch. With land averaging 134 days on market across five counties in 2025, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report, sellers benefit from a pricing strategy built around realistic timelines.

6) Align the price with your motivations

If you need speed, price for action. If you can wait, you can test the market—just be ready to adjust quickly if buyer feedback is consistent.

7) Set a competitive ask and monitor market response

Use early showing feedback and inquiry volume as data. When listings are rising—as they did in 2025 with 228 new land listings across five counties, up 9.6%, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report—buyers gain leverage and stale listings become easier to ignore.

Smart Strategies to Improve Sale Speed (Without Giving Away Value)

Even well-priced land can take time to sell in Vermont. You can shorten the path to closing by reducing uncertainty and expanding the buyer pool.

Price strategically from day one

Land is highly comparable-driven. If your pricing is unsupported, buyers often wait for reductions—especially in years when county-wide averages fall, like the 33.65% drop in average sale price to $183,952 across five counties in 2025, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.

Offer terms that widen demand

Owner financing or flexible contingencies can attract qualified buyers who lack traditional construction-loan pathways, particularly for rural or off-grid parcels.

Sell in phases when the parcel supports it

If subdivision is feasible, staged sales can match different buyer budgets and reduce friction. Just confirm permitting requirements before you market separate “future lots.”

Package readiness: do the upfront work buyers fear

Basic feasibility items—access notes, septic information, wetland flags, utility maps—can move a hesitant buyer to action by lowering perceived risk.

Market aggressively online with proof, not hype

Drone footage and maps help, but buyers convert faster when you provide clear facts: surveyed boundaries, road frontage, utility proximity, and documented build constraints.

Final Thoughts

Vermont’s land market rewards informed decision-making. In 2025, activity stayed steady—116 parcels sold across five counties, up 3.57%—yet prices and timelines signaled a more selective buyer pool, with median sale price down 8.14% and average days on market up to 134, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report. At the same time, farmland economics remained strong: Vermont farm real estate averaged $4,350 per acre in 2025, up 5.1% from 2024, per Vermont Farm to Plate, supported by a working landscape where dairy and dairy crops account for 52 percent of farmland in 2024, according to the Cheese Reporter - Vermont Dairy Industry Report.

Whether you’re buying or selling, treat Vermont as a set of micro-markets. Use comps, verify buildability, price with discipline, and negotiate with flexibility. That combination turns a complex terrain into an opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Vermont land prices rising or falling right now?

It depends on the segment. Farmland values rose in 2025, with farm real estate averaging $4,350 per acre (up 5.1% from 2024), according to Vermont Farm to Plate. Meanwhile, across five counties, land-sale prices softened, with the median down 8.14% to $141,000 and the average down 33.65% to $183,952 in 2025, per the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report.

Which counties are seeing the strongest land-sale performance?

Performance varies by county and metric. Chittenden County’s median land sale price was $250,000 in 2025 (up 11.1% from 2023), and Lamoille County’s median increased 36.4% to $120,000 in 2025, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report. For activity, Washington County led volume with 38 parcels sold in 2025, per the same report.

How long does it typically take to sell land in Vermont?

Across five Vermont counties, average days on market for land sales rose to 134 days in 2025 (up 8% from 2024), according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report. Parcels with unclear buildability or limited access often take longer.

Is inventory improving for buyers?

New listings increased 9.6% to 228 across five Vermont counties in 2025, according to the Hickok and Boardman Vermont Land Market Report. More listings can give buyers added leverage, especially on parcels with higher site-prep costs.

Why does Vermont farmland hold value so well?

Farmland value reflects long-term productive capacity and constrained supply. Vermont’s agricultural base remains heavily dairy-driven—52 percent of Vermont farmland is dedicated to dairy and dairy crops in 2024, according to the Cheese Reporter - Vermont Dairy Industry Report—which helps explain why farm real estate values rose to an average of $4,350 per acre in 2025, per Vermont Farm to Plate.