The Town FilesCalais, Vermont
Town in Washington County · population 1,661 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $390,300
- Household income
- $100,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 126 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 42.0
Calais is a town of 1,661 people in Washington County, Vermont. The median home is worth $390,300, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Vermont towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of Vermont towns, more upscale than 73% of Vermont towns.
How Calais 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 Calais is worth $390,300, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $100,625, which is more affordable than 40% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,408 a month. 92.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Calais | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $390,300 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,408 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $100,625 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 92.4% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.7% | — |
Who lives in Calais
| People | Calais | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.4% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 23.4% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 89.3% |
Weather in Calais
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 8.3°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 125.6 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Calais since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 10, 1989.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| 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 |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| March 20, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4695: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 33,484 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,784 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Calais itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Calais
- East Montpelier, VT5.0 mi · 2,598 people · home $378,700
- Marshfield, VT7.5 mi · 1,583 people · home $214,100
- Worcester, VT7.7 mi · 964 people · home $271,100
- Woodbury, VT7.9 mi · 928 people · home $311,200
- Plainfield, VT7.9 mi · 1,236 people · home $318,400
- Montpelier, VT8.4 mi · 8,074 people · home $375,100
- Middlesex, VT8.7 mi · 1,779 people · home $376,300
- Cabot, VT8.9 mi · 1,443 people · home $268,500
Calais questions
Is Calais, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Calais scores better for retirees than 64% of Vermont towns and quieter than 31%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Calais?
The median owner-occupied home in Calais is valued at $390,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,625, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,408 a month.
What is the weather like in Calais?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 8.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 125.6 inches of snow.
Does Calais get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Calais in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)