The Town FilesCavendish, Vermont
Town in Windsor County · population 1,392 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $285,100
- Household income
- $89,063
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 83 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.2
Cavendish is a town of 1,392 people in Windsor County, Vermont. The median home is worth $285,100, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 86% of Vermont towns, easier by car than 70% of Vermont towns.
How Cavendish 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 Cavendish is worth $285,100, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $89,063, which is more affordable than 76% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,000 a month. 81.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cavendish | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $285,100 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,000 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $89,063 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 81.3% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 44.1% | — |
Who lives in Cavendish
| People | Cavendish | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.2 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.6% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 18.5% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 89.3% |
Weather in Cavendish
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 7.6°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 83.3 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cavendish since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1966 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 11, 1966.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 4, 2023.
Severe weather in Windsor County since 1996
Windsor County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567: Tropical Storm Henri |
Jobs and pay in Windsor County
Windsor County had 23,153 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,855 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Cavendish itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Cavendish
- Ludlow, VT5.0 mi · 773 people · home $304,000
- Ludlow, VT5.2 mi · 2,172 people · home $370,200
- North Springfield, VT5.8 mi · 694 people · home $187,800
- Weathersfield, VT6.2 mi · 2,842 people · home $252,700
- Reading, VT6.8 mi · 687 people · home $377,200
- West Windsor, VT7.0 mi · 1,344 people · home $393,500
- Chester, VT7.9 mi · 3,005 people · home $232,900
- Chester, VT8.9 mi · 1,132 people · home $261,900
Cavendish questions
Is Cavendish, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cavendish scores better for retirees than 27% of Vermont towns and quieter than 43%. 23.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.2).
How much does a house cost in Cavendish?
The median owner-occupied home in Cavendish is valued at $285,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,063, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,000 a month.
What is the weather like in Cavendish?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 7.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.5 inches of precipitation a year and 83.3 inches of snow.
Does Cavendish get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cavendish since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1966. 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)