The Town FilesEssex Junction, Vermont
City in Chittenden County · population 10,590 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $407,500
- Household income
- $89,257
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 39.3
Essex Junction is a city of 10,590 people in Chittenden County, Vermont. The median home is worth $407,500, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Vermont towns, more walkable than 97% of Vermont towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Vermont towns.
How Essex Junction 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 Essex Junction is worth $407,500, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $89,257, which is more affordable than 17% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,544 a month. 59.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Essex Junction | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $407,500 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,544 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $89,257 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 59.3% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Essex Junction
| People | Essex Junction | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.4% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.9% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 89.3% |
Weather in Essex Junction
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 42.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.9 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex Junction 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 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 1987.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 3.30 inches on July 16, 2009.
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 Essex Junction itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Essex Junction
9 public schools with 3,489 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex High School | 9-12 | 1,248 | 11.2 |
| Essex Elementary School | PK-2 | 492 | 14.5 |
| Essex Middle School | 6-8 | 358 | 11.5 |
| Founders Memorial School | 3-5 | 351 | 11.7 |
| Albert D. Lawton School | 6-8 | 326 | 10.5 |
| Summit Street School | PK-3 | 310 | 17.2 |
| Hiawatha Elementary School | PK-3 | 207 | 10.9 |
| Thomas Fleming School | 4-5 | 197 | 11.6 |
| The Center for Technology - Essex | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Essex Junction
- Winooski, VT3.5 mi · 7,997 people · home $381,500
- Williston, VT4.3 mi · 10,103 people · home $475,800
- Essex, VT4.6 mi · 22,094 people · home $447,300
- South Burlington, VT5.0 mi · 20,292 people · home $443,400
- Burlington, VT6.2 mi · 44,743 people · home $444,800
- Colchester, VT7.0 mi · 17,524 people · home $394,400
- Jericho, VT7.7 mi · 5,104 people · home $493,100
- Shelburne, VT8.6 mi · 6,178 people · home $553,200
Essex Junction questions
Is Essex Junction, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Essex Junction scores better for retirees than 21% of Vermont towns and quieter than 1%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Essex Junction?
The median owner-occupied home in Essex Junction is valued at $407,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,257, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,544 a month.
What is the weather like in Essex Junction?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.3 inches of precipitation a year and 85.9 inches of snow.
Does Essex Junction get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Essex Junction 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)