The Town Files

Island Pond, Vermont

Community in Essex County · population 750 (2020 Census)

Map: where Island Pond is in VermontIsland Pond
Median home
$145,800
Household income
$46,214
Jan low / Jul high
3° / 76°
Snow a year
115 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
45.4

Island Pond is a community of 750 people in Essex County, Vermont. The median home is worth $145,800, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Vermont towns, hipper than 77% of Vermont towns.

Island Pond in our rankings:

How Island Pond 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.

Island Pond lifestyle rankings vs other Vermont townsRetirement96th pctFamilies18th pctQuiet67th pctWalkability47th pctFirst-time buyers57th pctYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy37th pctHip & trendy77th pctCollege town55th pctUpscale2nd pctVacation homes55th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving59th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Island Pond is worth $145,800, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $46,214, which is more affordable than 76% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 40.4% of households own their home.

Island Pond vs Essex County vs typical Vermont townIsland PondEssex CountyTypical Vermont townHome value$145,800$172,500$278,700Household income$46,214$59,294$76,895Monthly rent$775$827$1,117
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Vermont towns with 500+ people.
HousingIsland PondTypical Vermont town
Median home value$145,800$278,700
Median rent$775$1,117
Median household income$46,214$76,895
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.6×
Homeownership40.4%81.6%
Median year built19481976
Seasonal / vacation homes21.4%—

Who lives in Island Pond

PeopleIsland PondTypical Vermont town
Median age45.445.7
Age 65 and over26.5%22.2%
Under 1816.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher29.3%38.9%
Below the poverty line27.6%8.6%
Veterans12.1%—
Born outside the U.S.4.2%—
Work from home10.7%14.9%
Average commute25.0 min25.2 min
Homes with broadband84.7%89.3%

Weather in Island Pond

July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 44.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 114.9 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.

Island Pond monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing24°3°Jan27°4°Feb36°14°Mar49°29°Apr64°41°May72°51°Jun76°55°Jul75°54°Aug68°46°Sep54°36°Oct41°26°Nov30°14°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.825.32.326.12.922.13.45.74.10.44.84.94.54.14.51.43.48.83.225.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Island Pond station (0.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Island Pond since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 10, 2007.

Severe weather in Essex County since 1996

Storm events in Essex County since 1996 by typeHail10Flood10High Wind11Heavy Rain5Heavy Snow7Flash Flood18Strong Wind28Winter Storm119
NOAA Storm Events Database, Essex County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Essex County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 26, 2024FloodDR-4826: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 8, 2024Tropical StormEM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby
April 19, 2024Severe StormDR-4770: Severe Winter Storm
March 2, 2024Severe StormDR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Essex County

Essex County had 1,069 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,646 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Island Pond itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.

Largest industries in Essex CountyManufacturing128 jobs · $45,977Agriculture, forestry & fishi…106 jobs · $58,290Retail69 jobs · $24,191Professional & technical serv…38 jobs · $102,798Administrative & support16 jobs · $50,877Transportation & warehousing15 jobs · $40,463
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Essex County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Essex 2.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Island Pond

1 public school with 122 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Brighton Elementary SchoolPK-81229.4

Towns near Island Pond

Island Pond questions

Is Island Pond, Vermont a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Island Pond scores better for retirees than 96% of Vermont towns and quieter than 67%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).

How much does a house cost in Island Pond?

The median owner-occupied home in Island Pond is valued at $145,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,214, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.

What is the weather like in Island Pond?

July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.9 inches of precipitation a year and 114.9 inches of snow.

Does Island Pond get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Island Pond in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Island Pond's Census boundary (GEOID 5035725). Comparisons use the median of Vermont towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.