The Town FilesShaftsbury, Vermont
Town in Bennington County · population 3,598 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $267,300
- Household income
- $86,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 43.0
Shaftsbury is a town of 3,598 people in Bennington County, Vermont. The median home is worth $267,300, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Vermont towns, more upscale than 91% of Vermont towns, better for families than 86% of Vermont towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Vermont
- #3 in 25 Small Towns in Vermont With the Mildest Winters
- #8 in The 17 Best Small Towns for Families in Vermont
- #16 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Vermont
- #19 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Vermont
- #39 in The 50 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in America
How Shaftsbury 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 Shaftsbury is worth $267,300, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $86,071, which is more affordable than 84% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,079 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shaftsbury | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $267,300 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,079 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $86,071 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.0% | — |
Who lives in Shaftsbury
| People | Shaftsbury | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 89.3% |
Weather in Shaftsbury
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.2 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shaftsbury since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Bennington County since 1996
Bennington County has been included in 21 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 |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| September 29, 2021 | Flood | DR-4621: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567: Tropical Storm Henri |
Jobs and pay in Bennington County
Bennington County had 16,750 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,906 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Shaftsbury itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Shaftsbury
1 public school with 236 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaftsbury Elementary School | PK-6 | 236 | 12.4 |
Towns near Shaftsbury
- White Creek, NY5.6 mi · 3,275 people · home $202,600
- Bennington, VT6.4 mi · 15,333 people · home $213,300
- Bennington, VT7.6 mi · 8,795 people · home $191,700
- Hoosick Falls, NY8.8 mi · 3,216 people · home $154,600
- Hoosick, NY9.9 mi · 6,711 people · home $177,200
- Pownal, VT13.1 mi · 3,258 people · home $256,600
- Salem, NY13.7 mi · 2,612 people · home $196,000
- Manchester, VT15.0 mi · 4,484 people · home $454,600
Shaftsbury questions
Is Shaftsbury, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shaftsbury scores better for retirees than 77% of Vermont towns and quieter than 34%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Shaftsbury?
The median owner-occupied home in Shaftsbury is valued at $267,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,071, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,079 a month.
What is the weather like in Shaftsbury?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.2 inches of snow.
Does Shaftsbury get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shaftsbury since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. 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)