The Town FilesSouth Hero, Vermont
Town in Grand Isle County · population 1,674 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $558,300
- Household income
- $127,434
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 51.5
South Hero is a town of 1,674 people in Grand Isle County, Vermont. The median home is worth $558,300, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more upscale than 90% of Vermont towns, better for families than 87% of Vermont towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Vermont towns.
How South Hero 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 South Hero is worth $558,300, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $127,434, which is more affordable than 23% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,439 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | South Hero | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $558,300 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,439 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $127,434 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 85.1% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 31.7% | — |
Who lives in South Hero
| People | South Hero | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.5% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.9% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 26.3% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 89.3% |
Weather in South Hero
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 35.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.1 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of South Hero since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 24, 1973.
Severe weather in Grand Isle County since 1996
Grand Isle County has been included in 18 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 |
| March 20, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4695: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567: Tropical Storm Henri |
Jobs and pay in Grand Isle County
Grand Isle County had 1,383 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,181 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in South Hero itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in South Hero
1 public school with 158 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folsom Education & Community Center | PK-8 | 158 | 11.3 |
Towns near South Hero
- Grand Isle, VT6.2 mi · 2,086 people · home $398,600
- Colchester, VT6.5 mi · 17,524 people · home $394,400
- Milton, VT7.5 mi · 10,723 people · home $372,500
- Cumberland Head, NY7.6 mi · 1,735 people · home $205,200
- Plattsburgh, NY8.6 mi · 19,841 people · home $195,900
- Milton, VT9.2 mi · 3,804 people · home $337,600
- Burlington, VT10.0 mi · 44,743 people · home $444,800
- Plattsburgh West, NY10.4 mi · 1,382 people · home $60,200
South Hero questions
Is South Hero, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Hero scores better for retirees than 62% of Vermont towns and quieter than 70%. 26.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.5).
How much does a house cost in South Hero?
The median owner-occupied home in South Hero is valued at $558,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $127,434, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,439 a month.
What is the weather like in South Hero?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.0 inches of precipitation a year and 50.1 inches of snow.
Does South Hero get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of South Hero 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)