The Town FilesWaitsfield, Vermont
Town in Washington County · population 1,844 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $422,400
- Household income
- $84,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 118 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 44.3
Waitsfield is a town of 1,844 people in Washington County, Vermont. The median home is worth $422,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Vermont towns, hipper than 97% of Vermont towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of Vermont towns.
How Waitsfield 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 Waitsfield is worth $422,400, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $84,375, which is more affordable than 8% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,200 a month. 79.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waitsfield | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $422,400 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,200 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $84,375 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 79.9% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 19.8% | — |
Who lives in Waitsfield
| People | Waitsfield | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.2% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.6% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.0% | 89.3% |
Weather in Waitsfield
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 6.3°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 117.7 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Waitsfield since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 33,484 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,784 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Waitsfield itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Waitsfield
1 public school with 164 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waitsfield Elementary School | PK-6 | 164 | 13.7 |
Towns near Waitsfield
- Fayston, VT5.2 mi · 1,364 people · home $502,400
- Northfield, VT5.7 mi · 5,918 people · home $274,400
- Warren, VT6.1 mi · 1,977 people · home $569,300
- Moretown, VT6.8 mi · 1,753 people · home $380,800
- Northfield, VT7.3 mi · 3,757 people · home $241,400
- Duxbury, VT8.6 mi · 1,413 people · home $364,600
- Roxbury, VT8.7 mi · 678 people · home $242,600
- Berlin, VT9.5 mi · 2,849 people · home $273,600
Waitsfield questions
Is Waitsfield, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waitsfield scores better for retirees than 100% of Vermont towns and quieter than 49%. 28.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Waitsfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Waitsfield is valued at $422,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,375, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,200 a month.
What is the weather like in Waitsfield?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 6.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 117.7 inches of snow.
Does Waitsfield get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Waitsfield 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)