State comparison
American Samoa vs Vermont: which state is better to live in?
American Samoa costs a median household about $9,800 a year less in state and local taxes than Vermont, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $1,517 a year against $6,574 in Vermont.
American Samoa
Low tax burden · COL index 110
Wins 5 categories
Vermont
High tax burden · COL index 111
Wins 1 categories
Taxes: American Samoa vs Vermont
American Samoa has a graduated income tax topping out at 30%, which works out to 0.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $0 a year. Vermont has a graduated income tax topping out at 8.75%, which works out to 4.4% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,317 a year. American Samoa wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.50% of home value a year in American Samoa and 1.73% in Vermont (Tax Foundation, 2023), so American Samoa has the lower rate.
American Samoa has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 6.22% in Vermont.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $1,517 a year in American Samoa, $11,282 in Vermont. American Samoa is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
American Samoa's cost of living index is 110 and Vermont's is 111, where 100 is the national average; American Samoa is about 1% cheaper day to day.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election American Samoa went to Harris by 15 points and Vermont went to Harris by 31 points.
American Samoa has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of B; Vermont has permitless carry and a grade of B-, so American Samoa regulates guns more tightly and Vermont is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Social Policy
Category wins
5
American Samoa
1
Vermont
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is American Samoa or Vermont better to live in?
American Samoa wins more of the measures that decide a move. American Samoa on taxes ($1,517 a year for a median household against $11,282); American Samoa on everyday costs (index 110 against 111).
Which is cheaper, American Samoa or Vermont?
American Samoa is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 110 against 111. On state and local taxes American Samoa saves a median household about $9,800 a year.
Does American Samoa or Vermont have lower taxes?
American Samoa. A household earning $74,580 pays about $1,517 a year in American Samoa ($0 income tax, $1,517 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax) and $11,282 in Vermont ($3,317 income tax, $6,574 property tax on the median home and $1,392 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Is American Samoa or Vermont better for retirees?
American Samoa is friendlier to retirees on paper. American Samoa does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Vermont taxes Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $1,517 a year in American Samoa and $6,574 in Vermont.