Kentucky
Moderate tax burden · COL index 85
Wins 8 categories
Vermont
High tax burden · COL index 111
Wins 5 categories
Vermont's top income tax rate is 8.75% vs Kentucky's 4%. Cost of living in Vermont (index 111) runs 31% higher than Kentucky (index 85). Property taxes are meaningfully different: Vermont averages 1.73% annually vs Kentucky's 0.78%. The median home in Vermont costs $380K vs $215K in Kentucky.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
8
Kentucky
5
Vermont
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Are people moving out of Vermont?
More people are leaving Vermont. Here's where they're going. More people left Vermont than moved in between the summers of 2024 and 2025, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. About 700 residents left the Green Mountain for other states on net during that period.
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According to CNBC, it's quality of life. For the fifth year in a row, the publication ranked Vermont the 2025 No. 1 state in the U.S. for quality of life, spotlighting the Green Mountain State's low crime rate, clean air, and healthy lifestyles for residents.