Land for Sale in Essex County, VT
Essex County is the least populous county in Vermont and in all of New England, with 5,920 residents (2020 census) across 675 square miles of Northeast Kingdom forest along the Connecticut River. Act 250 land-use review and the state's Current Use program both affect what you can do, and this guide covers each.
Essex County at a glance
- County seat: Guildhall. Towns include Brighton, Canaan, Lunenburg and Bloomfield; Island Pond is a census-designated place.
- 2020 population 5,920, the least populous county in Vermont and New England; about 675 square miles.
- Highways: US 2 and VT 102, 105 and 114.
- The Connecticut River separates the county from New Hampshire; part of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is here.
- A 1999 purchase of about 86,212 acres across fourteen towns kept traditional logging and recreation uses.
The Essex County land market
Buyers look for woodland, hunting and fishing camps, snowmobile country and homesites in small villages such as Island Pond and Canaan. Parcels range from 5-acre lots to hundreds of acres of managed timberland. Winters are long and snowy.
Act 250
Vermont's Act 250 requires a state permit for larger developments. In towns with permanent zoning and subdivision bylaws (10-acre towns) it applies to development on parcels of 10 acres or more, while in towns without them (1-acre towns) it applies to projects on a parcel of one acre or more. Subdivision thresholds are lower in towns without bylaws, and development above 2,500 feet is covered. Those thresholds come from legislative materials from 2017 to 2019, so check the current rules and the town's classification with the Natural Resources Board before you plan a subdivision, a large house site or a camp development.
Current Use and the land use change tax
Vermont's Use Value Appraisal program (Current Use) lets owners of at least 25 contiguous acres of managed forest or farmland pay tax on use value. When enrolled land is developed, the owner owes a land use change tax of 10% of the fair market value of the developed portion, and a lien is recorded on the land. A transfer that creates parcels under 25 acres is generally treated as development, except certain transfers to immediate relatives, and a two-acre housesite must be withdrawn before a dwelling is built. Ask whether a parcel is enrolled and who bears the tax if you build or split.
Roads, power and seasons
Many camp roads are town Class 4 roads or private roads that are not plowed, so confirm legal access and winter maintenance. Power may be far from the lot, and cell and broadband coverage can be limited. Ask for a septic design and soil test early.
Before you buy land in Essex County
- Act 250 jurisdiction and the town's zoning classification for your plan.
- Current Use enrollment and the 10% change tax on the area you will develop.
- Recorded legal access and whether the road is plowed.
- Septic design, well, power and broadband.
- Boundary lines on timberland; get a survey.
How to verify legal access to landLand due diligence checklist
Frequently asked questions
What is Vermont's Current Use program?
It lets owners of at least 25 contiguous acres of managed forest or farmland be taxed at use value, with a land use change tax of 10% of fair market value on land that is developed.
When does Act 250 apply?
To larger developments, with thresholds that depend on whether the town has permanent zoning and subdivision bylaws. Confirm the current thresholds with the Natural Resources Board.
How many people live in Essex County, Vermont?
About 5,920 in 2020, the least in Vermont and New England.