Chelsea, Vermont

Chelsea is the shire town of Orange County, up Route 110 from Tunbridge, with a village built around two greens and a brick courthouse. Roughly 1,200 people live here. It feels further from everywhere than it is — about half an hour to Randolph, Barre or Montpelier — and that distance is exactly why prices are gentler and the parcels are bigger.

What sells here

Village homes around the greens, farmhouses on the hill roads toward Washington and Vershire, and land — Chelsea has a lot of land, and I’ve sold my share of it. Buyers are a mix of locals moving within the valley and out-of-staters who’ve found that Chelsea is where their budget buys a view.

Before you buy

Same rules as the rest of the First Branch valley: wells, septic, dirt roads, and check the flood maps near the river. Broadband has improved with ECFiber on many roads; ask about a specific address. Town services are small and personal — the town clerk will know the property you’re asking about.