Starksboro has ridgeline views and room to homestead
Starksboro is a small town of about 1,800 residents in Addison County. Nestled in the Lewis Creek Valley, the area is known for its mountain views, sprawling farmland and rolling terrain. “It’s a convenient location, but you have tons of privacy and a lot of land to roam and beautiful scenery,” says Kelsey Houle, director of operations for the Nancy Jenkins real estate team. “You’re 10 minutes from a grocery store and 20 minutes from Burlington. It’s a good mix of country living, close to the ski mountain and Burlington, but set back from it all.”
New England architecture with ample acreage
Starksboro offers a range of housing options, from smaller manufactured homes to grand country estates on dozens of acres. “Acreage is a big draw,” Houle says. The area is filled with classic New England architecture, including Colonial Revival, Cape Cod and saltbox-style homes. Log cabins and farmhouses with room for gardens, sheds and fire pits are also common. Depending on location, buyers can wake up to views of Mount Ellen, Mount Abraham, Camel’s Hump or the Green Mountains. The median home price is $405,000, on par with Middlebury and slightly lower than Bristol. Many homes in the area were built within the last 50 years, in contrast to some nearby towns with restrictions on new development. “Vermont has Act 250, which has restrictions on how much you can build an area up,” Houle says. “It’s designed to keep Vermont the natural setting that we know and love.”
Year-round outdoor recreation in and around Starksboro
Hiking trails for all skill levels are spread throughout the area, from gentle slopes to challenging treks up mountain ridges. Hikers who make it to the summit of Camel’s Hump State Park are rewarded with sweeping vistas of the mountain range and Lake Champlain, about 15 miles away. The lake is a year-round hotspot, with boating, fishing and watersports in summer and ice fishing, skating and snowshoeing in winter. Mountain ski resorts like Mad River Glen Cooperative and Sugarbush Resort are open year-round but come to life in the fall and winter. Hunters and trappers can catch in-season game at the Lewis Creek Wildlife Management Area, and the Cota Recreation Area has several ball fields, picnic tables and a trail with access to Lewis Creek. For local events, residents look forward to the annual Starksboro Harvest Festival, a fall celebration with live music and games. Bristol also hosts a harvest festival in September with dozens of vendors, food and live entertainment. Local farms get in on the action, too. “There are a lot of Christmas tree farms and a lot of maple sugaring happening,” Houle says, referring to the syrup-making process.
Charming eateries, art galleries and shops in Bristol
Family farms, forests and orchards encircle Starksboro. Many locals buy produce, meat and other goods at roadside farm stands or directly from farmers. Some residents grow their own veggies at the community garden behind the town hall. Bristol has a weekly farmers market from June through September, as well as Shaw’s grocery store for year-round shopping. Located about 10 minutes away, Bristol has a quaint village center with local shops, restaurants and art galleries. The Bobcat Café and Brewery has house-made brews and pub grub, while neighboring Cubbers is known for pizza and subs. Minifactory serves up brunch, sandwiches, bakery items and specialty groceries. Shoppers at Recycled Reading of Vermont can hunt for used books, art supplies, instruments, games and toys. For more options, Burlington is about 20 miles away.
Small class sizes at Robinson Elementary School
Kids can start at Robinson Elementary School, a kindergarten through Grade 6 school with an enrollment of about 100 students. The school receives a B grade from Niche. From there, students may attend Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School, rated C-plus. The high school offers art classes like ceramics, calligraphy, and jewelry design and metalsmithing. High schoolers can take career classes at the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury, which offers programs like sustainable agriculture, visual communications, culinary arts and advanced manufacturing.
A 20-mile drive to Burlington or Middlebury
The area is largely car-dependent, but a Vermont Park-and-Ride lot is located behind the town hall. Operated by Green Mountain Transit and Tri-Valley Transit, the Route 116 commuter bus runs on weekdays between Burlington and Middlebury and stops at the lot. Route 116 is the main thoroughfare that leads to Burlington, 20 miles to the north, and Middlebury, 20 miles south.
Things to keep in mind
Lewis Creek has several branches in the area that are prone to flooding. In July 2024, Starksboro was heavily impacted by flooding and mudslides, which completely washed away one road and damaged many others.
Written By
Leslie Klosterman
