Colchester brings together many of the best parts of life in Vermont. Located on Lake Champlain, one of the most pristine freshwater bodies in the whole of the United States, Colchester’s natural beauty combines the clean air and elevation of life in the mountains with the mariner’s dreams of life on the water. A tourist spot of unparalleled majesty, wherein boat enthusiasts and fishermen gather, Colchester also borders the city of Burlington to the south and is located conveniently close to the Canadian border, as well as a reasonable drive from upstate New York or the rest of New England. Colchester is a beautiful place, ideal for commuters and the rustically inclined. 

Vermont as a whole has suffered from inflated housing prices in the past two decades, and Colchester is no exception. Its scenic locale and desirable location ratchet up prices even further, as does the local reluctance to build new housing for fear of spoiling the quaint small-town feel. It is generally recommended that you have housing secured before moving to Colchester for this exact reason, and to be aware of the high property taxes.

LookyLOO Review of Colchester

As befits its geography, Colchester has amazing outdoor play year-round. Niquette Bay State Park has amazing hiking and swimming in and around Lake Champlain. The Father’s Day Fishing Derby, founded in 1981, brings in thousands of competitors, it's a one-of-a-kind event. The Parks Department offers an Easter Egg Hunt, a Summer Concert Series, and a Winter Carnival. In addition, gun culture is alive and well, and enthusiasts will find no lack of camaraderie. Finally, Saint Michael’s Playhouse has theatrical experiences for the curious, and the abundance of microbreweries has plenty to explore for beer fanatics.

If you want to see what locals get up to for fun check out the Colchester [calendar of events](https://www.colchestersun.com/things_to_do/calendar/). 

We highly recommend visiting Colchester and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

Lifestyle 

Tourism is one of the primary industries in Colchester. Lake Champlain brings in a high number of summer tourists, as does Leaf Peeping in the Fall and skiing and hiking in the winter. Working for the tourism industry or parks department is often considered a viable career in town, as is working at the local hospice and housing chapter. Meanwhile, Green Mountain Power provides several blue-collar jobs, and Saint Michael’s College offers employment opportunities in higher education. In many ways, Colchester is a service-oriented town: serving others, serving the community, serving visitors, or simply serving nature. If that appeals to you, you may find Colchester an excellent potential home. 


Worklife 

Colchester is unique because you can live deep in nature while still bordering Vermont’s largest city - best of both worlds. It's expensive, locals comment on how much they love their town, and the friendly local atmosphere is considered palpable. To many, moving to Colchester can feel like coming home, even if you've never been there before. 


Deep In Nature 

Why You Should Move Here Now

**hamburgerbear**
9mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

We bought a house here 3 years ago after being lifelong Vermonters and having lived in Burlington for the last 10 years. The amenities and the commute aren’t the greatest, but the amount of house we could get for the value in this area made it well worth it. And it’s super quick to get into to town to do things. At the end of the day we love it and are happy here. We’re also early thirties with one kid so far. Hannafords on north ave is the grocery store. Pioneer cafe is an awesome restaurant but the only good one we have out here. Otherwise we go to winooski or burlington for food. I would imagine it’s no problem to get an Uber.

For more reviews of what living in Colchester is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/colchester/reviews).

Reviews of Colchester from Locals

Colchester is a suburb of Burlington and as such caters almost entirely to families. If you're interested in living on the water then start your search in Bayside Park. It's located on the western shore of Malletts Bay, and is a a mix of single-family homes and apartments. It's close to the Colchester Causeway, a is a hotspot for walking, jogging, and cycling. If you want to raise the kiddos on the water this is your spot. 

A great alternative is Colchester Heights. It's on a hill overlooking Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains and has the best views in the area of some of the most beautiful scenery in Vermont.

All neighborhoods in the city are served by excellent public schools so you get a combo of a great outdoor lifestyle and a great education. 
- Bayside Park
- Colchester Heights
- Colchester Village
- Airport Park 


Families

Bayside Park

Colchester

**Prize_Vast_2759**
9mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Once you are out here, it’s great. It’s quiet, there are parks/causeway/bike path and a nice sense of community. The bugs are awful, we have our property treated for mosquitoes or we wouldn’t be able to go outside for any length of time. Is it inconvenient to get to let’s say, Williston? For sure. But it’s close to Burlington and about 20 minutes to Target/Trader Joes. No it’s not perfect, but I wouldn’t want to live anyway else in VT. I love love love driving past the lake everyday

**hamburgerbear**
9mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

We bought a house here 3 years ago after being lifelong Vermonters and having lived in Burlington for the last 10 years. The amenities and the commute aren’t the greatest, but the amount of house we could get for the value in this area made it well worth it. And it’s super quick to get into to town to do things. At the end of the day we love it and are happy here. We’re also early thirties with one kid so far. Hannafords on north ave is the grocery store. Pioneer cafe is an awesome restaurant but the only good one we have out here. Otherwise we go to winooski or burlington for food. I would imagine it’s no problem to get an Uber

**phred14**
9mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Chittenden County
I've lived in that area for 41 years this fall and raised 2 kids who are now on their own. We've been happy here. We don't have direct lake access, but we have friends who live on the lake and are a ten minute walk from the beach at Rossetti. We're on a cul-de-sac, but the bike path goes right by the end of the street and we make heavy use of it.

I'll have to agree with what others say about the small grocery and few restaurants, but that's not a big deal for us. It does take a while getting out of Colchester from here, but again we've just factored it in and live with it. We're happy and not planning on moving.

Colchester, Vermont

The Lakers

Looklyloo Score: 90