Buying Land in Franklin County, Vermont

Vermont's dairy capital -- and an industry now going through a real, current shakeout

Franklin County has been Vermont's dairy hub for well over a century -- the Franklin County Creamery Association in St. Albans was reportedly the world's largest butter factory in the 1890s -- and it remains the state's largest dairy-producing county today, with more dairy cows and a higher concentration of active dairy farms (89 as of 2024) than anywhere else in Vermont. But the processing side of that economy is currently contracting sharply: in 2026, Dairy Farmers of America began idling its historic St. Albans milk plant and Franklin Foods announced its own facility closure, together with other regional dairy-manufacturing losses. Farms here also sit within a specific, actively enforced state water-quality regulatory regime tied to Missisquoi Bay's phosphorus problem. Neither of these facts means dairy farming in Franklin County is disappearing, but both are current, material considerations for anyone evaluating a dairy-farm purchase here on an assumed-stable historical picture. See our dedicated farm-land page for Franklin County for the current processing-plant closures, the specific regulatory obligations, and what to check before buying.

Vermont's only Canada-bordering county, and the federal boundary-vista rule

Franklin County is the only Vermont county that borders Canada, sharing an international line with the province of Quebec along its northern towns -- Richford, Berkshire, Franklin, and Highgate among them. A parcel that actually runs up to or near the border carries one specific, federally administered land-use consideration worth knowing about directly: the International Boundary Commission maintains a continuous 20-foot-wide cleared "vista" along the entire 5,525-mile US-Canada boundary, split evenly (10 feet on each side of the centerline) between the two countries' funding responsibility. The Commission holds legal authority to clear vegetation necessary to maintain that vista on private landowners' property, and a landowner who wants to do any work of their own within that 20-foot strip needs a letter of authorization from the Commission first.

This rule applies along the entire US-Canada border nationally, not as something unique to Franklin County -- but it's genuinely relevant here because Franklin is Vermont's only county where it actually comes into play. If you're evaluating a parcel with frontage on or near the international boundary, confirm with the International Boundary Commission directly what the vista strip's exact location is on that specific property and what it means for any fencing, tree-clearing, or building plans near the line -- don't assume ordinary property-line rules apply the same way right at an international border.

No county zoning -- confirm with the specific town

As everywhere in Vermont, Franklin County has no zoning authority of its own. St. Albans City is the shire town and the county's only city, but it's a separate municipality from the surrounding Town of St. Albans, which entirely encircles it -- a distinction worth getting right, since the two have entirely separate zoning bylaws despite sharing a name. The rest of the county's towns -- Swanton, Highgate, Fairfax, Georgia, Enosburgh, Richford, Berkshire, Franklin, Fairfield, Bakersfield, Fletcher, Montgomery, and Sheldon -- each set their own bylaw independently. Confirm zoning, permitted uses, and setbacks with the specific municipality; there is no countywide zoning code.

Act 250 District 6 and the Essex Regional DEC office

Franklin County shares Act 250 District 6 with Grand Isle County, one of the nine District Environmental Commissions reviewing development statewide under the framework our Vermont state hub describes. Septic and water-supply permitting for Franklin County runs through the Vermont DEC's Essex Regional Office in Essex Junction (the same office that also serves Chittenden and Grand Isle counties), which issues Water/Wastewater System permits directly at the state level -- separate from, and required in addition to, any town zoning permit or Act 250 review that also applies.

What to check before buying land in Franklin County

Confirm zoning, permitted uses, and setbacks with the specific municipality -- remember that St. Albans City and the Town of St. Albans are separate zoning jurisdictions despite the shared name. If you're buying working dairy farmland, check the current status of the nearest processing options given the 2026 plant closures and confirm the farm's Required Agricultural Practices compliance history -- see our dedicated farm-land page for Franklin County for both. If the parcel runs up to or near the Canadian border, contact the International Boundary Commission directly about the 20-foot vista strip before planning any building, fencing, or clearing near the line. Plan on an Act 250 District 6 review for anything crossing the standard thresholds, and a Vermont DEC Essex Regional Office Water/Wastewater permit for any new or replacement septic system and water supply.