About Vernon
What it's like to live here
Vernon is the most populous town in Tolland County, with about 30,800 people just east of Manchester. I-84 runs through the middle of town, so downtown Hartford is about 12 miles and 20 minutes away. The town takes in the former city of Rockville, the mill villages of Talcottville and Dobsonville, and the Vernon Center area along Route 30.
Vernon was incorporated from Bolton in 1808 and named for George Washington's Mount Vernon. In 1802 John Warburton built a cotton mill on the Tankerhoosen River at what became Talcottville, the first financially successful cotton mill in the state. In Rockville, the Hockanum River drops 254 feet in about a mile and a half on its way out of Shenipsit Lake, and it powered the woolen mills that made Rockville a city from 1889 until it merged with the town in 1965. The Rockville Historic District, listed in 1984, covers 842 buildings.
Our Glastonbury office at 59 Sycamore Street is about 25 minutes south. Our agents live and sell here.
Vernon Highlights
- The Rockville Historic District, 842 buildings from the woolen-mill era
- 5.1 miles of the Hop River State Park Trail
- Valley Falls Park and the 72-foot Tower on Fox Hill in Henry Park
- I-84 puts downtown Hartford about 20 minutes away
Vernon market at a glance
Vernon real estate market
Year to date through August 2026, single-family homes in Vernon sold for a median of $385,000, closed at a median of 106.7% of list price, and spent a median of 20 days on the market. At the end of August, 25 single-family homes were for sale (1.5 months of supply). Condos and townhouses sold for a median of $251,500.
Written figures: SmartMLS Local Market Update, single-family, year to date through August 2026. Charts update automatically from SmartMLS, include all property types, and show rolling 12-month data.
Neighborhoods
Getting to know Vernon
Rockville
The former city (1889 to 1965) built around the Hockanum River mills, now the 842-building Rockville Historic District with Central Park, Talcott Park and the Memorial Building.
Talcottville
A 19th-century mill village on the Tankerhoosen River, with mill worker housing and an 1891 iron truss bridge, listed on the National Register in 1989.
Vernon Center
The crossroads of Center Road and Hartford Turnpike (Route 30), once a stagecoach stop on the Hartford and Tolland Turnpike and marked by the turnpike company's 1801 milestone.
Fox Hill
The hill above Rockville topped by the 72-foot Tower on Fox Hill, a WPA project dedicated in 1939 and now part of Henry Park.
Valley Falls
The area around Valley Falls Park on Valley Falls Road, with a pond, pavilion, trails and the National Register sites of an old cotton mill and trout hatchery.
Dobsonville
A former mill hamlet on the Tankerhoosen River named for cotton pioneer Peter Dobson, where the Talcott Ravine loop trail passes the Dobsonville Dam and old mill ruins.
Buying or selling
Why Vernon?
Why buy in Vernon
- I-84 runs through town, putting downtown Hartford about 20 minutes west, with Manchester right next door
- Vernon Public Schools: Center Road, Lake Street, Maple Street, Northeast and Skinner Road elementary schools, Vernon Center Middle School and Rockville High School
- Time outdoors at Valley Falls Park, the 282-acre Belding Wildlife Management Area, Talcott Ravine and 5.1 miles of the Hop River State Park Trail
- Downtown Rockville's Victorian streets around Central Park, plus the Rockville Public Library
- The New England Civil War Museum in Rockville's Memorial Building, home to the oldest continuously used Grand Army of the Republic hall in the country
Why sell in Vernon now
- Single-family homes are selling in a median of 20 days (year to date through August 2026)
- Sellers are getting a median of 106.7% of list price
- The single-family median sale price is $385,000 year to date
- About 1.5 months of supply, still a seller's market
Questions
Vernon real estate FAQ
What is the median home price in Vernon, CT?
For single-family homes, $385,000 year to date through August 2026, according to the SmartMLS Local Market Update. Condos and townhouses: $251,500. The live charts above show the latest trend.
What is the property tax rate in Vernon?
The mill rate for fiscal year 2026-27 is 36.31 for real estate, per the Town of Vernon. That is $36.31 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value, and Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value.
How far is Vernon from Hartford and Manchester?
Downtown Hartford is about 12 miles, roughly 20 minutes, via I-84. Manchester is right next door, about 4 miles from Vernon Center.
What schools serve Vernon?
Vernon Public Schools serves the whole town: five elementary schools, Center Road, Lake Street, Maple Street, Northeast and Skinner Road (K-5, most with PreK), plus Vernon Center Middle School (6-8) and Rockville High School (9-12).
Does Carl Guild & Associates have an office near Vernon?
Yes. Our Glastonbury office at 59 Sycamore Street is about 25 minutes south of Vernon. Call 860-474-3500.
Currently on the market
Homes for sale in Vernon
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