Vermont

Vermont(/vərˈmɒnt/)is astatein theNew Englandregion of theNortheastern United States. It bordersMassachusettsto the south,New Hampshireto the east,New Yorkto the west, and theCanadianprovinceofQuebecto the north. According to the most recentU.S. Censusestimates, the state has an estimated population of 648,493,making it thesecond-least populatedof all U.S. states. It is the nation'ssixth smallest state in area. The state's capital ofMontpelieris the least populousU.S. state capital. No other U.S. state has amost populous citywith fewer residents thanBurlington.
Native Americanshave inhabited the area for about 12,000 years. The competitive tribes of theAlgonquian-speakingAbenakiandIroquoian-speakingMohawkwere active in the area at the time of European encounter. During the 17th century, French colonists claimed the territory as part ofNew France. Conflict arose when theKingdom of Great Britainbegan to settle colonies to the south along the Atlantic coast; France was defeated in 1763 in theSeven Years' War, ceding its territory east of theMississippi Riverto Britain. Thereafter, the nearby BritishThirteen Coloniesdisputed the extent of the area called theNew Hampshire Grantsto the west of theConnecticut River, encompassing present-day Vermont. The provincial government of New York sold land grants to settlers in the region, which conflicted with earlier grants from the government of New Hampshire. TheGreen Mountain Boysmilitia protected the interests of the established New Hampshire land grant settlers. Ultimately, a group of settlers with New Hampshire land grant titles established theVermont Republicin 1777 as an independent state during theAmerican Revolutionary War. The Vermont Republicabolished slaverybefore any other U.S. state.It wasadmitted to the Unionin 1791 as the 14th state.
The geography of the state is marked by theGreen Mountains, which run north–south up the middle of the state, separatingLake Champlainand other valley terrain on the west from theConnecticut River Valleythat defines much of its eastern border. A majority of its terrain is forested with hardwoods andconifers. The state has warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.
Vermont's economic activity of$40.6 billionin 2022is ranked last on thelist of U.S. states and territories by GDP, but 21st in GDP per capita. Known for itsprogressivism, the state was one of the first in the U.S. to recognize same-sexcivil unionsandmarriage, has the highest proportion ofrenewableelectricity generation at 99.9%, and is one of theleast religiousandleast racially/ethnically diversestates. Dairy, forestry,maple syrup, and wine are important sectors in Vermont's agricultural economy. Vermont produces approximately 50% of the nation's maple syrup.
The French explorerSamuel de Champlainis sometimes credited with coining the nameVermont, but it does not in fact appear until 1777, when, at the suggestion ofThomas Young, it was adopted as the name of theVermont Republic(replacingNew Connecticut, the name the republic had borne for the first six months of its existence).It represents a French translation ofGreen Mountain(s). The latter first appears in 1772 in the context of theGreen Mountain Boys.
The first humans to inhabit what is now Vermont arrived about 11,000 years ago, as theglaciersof thelast ice agereceded.Small groups ofhunter-gatherersfollowed herds ofcaribou,elk, andmastodonthrough the grasslands of theChamplain Valley. At that time much of region was mixedtundra. The oldest human artifacts are 11,000 year oldprojectile pointsfound along the eastern shore of the saltwaterChamplain Sea.This time is known as thePaleo-Indianperiod.
By about 8,000 years ago, the Champlain Sea had become the freshwaterLake Champlainand the climate was moretemperate, bringing increased diversity of flora and fauna.This was the beginning of theArchaic period. By about 4,300 years ago, the forests were as they are today.Large mammals underwent extinction or migrated north, and the human population became reliant on smaller game and plants.People developed fishing equipment and stone cookware, and practiced woodworking and food storage.They had time for travel, leisure, and performed elaborate ceremonies.Most of the state's territory was occupied by theAbenaki, south-western parts were inhabited by theMohicansand south-eastern borderlands by thePocumtucand thePennacook.
About 3,000 years ago, theWoodland periodbegan.Food was increasingly sourced from domesticated plants, includingmaize,beans, andsquash. Agriculture meant a more sedentary life and larger settlements.Pottery was made from localclay, and tools were made fromchertfound along theWinooski River. Canoes were used for fishing and travel.
The arrival of European explorers in the 1600s marked the end of the Woodland period and the beginning of theAbenaki. At that time, there were about 10,000 Indigenous people in what is now Vermont, of whom an estimated 75–90% were killed by European diseases likesmallpox.Survivors moved north toNew Franceor assimilated with European settlers.Today, there are noIndian reservationsin Vermont. In 2021, 0.2% of live births in Vermont were to American Indian people.
Nearly all information about thePre-Columbian eraof Vermont is from found artifacts. About 750prehistoricsites are known in Vermont,but few have beenexcavated by archaeologists, and those on private property benefit from no legal protection.
About 20 nativetoponymssurvive in the state, includingLake Bomoseen,Lake Memphremagog,Missisquoi River,Monadnock Mountain, andWinooski.
In 1609,Samuel de Champlainled the first European expedition toLake Champlain. He named the lake after himself and made the first known map of the area. The land that is now Vermont remained part of New France until 1763.
The French had a military presence around Lake Champlain, since it was an important waterway,but they did very little colonization. In 1666, they builtFort Sainte AnneonIsle La Motteto defend Canada from theIroquois. It was abandoned by 1670.A short-lived settlement existed at Pointe à l'Algonquin, now Windmill Point,Alburgh. A village with a church, saw mill and fifty huts existed at the present site ofSwanton. Much of the eastern shore of Lake Champlain was mapped out withseigniories, but settlers were unwilling to populate the area, possibly because of continual warfare and raiding there.
The English also made unsuccessful attempts to colonize the area in the 1600s. In 1724, they builtFort Dummernear what is nowBrattleboro, but it remained a small and isolated outpost, often under attack by the Abenaki.
With the 1763Treaty of Paris, France ceded its claims east of theMississippi Riverto theKingdom of Great Britain, making the area more attractive to settlement.At the same time, New England was overcrowded; new land was needed for settlement.The territory west of theConnecticut Riverwas the last unsettled part of New England, and both theProvince of New Hampshireand theProvince of New Yorklaid claim to it.
In 1749, New Hampshire governorBenning Wentworthbegan to auction land in an uncolonized area between Lake Champlain and theConnecticut River.This area became known as theNew Hampshire Grants. This westward expansion was started to increase New Hampshire's tax base and claim the timber there,White Pinein particular.
There were eventually 135New Hampshire Grants. The first of Benning Wentworth's grants included a town named after himself:Bennington. A typical town, it was 6 square miles (16 km), contained 48 lots, with land set aside for a school, a church, and a town center.Five hundred acres of the best land was kept by Wentworth for later resale.
Settlers came from across New England, and were obliged to "Plant and Cultivate Five Acres of Land" within five years.Some settlers kept to the agreement and started farms. Others, likeEthan Allen, did not. They wanted to sell the land for profit.Those who purchased New Hampshire Grants ran into disagreements with New York, which began selling off the same land asland patents.
In 1764,King George IIIproclaimed the territory to be under the jurisdiction of New York, which meant that the New Hampshire Grant landowners did not have legal title.Meanwhile, New York continued selling large tracts of land, many of which overlapped with those already inhabited.The dispute led toEthan Allenforming theGreen Mountain Boys, an illicit militia that attacked New York settlers and speculators through arson and mob violence.They eventually repelled the New Yorkers, and went on, withBenedict Arnold, to fight in theAmerican Revolutionary War, where they capturedFort Ticonderogafrom the British.
On January 15, 1777, representatives of the New Hampshire Grants declared the independence ofVermont.For the first six months of its existence, it was called the Republic of New Connecticut.
On June 2, 1777, a second convention of 72 delegates met and adopted the name "Vermont". This was on the advice ofThomas Young, a mentor of Ethan Allen. He advised them on how to achieve admission into the newly independent United States of America as the 14th state.On July 4, they completed the drafting of the firstConstitution of Vermont(in effect from 1777 to 1786) at theWindsor Tavern, and adopted it on July 8. This was the first written constitution in North America to ban adultslavery,stating thatmale slaves become free at the age of 21 and females at 18. It provided for universal adult male suffrage and established a public school system.
TheBattle of Benningtonwas fought on August 16, 1777. A combined American force under GeneralJohn Stark, attacked theHessiancolumn atHoosick, New York, just across the border from Bennington. It killed or captured virtually the entire Hessian detachment. GeneralJohn Burgoynenever recovered from this loss and eventually surrendered the remainder of the 6,000-man force atSaratoga, New York, on October 17 of that year.
The battles of Bennington andSaratogatogether are recognized as the turning point in the Revolutionary War because they were the first major defeat of a British army. The anniversary of the battle is celebrated in Vermont as a legal holiday.
TheBattle of Hubbardton(July 7, 1777) was the only Revolutionarybattle within the present boundaries of Vermont. Although the Continental forces suffered defeat, the British forces were damaged to the point that they did not pursue the Americans (retreating from Fort Ticonderoga) any further.
Vermont continued to govern itself as a sovereign entity based in the eastern town ofWindsorfor 14 years. The independent state of Vermont issued its own coinage from 1785 to 1788 and operated a national postal service.Thomas Chittendenwas the Governor in 1778–1789 and in 1790–1791.
Because the state of New York continued to assert that Vermont was a part of New York, Vermont could not beadmitted to the Unionunder Article IV, Section3 of the Constitution until the legislature of New York consented. On March 6, 1790, the legislature made its consent contingent upon a negotiated agreement on the precise boundary between the two states. When commissioners from New York and Vermont met to decide on the boundary, Vermont's negotiators insisted on also settling the property ownership disputes with New Yorkers, rather than leaving that decision to a federal court.The negotiations were successfully concluded in October 1790 with an agreement that Vermont would pay $30,000 to New York to be distributed among New Yorkers who claimed land in Vermont under New York land patents.In January 1791, a convention in Vermont voted 105–4to petition Congress to become a state in the federal union. Congress acted on February 18, 1791, to admit Vermont to the Union as the 14th state as of March 4, 1791; two weeks earlier on February 4, 1791, Congress had decided to admit Kentucky as the 15th state as of June 1, 1792.Vermont became the first state to enter the Union after the original 13 states. The revised constitution of 1786, which established a greater separation of powers, continued in effect until 1793, two years after Vermont's admission to the Union.
Under the Act "To Secure Freedom to All Persons Within This State,"slavery was officially outlawed by state law on November 25, 1858, less than three years before theAmerican Civil War.Vermonters provided refuge at several sites for escaped slaves fleeing to Canada, as part of theUnderground Railroad.
From the mid-1850s on, some Vermonters becameabolitionists, which they had previously worked to contain in the South. AbolitionistThaddeus Stevenswas born in Vermont and later represented a district in Pennsylvania in Congress. He developed as a national leader and later promotedRadical Republicangoals after theAmerican Civil War. As theWhig Partydeclined and theRepublican Partygrew, Vermont supported Republican candidates. In 1860, it voted forAbraham Lincoln, giving him the largest margin of victory of any state.
During theAmerican Civil War, Vermont sent 33,288 troops into United States service, of which 5,224 (more than 15 percent) died.
The northernmost land action of the war was theSt. Albans Raid—the robbery of three St. Albans banks, perpetrated in October 1864 by Confederate agents. A posse pursued the Confederate raiders into Canada and captured several, before having to turn them over to Canadian officials. Canada reimbursed the banks, released, and later re-arrested some of the perpetrators.
Beginning in the mid-19th century, Vermont industries attracted numerousIrish,Scottish, andItalianimmigrants, adding to its residents of mostlyEnglishand someFrench Canadianancestry. Many of the immigrants migrated toBarre, where many worked as stonecutters ofgranite, for which there was a national market. Vermont granite was used in major public buildings throughout the United States.
In this period, many Italian and Scottish women operated boarding houses to support their families. Such facilities helped absorb new residents and taught them the new culture; European immigrants peaked in number between 1890 and 1900. Typically immigrants boarded with people of their own language and ethnicity, but sometimes they boarded with others.
Gradually, the new immigrants assimilated into the state. Times of tension aroused divisions. In the early 20th century, some Vermonters were alarmed about the decline of rural areas; people left farming to move to cities and others seemed unable to fit within society. In addition, there was a wave of immigration by French Canadians, and Protestant Anglo-Americans feared being overtaken by the new immigrants, who added to the Catholic population of Irish and Italians. Based on the colonial past, some Yankee residents considered the French Canadians to have intermarried too frequently with Native Americans.
In 1970, the population of Vermont stood at 444,732. By 1980, it had increased by over 65,000 to 511,456. That change, an increase of 15 percent, was the largest increase in Vermont's population since the days of the Revolutionary War.
In 2002, the State of Vermont incorrectly reported that the Abenaki people had migrated north toQuebecby the end of the 17th century;however, in 2011, the State of Vermont designated theElnu Abenaki Tribeand theNulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nationasstate-recognized tribes; in 2012 it recognized theAbenaki Nation of Missisquoiand theKoasek Traditional Band of the Koos Abenaki Nation. In 2016, the state governor proclaimed Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day.Vermont has nofederally recognized tribes.
Vermont approved women's suffrage decades before it became part of the national constitution. Women were first allowed to vote in the elections of December 18, 1880, when they were granted limitedsuffrage. They were first allowed to vote in town elections, and later in state legislative races.
In 1931, Vermont was the 29th state to pass aeugenicslaw. Vermont, like other states, sterilized some patients in institutions and persons it had identified through surveys as degenerate or unfit. It nominally had permission from the patients or their guardians, but abuses were documented. Two-thirds of the sterilizations were done on women, and poor, unwed mothers were targeted, among others. There is disagreement about how many sterilizations were performed; most were completed between 1931 and 1941, but such procedures were recorded as late as 1970.
In 1964, theU.S. Supreme Courtdecision inReynolds v. Simsrequired "one man, one vote" redistricting in all states. It had found that many state legislatures had not redistricted and were dominated by rural interests, years after the development of densely populated and industrial urban areas. In addition, it found that many states had an upper house based on geographical jurisdictions, such as counties. This gave disproportionate power to rural and lightly populated counties.The court ruled there was no basis for such a structure. Major changes in political apportionment took place in Vermont and other affected states.
In the 21st century, Vermont increasingly became defined by its progressivism. It was the first state to introducecivil unionsin 2000 and the first state to legalizesame-sex marriagein 2009, unforced by court challenge or ruling.On January 22, 2018, Vermont became the first state to legalizecannabisfor recreational use by legislative action, and the ninth state in the United States to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. This law was signed by Republican GovernorPhil Scott.
Vermont is located in theNew Englandregion of thenortheastern United Statesand comprises 9,614 square miles (24,900 km), making it the 45th-largest state. It is the only state thatdoes not have any buildings taller than 124 feet (38 m).Land comprises 9,250 square miles (24,000 km) and water comprises 365 square miles (950 km), making it the 43rd-largest in land area and the 47th in water area. In total area, it is larger thanEl Salvadorand smaller thanHaiti. It is the only landlocked state in New England, and it is the easternmost and the smallest in area of all landlocked states.
TheGreen Mountainsin Vermont form a north–south spine running most of the length of the state, slightly west of its center. In the southwest portion of the state are located theTaconic Mountains.In the northwest, nearLake Champlain, is the fertileChamplain Valley. In the south of the valley isLake Bomoseen.
The west bank of theConnecticut Rivermarks the state's eastern border with New Hampshire, though much of the river flows within New Hampshire.41% of Vermont's land area is part of the Connecticut River's watershed.
Lake Champlain, the sixth-largest body of fresh water in the United States, separates Vermont from New York in the northwest portion of the state.
From north to south, Vermont is 159 miles (256 km) long. Its greatest width, from east to west, is 89 miles (143 km) at the Canada–U.S. border; the narrowest width is 37 miles (60 km) near the Massachusetts border. The width averages 60.5 miles (97.4 km). The state'sgeographic centeris approximately three miles (4.8 km) east ofRoxbury, inWashington County. There arefifteen U.S. federal border crossings between Vermont and Canada.
Several mountains have timberlines with delicate year-round alpine ecosystems, includingMount Mansfield, the highest mountain in the state;Killington Peak, the second-highest;Camel's Hump, the state's third-highest; andMount Abraham, the fifth-highest peak.Areas in Vermont administered by theNational Park Serviceinclude theMarsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park(inWoodstock) and theAppalachian National Scenic Trail.
The topography and climate make sections of Vermont subject to large-scaleflooding. Incidents include theGreat Vermont Flood of 1927, which killed 84 and damaged much of the state's infrastructure,the flood of 1973, which covered many of the state's roads in the southeast,andTropical Storm Irenein 2011, which caused substantial damage throughout the state.In response to the 1927 flood, the federal government funded construction of six flood control dams in the state, run by theArmy Corps of Engineers.These extreme rain and flooding events are expected tointensify with climate change.
Vermont has ten incorporated cities. The most populous city in Vermont isBurlington. Its metropolitan area is also the most populous in the state, with an estimate of 225,562 as of 2020.
Although thesetownsare large enough to be considered cities, they are not incorporated as such.
The annual mean temperature for the state is 43 °F (6 °C).Vermont has ahumid continental climate, withmuddysprings, in general a mild early summer, hot Augusts; it hascolorful autumns: Vermont's hills reveal red, orange, and (onsugar maples) gold foliage as cold weather approaches.Winters are colder at higher elevations.It has aKöppen climate classificationof Dfb, a temperate continental climate.
The rural northeastern section known as the "Northeast Kingdom" often averages 10 °F (5.6 °C) colder than the southern areas of the state during winter. The annual snowfall averages between 60 and 100 inches (1,500 and 2,500 mm) depending on elevation. Vermont is the seventh coldest state in the country.
The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F (41 °C), atVernon, on July 4, 1911. The lowest recorded temperature was −50 °F (−46 °C), atBloomfield, on December 30, 1933; this is the lowest temperature recorded in New England alongsideBig Black River, which recorded a verified −50 °F (−46 °C) in 2009.The agricultural growing season ranges from 120 to 180 days.TheUnited States Department of Agricultureplanthardiness zonesfor the state range between zone 3b, no colder than −35 °F (−37 °C), in theNortheast Kingdomand northern part of the state and zone 5b, no colder than −15 °F (−26 °C), in the southern part of the state.The state receives between 2,200 and 2,400 hours of sunshine annually. New England as a whole receives a range of less than 2,000 hours of sunshine in part of New Hampshire to as much as 2,600 hours of sunshine per year in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Climate change in Vermontencompasses theeffects of climate change, attributed to anthropogenic increases in atmosphericcarbon dioxide.
The state is already seeing effects of climate change that affect its ecosystems, economy and public health. According to the state government, rainfall has significantly increased in the last 50 years, storms and flooding have increased, and winters have become warmer and shorter.These changes have affected the winter tourism industry,and caused a decline in critical agricultural and woodland industries likemaple sugaring.
The state openly acknowledges and is developing programs that respond toglobal warming.Vermont was one of the first states in the United States to adoptgreenhouse gas emissionsgoals, in 2006.
There are five distinctphysiographicregions of Vermont.Categorized by geological and physical attributes, they are the Northeastern Highlands, the Green Mountains, theTaconic Mountains, the Champlain Lowlands, and the Vermont Piedmont.
About 500 million years ago, Vermont was part ofLaurentiaand located in the tropics.The central and southern Green Mountain range include the oldest rocks in Vermont, formed about one billion years ago during the first mountain building period (or orogeny). Subsequently, about400 millionyears ago, the second mountain building period created Green Mountain peaks that were 15,000–20,000 feet (4,600–6,100 m) tall, three to four times their current height and comparable to theHimalayas. The geological pressures that created those peaks remain evident as theChamplain Thrust, running north–south to the west of the mountains (now the eastern shore of Lake Champlain). It is an example of geological fault thrusting where bedrock is pushed over the newer rock formation.
As a result of tectonic formation, Vermont east of the Green Mountains tends to be formed from rocks produced in theSilurianandDevonianperiods, and western Vermont mainly from the olderPre-CambrianandCambrianmaterial.Several large deposits within the state contain granite.The remains of theChazy Formationcan be observed inIsle La Mottewhich was one of the first tropical reefs. It is the site of the limestone Fisk Quarry, which contains a collection of ancient marine fossils, such asstromatoporoids, that date to200 millionyears ago. At one point, Vermont is believed to have been connected to Africa (Pangaea); the fossils found and the rock formations found on the coasts in both Africa and America are evidence affirming the Pangaea theory.
In the past four centuries, Vermont has experienced a few earthquakes, rarely centered under the state. The highest ranked, in 1952, had aRichter magnitude scale6.0 and was based in Canada.
The state contains 41 species ofreptilesandamphibians(including thespring peeper), 89 species offish, of which 12 are nonnative;193 species of breeding birds, 58 species of mammals (includingblack bears,eastern chipmunks,coyotes,fishers,redandgray foxes,porcupines, andwoodchucks), more than 15,000 insect species (includingluna moths), and 2,000 higher plant species, plus fungi, algae, and 75 different types of natural communities.Vermont contains one species of venomous snake, thetimber rattlesnake, which is confined to a few acres in westernRutland County.
Wildlife has suffered because of human development in the state. By the mid-19th century,wild turkeyswere eradicated in the state throughhuntingandhabitat destruction. Sixteen were reintroduced in 1969, and had grown to a flock estimated to number 45,000 in 2009.In 2013, hunters killed 6,968 of these.Since 1970, reduction of farmland has resulted in reduced environment for, and resulted in a decline in, numbers of variousshrublandbirds, including theAmerican woodcock,brown thrasher,eastern towhee,willow flycatcher,golden-winged warbler,blue-winged warbler,field sparrow, andBaltimore oriole.Ospreys, whose eggs were previously damaged byDDT, began to reappear in 1998 and by 2010, were no longer endangered in the state.
Several species have declined or disappeared from the state, including bats, many of which have been killed bywhite-nose syndrome,theNew England cottontail, outcompeted by theeastern cottontail rabbit,and theyellow-banded bumblebee, gone as one of 19 species of bee in decline.
Invasive species and organisms include the Asianspotted wing drosophila, a destroyer of crops,andeastern equine encephalitis viruswhoseantibodieswere found in moose or deer in each of Vermont's counties.
Vermont is in thetemperate broadleaf and mixed forestsbiome. Much of the state, in particular the Green Mountains, is covered by theconifersandnorthern hardwoodsof theNew England-Acadian forests. The western border with New York and the area around Lake Champlain lies within theEastern Great Lakes lowland forests. The southwest corner of the state and parts of the Connecticut River are covered bynortheastern coastal forestsof mixedoak.
Invasivewild honeysucklehas been deemed a threat to the state's forests, native species of plants, and wildlife.Many of Vermont's rivers, including theWinooski River, have been subjected to artificial barriers to prevent flooding.
Climate changeappears to be affecting the maple sugar industry.Sugar mapleshave been subject to stress byacid rain,asian long-horned beetles, andpear thrips. In 2011, the deer herd had grown too large for the habitat, and many resorted to eating bark to survive the winter, destroying trees in the process. In addition, the sugar maples need a certain period of cold to produce sap for maple syrup. The time to tap these trees has shrunk to one week in recent years. The tree may be replaced by the more aggressiveNorway maples, in effect forcing the sugar maples to "migrate" north to Canada.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the state of Vermont had a population of 643,085 in the2020 U.S. census.Vermont was one of two states with fewer people than theDistrict of Columbia;Wyomingwas the other.Thecenter of populationof Vermont is located inWashington County, in the town ofWarren.
The influx ofdomestic migrantsin the 1960s to 1980s brought outlooks different than those of the native-born population. As one example, since 1988, Vermont has consistently voted for Democrats in national elections, despite having been the most Republican state in the nation for more than 100 years after the party's founding in the 1850s.
Inward migration to Vermont began to wane during the 2000s, and becameemigrationduring the 2010s. This trend reversed in the 2020s, with about 4,500 new residents domestically migrating to the state between 2020 and 2021.Chittenden Countyhas seen the most rapid population growth, experiencing a 7.5% increase between 2010 and 2020.In 2018, the top countries of origin for immigrants in Vermont wereCanada,Nepal,Jamaica, thePhilippinesandBosnia and Herzegovina.
As of 2022, 94% of Vermont's residents identify as racially White, and 92.2% of all residents are White people without Hispanic origin,making it one of the least diverse states in the U.S., except for Maine. When includingFrench Canadians, theFrenchmade up the largest ancestral and ethnic group, with 20% of Vermont's population identify as such, withIrishandEnglishalso making up large portions of the populace.
A total of 5,384 babies were born in 2021, a 4.89% increase from 2020. Of those births, 90.3% were non-Hispanic white. The fertility rate was 1.371, a slight increase from 2020.
Linguists have identified speech patterns found among Vermonters as belonging toWestern New England English, a dialect ofNew England English, which featuresfull pronunciation of allrsounds,pronouncinghorseandhoarsethe same, andpronouncing vowels infatherandbotherthe same, none of which are features traditionally shared in neighboringEastern New England English.Some rural speakers realize thetas aglottal stop(mittensounds like "mi'in" andVermontlike "Vermon' ").A dwindling segment of the Vermont population, generally both rural and male, pronounces certain vowels in a distinctive manner (e.g.cowswith araised vowelas[kʰɛʊz]andridewith a backed, somewhatrounded vowelas[ɹɒɪd]).
Eastern New England English—also found in New Hampshire, Maine and eastern Massachusetts—was common in eastern Vermont in the mid-twentieth century and before, but has become rare.This accentdrops thersoundin words ending inr(farmersounds like "farm-uh") andadds anrsoundto some words ending in a vowel (ideasounds like "idee-er") was common.Those characteristics in eastern Vermont appear to have been inherited fromWest CountryandScots-Irishancestors.
Vermont is one of three states (along withMaineand New Hampshire) whereFrenchis the second-most spoken language at home, which is largely due to the state's proximity to the province ofQuebec.New England French, a unique dialect spoken in many of Vermont's Francophone homes, is derived from Quebec French, in contrast to theBrayon Frenchwhich predominates in the Francophone regions of northern Maine which were settled primarily byAcadians.
According to thePew Research Centerin 2014, 37% reported no religion, the highest rate of irreligion of all U.S. states.The Pew Research Center also determined the largest religion wasChristianity;Catholicsmade up 22% of the population andProtestantswere 30%. In contrast withSouthern U.S.trends, the majority of Protestants aremainline Protestant, dominated byMethodism. TheUnited Methodist Churchwas the largest mainline Protestant denomination in Vermont, followed by theAmerican Baptist Churches USAandUnited Church of Christ. Evangelical Protestants were dominated byindependent Baptist churches. Major non-Christian religions wereJudaism,Islam,Buddhism,Hinduism, and other faiths. The largest non-Christian religious group outside of irreligion wereUnitarians. An estimated 3.1% of the irreligious wereatheist.
With the publication of a study by thePublic Religion Research Institutein 2020, Christianity spread among Protestantism, Catholicism, and non-mainstream Christians includingMormonismand theJehovah's Witnesseswere approximately 64% of the adult population.The religiously unaffiliated were determined to be an estimated 30% of the total adult population according to the Public Religion Research Institute. As of 2022 per the Public Religion Research Institute, Vermont became pluralityirreligious, and consistently ranks as one of the most secular states in the United States.The 2022 study estimated 48% of the population were religiously unaffiliated, while 45% were Christian altogether (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, and Jehovah's Witness).
TheAssociation of Religion Data Archivesreported that in 2020, the religiously affiliated population were primarily Christian. The single largest Christian denominations were the following: the Catholic Church (124,208); United Church of Christ (11,882); and the United Methodist Church (9,652). Non-denominational Protestants numbered 29,830.Among the largest Christian denominations at this study, Catholics had an adherence rate of 208.70 per 1,000 people; the United Church of Christ 18.48 per 1,000 people; and United Methodists 15.01 per 1,000 people.ARDA's 2020 membership tabulations reflected the Pew Research Center's 2014 study where 21% of the population attended religious services weekly, 32% once or twice a month, and 47% seldom/never.In a 2018 research article by theNational Christian Foundation, non-churchgoing Christians nationwide did not attend religious services often through practicing the faith in other ways, not finding a house of worship they liked, disliking sermons and feeling unwelcomed, and logistics.
In 2021, Vermont had a total employment of 239,758, and the total employer establishments were 20,696.
As of 2022, Vermont'sgross regional domestic product(GRDP) was$40.6 billion, making it the smallest among U.S. states. Its per capita GDP was $63,206, ranking it 21st among the states.
In 2008, components of GDP were:
As of 2019, Canada was Vermont's largest foreign trade partner, followed byTaiwan. Quebec received 75% of the state's exports to Canada.
In 2022, 7,457 new businesses were registered in Vermont.Retail sales reached$10.8 billionin 2017, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
In 2021, the state had a median household income of $67,674, with approximately 10.3% of the population at or below the poverty line.The median wage in the state was $22.75 hourly or $47,320 annually in 2022.In 2007, about 80% of the 68,000 Vermonters who qualify for food stamps received them.40% of seniors 75 years or older live on annual incomes of $21,660 or less.In 2011, 15.2% of Vermonters receivedfood stamps. This compares to 14.8% nationally.
In 2011, 91,000 seniors received an annual average of $14,000 fromSocial Security. This was 59% of the average senior's income. This contributed $1.7 billion to the state's economy.
As of 2022, agriculture, along with forestry and other animal industry, contributed 0.45% of the state's gross domestic product.As of May 2022, about 0.16% of the state's working population was engaged in agriculture jobs.
Dairy farmingremains a primary source of agricultural income. In the second half of the 20th century, developers had plans to buildcondosand houses on what was relatively inexpensive, open land. Vermont's government responded with a series of lawscontrolling developmentto prevent the decline of Vermont's dairy industry. This proved ineffective, as the number of Vermont dairy farms has declined nearly 95% from the 11,206 dairy farms operating in 1947. As of December 2021, the state had 568 dairy farms, a decline from 658 in 2019, 1,138 in 2006, and fewer than 1,500 in 2003.The number of dairy farms has been diminishing by roughly 10% annually.Dairy farms control 80% of open land.
In 2021, 28.5% (162) of the state's dairy farms werecertified organic.The number ofcattlein Vermont had declined by 40%; however, milk production has doubled in the same period due to tripling the production per cow.While milk production rose, Vermont'smarket sharedeclined. Within a group of states supplying theBostonandNew York Citymarkets (called "Federal order Class I"),Vermont was third in market share, with 10.6%; New York has 44.9% and Pennsylvania has 32.9%.In 2007, dairy farmers received a record $23.60 for 100 pounds (45 kg) (11.63 gallons at $2.03/gallon) of milk. This dropped in 2008 to $17 ($1.46/gallon).The average dairy farm produced1.3 millionpounds of milk annually in 2008.
The dairy barn remains characteristic of Vermont, but the 95% decrease in dairy farms between 1947 and 2021 means that preservation of dairy barns has increasingly become a matter ofpreserving historic legacyrather than meeting a basic need of an agricultural economy. The Vermont Barn Census, organized in 2009 by educational and nonprofit state and local historic preservation programs, has worked to record the number, condition, and features of barns throughout Vermont.
A significant amount of milk is shipped into the Boston market. Therefore, the Commonwealth ofMassachusettscertifies that Vermont farms meet Massachusetts sanitary standards. Without this certification, a farmer may not sell milk for distribution into the bulk market.In 2019, two-thirds of all milk in New England was produced by Vermont dairies.
Forestry has always been a staple to the economy, comprising 1% of the total gross state output and 9% of total manufacturing as of 2013.In 2007,Windham Countycontained the largest concentration of kilns for drying lumber east of theMississippi River. The decline of farms has resulted in a regrowth of Vermont's forests due toecological succession. Today, most of Vermont's forests aresecondary. The state andnon-profit organizationsare actively encouraging regrowth and careful forest management. Over 78% of the land area of the state is forested compared to only 37% in the 1880s, when sheep farming was at its peak and large amounts of acreage were cleared for grazing.Over 85% of that area is non-industrial, private forestland owned by individuals or families. In 2013, 73,054 million cubic feet (2,068.7 million cubic meters) of wood was harvested in Vermont.A large amount of Vermont forest products are exports with 21,504 million feet (6.554×10meters) being shipped overseas plus an additional 16,384 million cubic feet (463.9 million cubic meters) to Canada.Most of it was processed within the state. In this century the manufacture of wood products has fallen by almost half. The annual net growth has been estimated at 172,810 million cubic feet (4,893 million cubic meters).TheUSDAestimates that 8,584 billion cubic feet (243.1 billion cubic meters) remain in the state.Forest products also add to carbon sequestration since lumber and timber used in houses and furniture hold carbon for long periods of time while the trees that were removed are replaced overtime with new growing stock.
In 2017, the price of wood products had either plummeted or remained the same when compared to previous decades, which meant there was cause for concern with jobs in the industry. For example, in 1994, the price of a thousand board feet was $300, the same as it was in 2017. The price of wood chips has halved in the same time frame. In 1980, the price for a cord of wood was $50; in 2017, $25. For lack of demand, Vermont's forests are growing twice as fast as they are being cut.
As of 2022, Vermont was the leading producer ofmaple syrupin the United States at 2,550,000 US gallons (9,700,000 L), representing 50.7% of the nation's total production.In 2021, its production value totaled $56.0 million at $32.00/gallon.There were about 2,000 maple products producers in 2010.Thewine industry in Vermontstarted in 1985. As of 2007, there were 14 wineries.
As of 2020,applegrowing is the third largest contributor to the state's agricultural economy, after dairy and maple syrup. Vermont orchards primarily growMcIntosh apples, and the industry has seen a steady decline as consumer preferences have shifted to newer apple varieties. The number of acres devoted to apple growing decreased from approximately 3,700 in 1997 to just 1,700 in 2017, and many of the orchards now focus on growing apples forciderproduction and providingPick-Your-Ownorchards to appeal to the state'sagritourismmarket.In 1999, apples andapple piewere named the official state fruit and state pie, respectively.Around 23% of Vermont's vegetable farms are organic.
As of 2015,GlobalFoundrieswas the largest private employer in the state and provided jobs to 3,000 employees at its plant in the village ofEssex Junctionwithin Chittenden County.
A growing part of Vermont's economy is the manufacture and sale of artisan foods, fancy foods, and novelty items trading in part upon the Vermont "brand", which the state manages and defends. Examples of these specialty exports includeBen and Jerry's Ice Cream,Burton Snowboards,Cabot Cheese,Fine Paints of Europe,King Arthur Flour, theVermont Teddy Bear Company,Vermont Creamery, severalmicrobreweries, and ginseng growers.
In 2010, aUniversity of Connecticutstudy reported that Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire tied as the most costly states in the U.S. for manufacturers.
Vermont has no fossil fuel reserves, however its forest products industry provides fuel for electricity generation and home heating. Electricity consumption per capita ranks it among the lowest 20% of states, and total electricity consumption was the lowest in the United States. Vermont consumed three times more electricity than it generated in-state in 2019, and imported its largest share of electricity from Canada. Vermont's 99.9% share of electricity generation from renewable sources was the highest among all 50 states.
An increasingly aging population is expected to increase demand for aging-related services and healthcare. TheUniversity of Vermont Medical Center, with more than 8,800 employees, is the largest employer in the state.
In 2010, all of Vermont's hospitals billed patients $3.76 billion, and collected $2 billion.92,000 people are enrolled in Medicare. In 2011, Medicare spent $740 million on health care in the state.
In 2009, the state attained a high of 361,290 workers.
As of 2006, there were 305,000 workers in Vermont. Eleven percent of these are unionized.Out of a workforce of 299,200 workers, 52,000 were government jobs, federal, state, and local.
A modern high unemployment rate of 9% was reached in June 1976. A modern low of 2.4% was measured in February 2000.As of October 2019, the unemployment rate was 2.2%.
Employment grew 7.5% from 2000 to 2006. From 1980 to 2000, employment grew by 3.4%; nationally it was up 4.6%. Real wages were $33,385 in 2006 constant dollars and remained there in 2010; the nation, $36,871.
As of 2014, the Pew Research Center estimated that farms in the state employed fewer than 5,000illegal immigrants.In 2017, Vermont Governor Phil Scott announced that the state was "exploring a legal challenge" to the executive order signed by PresidentDonald Trumpfor Vermont law enforcement authorities to cooperate withU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementand "perform the functions of immigration officers in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens".
Captive insuranceplays an increasingly large role in Vermont's economy. With this form of alternative insurance, large corporations or industry associations form standalone insurance companies to insure their own risks, thereby substantially reducing their insurance premiums and gaining a significant measure of control over types of risks to be covered. There are also significant tax advantages to be gained from the formation and operation of captive insurance companies. According to the Insurance Information Institute, Vermont in 2009 was the world's third-largest domicile for captive insurance companies, followingBermudaand theCayman Islands.
In 2009, there were 560 such companies.
In 2010, the state had 900 such companies.
Summer camps such as Camp Abnaki,Camp Billings,Camp Dudley, and Camp Hochelaga contribute to Vermont's tourist economy.
In 2005, visitors made an estimated13.4 milliontrips to the state, spending$1.57 billion.
In 2012, fall accounted for $460 million of income, about one-quarter of all tourism.
In 2011, the state government earned $274 million in taxes and fees from tourism. 89% of the money came from out-of-state visitors. Tourism supported over 26,000 jobs, 7.2% of total employment.
According to the 2000 census, almost 15% of all housing units in Vermont were vacant and classified "for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use".This was the second highest percentage nationwide, afterMaine. In some Vermont cities, vacation homes owned by wealthy residents ofNew EnglandandNew Yorkconstitute the bulk of all housing stock. According to one estimate, as of 2009, 84% of all houses inLudlowwere owned by out-of-state residents.Other notable vacation-home resorts includeManchesterandStowe.
Hunting is controlled forblack bear,wild turkeys, deer, and moose.There are 5,500 bears in the state. The goal is to keep the numbers between 4,500 and 6,000.
In 2010, there were about 141,000 deer in the state, which is in range of government goals. However, these are distributed unevenly and when in excess of 10–15 per square mile (4–6/km), reduce timber growth.
In 2012, hunting of migratory birds was limited to October 13 to December 16.Waterfowl huntingis also controlled by federal law.
Some of thelargest ski areas in New Englandare located in Vermont. Skiers and snowboarders visitBurke Mountain Ski Area,Bolton Valley,Smugglers' Notch,Killington Ski Resort,Mad River Glen,Stowe Mountain Resort, Cochrans Ski Area,Sugarbush,Stratton,Jay Peak,Okemo,Saskadena Six,Mount Snow,Bromley, Brattleboro Ski Hill, andMagic Mountain Ski Area. Summer visitors tour resort towns likeStowe,Manchester,Quechee,Wilmington,Woodstock,Mount Snow, and. Theeffects of global warminghave been predicted to shorten the length of the ski season across Vermont, which would continue the contraction and consolidation of the ski industry in Vermont and threaten individual ski businesses and communities that rely on ski tourism.
In winter, Nordic and backcountry skiers visit to travel the length of the state on theCatamount Trail. Severalhorse showsare annual events. Vermont's state parks, historic sites, museums, golf courses, and new boutique hotels with spas were designed to attract tourists.
In 2000–2001, there were 4,579,719 skier and snowboarder visits to the state. There were 4,125,082 visits in 2009–2010, a rise from recent years.
In 2008, there were 35,000 members of 138 snowmobiling clubs in Vermont. The combined association of clubs maintains 6,000 miles (9,700 km) of trail often over private lands. The industry is said to generate "hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business."
The towns ofRutlandandBarreare the traditional centers of marble and granite quarrying and carving in the U.S. For many years Vermont was also the headquarters of the smallest union in the U.S., theJourneymen Stonecutters' Association of North America, of about 500 members. The first marble quarry in America was onMount AeolusoverlookingEast Dorset.The granite industry attracted numerous skilled stonecutters in the late 19th century from Italy, Scotland, and Ireland. Barre is the location of theRock of Ages quarry, the largestdimension stonegranite quarry in the United States. Vermont is the largest producer of slate in the country. The highest quarrying revenues result from the production of dimension stone.The Rock of Ages quarry inBarreis one of the leading exporters of granite in the country. The work of the sculptors of this corporation can be seen 3 miles (4.8 km) down the road at theHope Cemetery, where there are gravestones and mausoleums.
There were 2,682 nonprofit organizations in Vermont in 2008, with$2.8 billionin revenue.The state ranked ninth in the country for volunteerism for the period 2005–08. 35.6% of the population volunteered during this period. The national average was 26.4%.
Vermont was named the nation's smartest state in 2005 and 2006.In 2006, there was a gap between state testing standards and national, which is biased in favor of the state standards by 30%, on average. This puts Vermont 11th-best in the nation. Most states have a higher bias.However, when allowance for race is considered, a 2007 U.S. Government list of test scores shows Vermont white fourth graders performed 25th in the nation for reading (229) and 26th for math (247).White eighth graders scored 18th for math (292) and 12th for reading (273). The first three scores were not considered statistically different from average. White eighth graders scored significantly above average in reading. Statistics for black students were not reliable because of their small representation in the testing.
In 2017, spending $1.6 billion on education for 76,000 public school children, represents more than $21,000 per student.
Education Weekranked the state secondin high school graduation rates for 2007.
In 2011, 91% of the population had graduated from high school compared with 85% nationally. Almost 34% have at least anundergraduate degreecompared with 28% nationally.
In 2013, the ratio of pupils to teachers was the lowest in the country.
Vermont's largest university isThe University of Vermont (UVM), apublicland-grantresearch universityand one of the original eightPublic Ivies. In addition,Vermont State Universityand theCommunity College of Vermontreside within theVermont State Collegessystem. The state has several other private colleges, includingBennington College,Champlain College,Middlebury College,Norwich University,Saint Michael's College, andVermont Law and Graduate School.
Research at the University of Vermont byGeorge Perkins Marshand the influence of Vermont-born philosopher and educatorJohn Deweybrought about the concepts ofelectivesandlearning-by-doing.
TheVermont Agency of Transportation(VTrans) is responsible for transportation infrastructure. The principal mode of travel in Vermont is viacar, with 93.4% of Vermont households owning a car in 2021.Four car ferry routes operate acrossLake Champlain. Passenger rail is provided byAmtrak's dailyVermonterandEthan Allen Expresstrains. Intercity bus operators includeVermont Translines,Greyhound Lines, andMegabus. A number of public transit agencies operate bus service at the local, county, and regional levels.Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airportis the state's primary airport.
In 2012, there were 605,000 vehicles registered, nearly one for every person. This is similar to average car ownership nationwide.In 2012, about half ofgreenhouse gas emissionsin the state were from vehicles.
In 2010, Vermont owned 2,840 miles (4,570 km) of highway. This was the third smallest quantity among the 50 states. 2.5% of the highways were listed as "congested", the fifth lowest in the country. The highway fatality rate was one per 100,000,000 miles (160,000,000 km), tenth lowest in the nation. The highways cost $28,669 per mile ($17,814/km) to maintain, the 17th highest in the states. 34.4% of its 2,691bridges were rated deficient or obsolete, the eighth worst in the nation.A 2005–06 study ranked Vermont 37th out of the states for "cost-effective road maintenance", a decline of thirteen places since 2004–05.
In 2007, Vermont was ranked the third safest state for highway fatalities.One third of these fatal crashes involved a drunken driver.On average, 20–25 people die each year from drunk driving incidents, and 70–80 people are in fatal car crashes in the state.Collisions withmooseconstitute a traffic threat, particularly in northern Vermont, and cause several deaths per year.In 2009, 93% of Vermont motorists were insured, tying with Pennsylvania for the highest percentage.In 2008, Vermont was the fifth best state for fewest uninsured motorists at 6%.
Trucks weighing less than 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg) can use Vermont's interstate highways. The limit for state roads is 99,000 pounds (45,000 kg). This means that vehicles too heavy for the interstates can legally use only secondary roads.
In 1968, Vermont outlawed the use ofbillboardsfor advertisement along its roads. It is one of only four states in the U.S. to have done this, along withHawaii,Maine, andAlaska, and is a source of pride among Vermonters. The consensus from the state'sAct 250commission was that billboards obstruct and distract from scenic views of countryside, critical to Vermont's pastoral image.
There is a year-round ferry service to and from New York State acrossLake Champlainfrom Charlotte toEssexandGrand IsletoPlattsburgh. Operated by theLake Champlain Transportation Company(LCTC),the Grand Isle - Plattsburgh ferry operates 24 hours a day, while the Charlotte ferry serves a limited schedule.
Seasonal service fromShorehamtoTiconderogais provided by theFort Ticonderoga Ferry.
Passenger service is provided byAmtrak'sVermonterandEthan Allen Express,while freight service is provided by theNew England Central Railroad, theVermont Railway, and theGreen Mountain Railroad.
TheEthan Allen ExpressservesBurlington Union Station,Ferrisburgh–Vergennes,Middlebury,Rutland, andCastleton,while theVermonterservesSt. Albans,Essex Junction,Waterbury,Montpelier,Randolph,White River Junction,Windsor,Bellows Falls, andBrattleboro.
Greyhound Linesstops in Bennington, Bellows Falls,Brandon, Burlington, Colchester, Ferrisburgh, Manchester, Middlebury, Montpelier, Rutland, Wallingford, and White River Junction.Vermont Translines, an intercity bus company founded by Premier Coach in 2013 partnering with Greyhound and starting service on June 9, 2014, serves Milton, Colchester, Burlington, Middlebury, Brandon, Rutland, Wallingford, Manchester and Bennington. Additionally, Bennington hosts the weekday-operatingAlbany-Bennington Shuttle, an intercity bus operated by Yankee Trails World Travel.
A patchwork of transit providers operate localbus servicein every Vermont county, though route frequency and coverage are often limited outside major cities. Many operators also provideparatransitand regionalexpress busservices.Green Mountain Transitis the largest operator in the state, with weekday ridership of 7,300 as of the third quarter of 2024.Other major systems areMarble Valley Regional Transit District(The Bus),Southeast Vermont Transit(MOOver),Tri-Valley Transit,Rural Community Transportation,Advance Transit, andGreen Mountain Community Network.
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airportis the largest in the state, with regular flights toAtlanta,Charlotte,Chicago,Denver,Detroit,Washington Dulles,JFK,LaGuardia,Newark,Orlando, andPhiladelphia. Airlines serving the airport includeAmerican,Breeze,Delta,Sun Country, andUnited.Beta Technologiesoperates aneVTOLmanufacturing and testing facility at the airport. Additionally, the airport houses the 134th fighter squadron of the 158th fighter wing. Known as the "Green Mountain Boys", the squadron is armed with theLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIand is tasked with protecting the Northeastern United States from the air.
Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airporthas three daily flights toBostonviaCape Air.
Vermont statute requires theVermont Secretary of Stateto designate newspapers that provide general coverage across the state as theNewspapers of Record.As of 2019, these include:
Vermont hosts 93 radio broadcast stations. The top categories are talk/information (11), country (9) and classic rock (9). The top owner of radio broadcast stations isVermont Public Radio(11 broadcast frequencies and 13 low-power, local transmitters).Other companies had five or fewer stations. The state has 15 online radio stations.
Vermont hosts 10 high-power television broadcast stations, three of which are satellites of a primary station. Represented are the following networks and number of high-power transmitters,ABC(1),CBS(1),Fox(1),NBC(2),PBS(4), andRTV(1). In addition, it has 17 low-power television broadcast stations, which in several cases are satellites of the high-power stations.
The"Rumble Strip"podcast features conversations with everyday Vermonters and in 2021 won aPeabody award.
Vermont electric power needs are served by over twenty utilities. The largest isGreen Mountain Power, a subsidiary ofÉnergirwhich also took overCentral Vermont Public Service. Together this company represents 70% of the retail customers in Vermont. The state is a small electricity consumer compared with other states. Therefore, its electricity sector has the lowestcarbon footprintin the country. As of 2010, the state had the lowest wholesale electricity costs inNew England.
In 2010, Vermont was the sixth highest ranked state for Well-Being in a study by Gallup and Healthways.In 2010, the state stood third in physical well-being of children.
In 2010, Vermont was ranked the highest in the country for health outcomes.
In 2000, the state implemented the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program to improve preventive services and management of chronic conditions. In 2011, the state ranked third in the nation in child health system performance.In 2011, the March of Dimes gave Vermont an "A", ranking it number one in the country on its Prematurity Report Card.
The state scored well in cessation of smoking, obesity, fewer occupational fatalities, prevalence of health insurance, and low infant mortality. A problem area was a high prevalence ofbinge drinking.While ranking sixth from best for adults in obesity in 2009, the state still had 22% obese with a rate of 27% for children 10–17. The ranking for children was ninth best in the nation.In 1993, the obesity rate for adults was 12%. Vermonters spend$141 millionannually in medical costs related to obesity.The combined figures for overweight and obese adults rose from 40.7% in 1990 to 58.4% in 2010. This is better than most other states.
In 2011, Vermont led the nation in the rate of young people who had consumed alcohol in the past month; one-third of people aged 11 through 20. One-fifth of that group had binged during that time. The state was second for the use of marijuana by young people; 30% of adults 18 to 25 in the past month.
In 2009, Vermont was ranked second in the nation for safety. Crime statistics on violence were used for the criteria.
In 2007, Vermont was ranked among the best five states in the country for preventing "premature death" in people under 75 years of age. The rate of survival was twice that of the five lowest performing states.
Parts of the state have been declared federaldisaster areason 28 occasions from 1963 to 2008.
In 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency cited Chittenden and Bennington as counties with 70 parts per billion of smog which is undesirable.
In 2008, about 100,000 Vermonters got their health care through the federal government,Medicare,Tri-Care, and theVeteran's Administration. An additional 10,000 Vermonters work for employers who provide insurance under federal law underERISA. About 20% of Vermonters receive health care outside of Vermont; 20% of the care provided within the state is to non-Vermonters.In 2008, the state had an estimated 7.6% with no medical insurance, down from 9.8% in 2005.In 2008, the Vermont Health Access Program for low-income, uninsured adults cost from $7 to $49 per month.A "Catamount Health" premium assistance program was available for Vermonters who do not qualify for other programs. Total monthly premiums ranged from $60 to $393 for an individual. There was a $250 deductible. Insured paid $10 toward each generic prescription. 16.9% of residents 18 to 35 were uninsured, the highest group.
Health care spending increased from$2.3 billionin 2000 to$4.8 billionin 2009.In 2009, adult day care services cost more in Vermont than any other state—$150 daily.
The state started air drops ofrabies baitforraccoonsin 1997. Known rabies cases in raccoons peaked in 2007 at 165. The program is in cooperation with neighboring states and Canada.
Vermont is federally represented in theUnited States Congressby two senators and one representative.
The state is governed by aconstitutionwhich divides governmental duties into legislative, executive, and judicial branches: theVermont General Assembly, thegovernor of Vermontand theVermont Supreme Court. The governorship and the General Assembly serve two-year terms including the governor, 30 senators, and 150 representatives. There are noterm limitsfor any office. The state capital is inMontpelier.
There are three types of incorporated municipalities in Vermont: towns, cities, and villages. Like most of New England, there is slight provision for autonomous county government. Counties and county seats are merely convenient repositories for various government services such as state courts, with several elected officers such as a state's attorney and sheriff. All county services are directly funded by the state of Vermont. The next effective governmental level below state government are municipalities. Most of these are towns.
Vermont is the only state in the union not to have a balanced-budget requirement, yet it has had a balanced budget every year since 1991.
In 2007,Moody'sgave its topbond credit rating(Aaa) to the state.
The state uses enterprise funds for operations that are similar to private business enterprises. The Vermont Lottery Commission, the Liquor Control Fund, and the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, are the largest of the State's enterprise funds.
Also in 2007, Vermont was the 14th highest out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for state and local taxation, with a per capita load of $3,681. The national average was $3,447.
Vermont collects astate personal income taxin aprogressive structureof five different income brackets, withmarginal tax ratesranging from 3.6% to 9.5%. In 2008, the top 1% of Vermont residents provided 30% of the income tax revenue; around 2,000 people had sufficient income to be taxed at the highest marginal rate of 9.5%.
Vermont's generalstate sales taxrate is 6%, which is imposed on sales oftangible personal property, amusement charges, fabrication charges, some public utility charges and some service contracts. Some towns and cities impose an additional 1% Local Option Tax. There are 46exemptions from the sales tax, including exemptions for food, medical items, manufacturing machinery, equipment and fuel, residential fuel and electricity, clothing, and shoes. Ause taxis imposed on the buyer at the same rate as the sales tax. The buyer pays the use tax when the seller fails to collect the sales tax or the items are purchased from a source where no tax is collected. The use tax applies to items taxable under the sales tax.
Vermont does not collectinheritance taxes, but does impose astate estate tax; a Vermont estatetax returnmust be filed if theestatemust file a federal estate tax return (the requirement for which depends on federal law).Vermont does not collect agift tax.
Property taxesare levied by municipalities for the support of education and municipal services. Vermont does not assess tax onpersonal property.Property taxes are based on appraisal of thefair market valueof real property.Rates vary from 0.97% on homesteaded property in Ferdinand, Essex County, to 2.72% on nonresidents' property in Barre City.Statewide, towns average 1.77% to 1.82% tax rate.
In 2007, Vermont counties were among the highest in the country for property taxes. Chittenden ($3,809 median), Windham ($3,412), Addison ($3,352), and Windsor ($3,327) ranked in the top 100, out of 1,817 counties in the nation with populations greater than 20,000. Twelve of the state's 14 counties stood in the top 20%.Median annual property taxes as a percentage of median homeowners income, 5.4%, was rated as the third highest in the nation in 2011.
To equitably support education, some towns are required byAct 60to send some of their collected taxes to be redistributed to school districts lacking adequate support.
Vermont is one of four states (Texas,California, andHawaii) that previously claimed status as independent nations. Vermont is the only state to have voted for a presidential candidate from theAnti-Masonic Party, and Vermont was one of only two states to vote againstFranklin D. Rooseveltin all four of his presidential campaigns (the other wasMaine).
Vermont's history of independent political thought has led to movements for the establishment of theSecond Vermont Republicand other plans advocatingsecession.
Vermont is the only state in the United States that requires voters to be sworn in, having established thevoter's oath or affirmationin 1777.All white men were granted universal suffrage in 1777.
Republicansdominated local Vermont politics from the party's founding in 1854 until the mid-1970s, and at the presidential level until the 1990s. Before the 1960s, rural interests dominated the legislature. As a result, cities, particularly the older sections of Burlington and Winooski, were neglected and fell into decay, and people began to move out to newer suburbs.
A series ofone man, one votedecisions made by the United States Supreme Court in the 1960s required states to redraw their legislative districts to accurately reflect population. As a result, urban areas in Vermont gained political power.
The legislature was redistricted under one-person, one-vote in the 1960s. It passed the Land Use and Development Law (Act 250) in 1970, to discourage suburban sprawl and to limit major growth to already developed areas. The law, the first of its kind in the nation, created nine District Environmental Commissions appointed by thegovernor, who judged land development and subdivision plans that would affect the state's environment and many small communities significantly. As a result of Act 250, Vermont was the last state to get aWalmart(there are now six Walmarts in the state, as of November 2017, but only three — in Williston, St. Albans, and Derby — were newly built from the ground up). Because of the successful attempts to dilute what is perceived as the original intent of Act 250,and other development pressures, Vermont has been designated one of America's most "endangered historic places" by theNational Trust for Historic Preservation.
From1856(the first presidential election after the Republican Party's founding) to1988, Vermont voted Republican in every presidential election except1964, whenDemocratLyndon B. Johnsonbecame the first of his party to carry the state amidst a national landslide. Since1992, Vermont has voted Democratic in every presidential election, marking a massive shift in the state's politics.
In 1995, the state banned the spreading of manure from December 15 to April 1, to prevent run-off and protect the water. Therefore, farms must have environmentally approved facilities to store manure during this time frame.
While the state voted largely Democratic, Republican governor Douglas won all counties butWindhamin the 2006 election.
A controversy dating from 1999 has been over the adoption ofcivil unions, an institution which grants same-sex couples nearly all the rights and privileges ofmarriageat the state, but not federal, level. InBaker v. Vermont(1999), the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that, under theConstitution of Vermont, the state must either allowsame-sex marriageor provide a "separate, but equal" status for them. The state legislature chose the second option, by creating the institution ofcivil union; the bill was passed by the legislature and signed into law by GovernorHoward Dean.
In April 2009, the state legislature overrode governorJim Douglas's veto to allow same-sex marriage, becoming the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage through legislation.In September 2009, Vermont became the fourth state in which same-sex couples could marry. The previous three wereMassachusetts,Connecticut, andIowa.
In 2007, the state's House of Representatives rejected a measure which would have legalizedassisted suicidefor the terminally ill, by a vote of (82–63). With the governor's signature on May 20, 2013, Vermont became the fourth state to pass a "death with dignity" law — the first to be passed through legislation, rather than by ballot initiative.
Minor parties and independents flourish. Rules which eliminate smaller parties from the ballot in most states do not exist in Vermont. As a result, voters often have extensive choices for general elections. Among others, this more open policy enabled independents likeBernie Sandersto win election as mayor ofBurlington, as aU.S. congressman, and as aU.S. senator.
A political issue has beenAct 60, which balances taxation for education funding. This has resulted in the town ofKillingtontrying to secede from Vermont and joinNew Hampshire, due to what the locals say is an unfair tax burden.
The Vermont constitution and the courts supports the right of a person to walk (fish and hunt) on any unposted, unfenced land. That is, trespass must be proven by the owner; it is not automatically assumed.
Vermont has some of theleast restrictive gun control lawsin the country. A permit or license is not required for purchasing or carrying firearms.Concealed carryandopen carryof a firearm is legal over the age of 16, with those below 16 requiring parental permission.
Vermont has a pro-sanctuary citylaw.
The state is analcoholic beverage control state. In 2007, through the Vermont Department of Liquor Control, it took in over $14 million from the sale and distribution of liquor.
In 2013, Vermont became the 17th state to decriminalize marijuana. The statute makes possession of less than an ounce of the drug punishable by a small fine, rather than arrest and possible jail time.
In 2014, Vermont became the first state to call for aconstitutional conventionto overturn the Supreme Court's decision inCitizens United v. FEC.
In 2014, Vermont became the first state to mandate labeling of genetically modified organisms in the retail food supply.
A distinctive law of Vermont is public nudity.The state's legislation calls for nudity in public to be a constitutional right of Vermonters, so long as "lewd and lascivious" acts are not performed in public view,and that the nudist does not undress in the presence of others. One reason this law was implemented is to protect skinny-dippers who frequent swimming holes, a long-time tradition in the state. There are other restrictions and bylaws on the municipal level concerning problematic nudity, but walking in the nude is legally protected in all 251 towns and cities in Vermont.
In January 2018, GovernorPhil Scottopted to sign H.511, the Vermont marijuana legalization bill, which allows adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to two mature plants starting July 1, 2018.
Historically, Vermont was considered one of the most reliablyRepublicanstates in the country in terms of national elections. From1856to1988, Vermont votedDemocraticonly once, inLyndon B. Johnson'slandslide victoryof 1964 againstBarry M. Goldwater. It was also one of only two states—Maine is the other—whereFranklin D. Rooseveltwas completely shut out in all four of his presidential bids. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Republican presidential candidates frequently won the state with over 70% of the vote.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many people moved in from out of state.Much of this immigration included the arrival of more liberal political influences of the urban areas ofNew Yorkand the rest ofNew Englandin Vermont.The brand of Republicanism in Vermont has historically been a moderate one, and combined with the newcomers from out of state, this made Vermont friendlier to Democrats as the national GOP moved to the right. As evidence of this, in 1990Bernie Sanders, a self-describeddemocratic socialist, was elected to Vermont'slone seat in the Houseas an independent. Sanders became the state's junior Senator in 2007. However, for his entire career in the House and Senate, Sanders has caucused with the Democrats and is counted as a Democrat for the purposes of committee assignments and voting for party leadership.
After narrowly supportingGeorge H. W. Bushin1988, it gave DemocratBill Clintona 16-point margin in1992—the first time the state had gone Democratic since 1964. Vermont has voted Democratic in every presidential election since.
Since2004, Vermont has been one of the Democrats' most loyal states. It gaveJohn Kerryhis fourth-largest margin of victory in the presidential campaign againstGeorge W. Bush; he won the state's popular vote by 20 percentage points, taking almost 59% of the vote. (Kerry, from neighboringMassachusetts, also became the first Northern Democrat ever to carry Vermont; Johnson was fromTexas, Clinton fromArkansasandAl Gore, triumphant in Vermont in 2000, fromTennessee.)Essex Countyin the state's northeastern section was the only county to vote for Bush. Vermont is the only state that did not receive a visit from George W. Bush during his tenure asPresident of the United States.Indeed, George W. Bush andDonald Trumpare the only Republicans to win theWhite Housewithout carrying Vermont.
In2008, Vermont gaveBarack Obamahis third-largest margin of victory (37 percentage points) and third-largest vote share in the nation by his winning the state 68% to 31%. Only Obama's birth state ofHawaiiandWashington, D.C.were stronger Democratic victories. The same held true in2012, when Obama carried Vermont 67% of the vote to 31% forMitt Romney, and in2016, whenHillary Clintonwon with 57% of the vote to 30% for Donald Trump.
Vermont's two senators are independent Bernie Sanders and DemocratPeter Welch. The state is represented by an at-large member of the House, DemocratBecca Balint, who succeeded Welch in 2023.
Vermont festivals include the Vermont Maple Festival, Festival on the Green,TheVermont Dairy Festivalin Enosburg Falls,the Apple Festival (held each Columbus Day Weekend), theMarlboro Music Festival, the Guilford Country fair and the Vermont Brewers Festival.TheVermont Symphony Orchestrais supported by the state and performs throughout the area.
Since 1973 theSage City Symphony, formed by composerLouis Calabro, has performed in the Bennington area. In 1988, a number of Vermont-based composers includingGwyneth Walkerformed the Vermont Composers Consortium,which was recognized by the governor proclaiming 2011 asThe Year of the Composer.
Burlington, Vermont's largest city, hosts the annual Vermont International Film Festival, which presents ten days in October of independent films.TheBrattleboro-based Vermont Theatre Company presents an annual summer Shakespeare festival. Brattleboro also hosts the summertimeStrolling of the Heifersparade which celebrates Vermont's dairy culture. The annualGreen Mountain Film Festivalis held in Montpelier.
In the Northeast Kingdom, theBread and Puppet Theatreholds weekly shows in Glover in a natural outdoor amphitheater.
One of Vermont's best known musical acts is the rock bandPhish, whose members met while attending school in Vermont and spent much of their early years playing at venues across the state.
The Vermont-basedHouse of LeMayperforms several shows a year, hosts the annual "Winter is a Drag Ball",and performs for fundraisers.
Examples offolk artfound in Vermont include theVermontasaurusinPost Mills, a community in Thetford.
The rate of volunteerism in Vermont was eighth in the nation with 37% in 2007. The state stood first in New England.In 2011, Vermont residents were ranked as the healthiest in the country.
Winter sports are popular in New England, and Vermont's winter sports attractions are a big part of Vermont tourism. Some well known attractions includeBurke Mountainski area,Jay Peak Resort,Killington Ski Resort,Stowe Mountain Resort, the Quechee Club Ski Area, andSmugglers' Notch Resort.
Vermont natives in the snowboarding profession includeKevin Pearce,Ross Powers,Hannah Teter, andKelly Clark. Others learned snowboarding in the state, such asLouie VitoandEllery Hollingsworth.
Vermont Olympic gold medalists includeBarbara Cochran,Hannah Kearney,Kelly Clark,Ross Powers,andHannah Teter.
The largest professional franchise is theVermont Lake Monstersof theFutures Collegiate Baseball League, based inBurlington. They were named the Vermont Expos before 2006.Up until the 2011 season, they were the affiliate of theWashington Nationals(formerly theMontreal Expos). Up until2020, they played in theNew York-Penn LeagueofSingle-Aand were the Single-A affiliate of theOakland Athletics
Currently the highest-ranked teams in basketball representing Vermont are the NCAA'sVermont Catamounts—male and female.
TheVermont Frost Heaves, the 2007 and 2008American Basketball Associationnational champions, were a franchise of thePremier Basketball League, and were based inBarreandBurlingtonfrom the fall of 2006 through the winter of 2011.
TheVermont Bucks, anindoor footballteam, were based inBurlingtonand began play in 2017 as the founding team in theCan-Am Indoor Football League.For 2018, the Bucks joined theAmerican Arena League, but folded prior to playing in the new league.The University of Vermont abolished its intercollegiate football team, theVermont Catamounts, in 1974.
Vermont is home to the University of VermontMen'sandWomen'shockey teams. Vermont's only professional hockey team was theVermont Wildwho played in theFederal Hockey Leagueduring the 2011–12 season, but the team folded before the season ended.
TheVermont Voltagewere aUSL Premier Development Leaguesoccer club that played inSt. Albans.
Vermont Green FCare a USL League 2 club that will play at University of Vermont's Virtue Field in Burlington.
Annually since 2002, high school statewide all stars compete against New Hampshire in ten sports during "Twin State" playoffs.
Vermont also has a few auto racing venues. The most popular of them isThunder Road International SpeedbowlinBarre, Vermont. It is well known for its tight racing and has become well known in short track stock car racing. Other racing circuits include theUSCsanctioned Bear Ridge Speedway, and theNASCARsanctionedDevil's Bowl Speedway. Some NASCAR Cup drivers have come to Vermont circuits to compete against local weekly drivers such asTony Stewart,Clint Bowyer,Kyle Busch,Kenny Wallace,Ken Schrader,andChristopher Bell.Kevin LepagefromShelburne, Vermontis one of a few professional drivers from Vermont. Racing series in Vermont includeNASCAR Whelen All-American Series,American Canadian Tour, and Vermont's own Tiger Sportsman Series.
Rugby Union is represented at the collegiate level and adult club level with 5 men's sides and 1 women's side. All compete in the NERFU conference and some have won national championships.
The following were either born in Vermont or resided there for a substantial period during their lives and whose names are widely known.
44°00′N72°42′W﻿ / ﻿44.0°N 72.7°W﻿ /44.0; -72.7﻿ (State of Vermont)