The Green Mountain State of Vermont is the second smallest state in the nation.
Not so big, the state’s called green because the name Vermont is technically a French phrase.
In French, vert mont means green mountain.
The state is actually solid white most months thanks to more snow coverage here than most places on earth–which is why snowboards are manufactured in Vermont.
Find out what else is going on in VT as you consider these pros and cons of living in this New England state.
Contents
- Pros of Living in Vermont
- 1. Billboards are Illegal
- 2. Residence of the Von Trapp Family and The Sound of Music
- 3. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is based in Waterbury, VT
- 4. Maple Syrup Production is Major Here
- 5. Top Producing State of Snowboards, Too
- 6. New England During Fall and the Foliage
- 7. If You Love Presidential History, Consider Calvin Coolidge
- 8. Low Cost of Living
- Cons of Living in Vermont
- 1. The State Has Only One Telephone Area Code
- 2. Vermont is in the Northeastern US and New England
- 3. Vermont is Very Small in Size
- 4. It Gets Cold in Winter and There’s Too Much Snow
- 5. Lack of Nightclubs and Bars or Things to Do for Young Adults
- 6. Taxes are a Nightmare
- 7. Lack of Jobs for In-State Residents
- 8. You Have to Live On the East Coast
- Pros and Cons of Living in Vermont – Summary Table
- Vermont Safety Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions
Pros of Living in Vermont
1. Billboards are Illegal
Sure Bellows Falls tried to break ranks with a hand-painted mural that was also an advert.
However, in general, Vermont is not allowed to have billboards anywhere on the roadsides.
If you hate distractions or mass marketing, you will love driving in VT!
2. Residence of the Von Trapp Family and The Sound of Music
In fact, if you visit the ski lodge in Stowe, Vermont, you might run into one of the still-living descendants of the Sound of Music franchise.
Yes, it is true!
They actually did move here and take up residence after the “war” in the film.
If you love singing-Maria, then you will be a happy camper staying in Stowe.
3. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is based in Waterbury, VT
The world-famous ice cream brand, Ben & Jerry’s, comes from Waterbury.
They obviously buried the water and chose to drink milk instead.
That is a little ice cream humor, which happens to be chilly.
OK, moving right along, if you are new to B&J’s ice cream delights, try Phish Food.
It is a personal favorite for our family and highly recommended if you love chocolate ice cream.
4. Maple Syrup Production is Major Here
It takes 40 years for a maple tree to produce enough sap–30 gallons–to be boiled down into 1 gallon of the concentrated maple syrup we see on the store shelves.
I am personally a pancake syrup fan; maple is not something I can get the hang of and that is because it takes so much out of the trees to produce it.
However, the rest of the world feels quite differently, especially vegans looking for a honey alternative.
Saving the bees is fine, but trees?
Not the same, I guess!
5. Top Producing State of Snowboards, Too
Vermont is one of the first places to offer snowboarding and snowboards are a huge seller here.
The first resort, Suicide Six Resort, was the first to let snowboarding go down resorts in the early 1980s.
Additionally, the first snowboard factory on the planet was founded in Vermont, at Burton Snowboards.
6. New England During Fall and the Foliage
This is the most classic reason why anyone would want to move and live in Vermont.
The fall foliage of autumn is so picturesque people drive up to the state of VT just to see the leaves during the leaf-peeping season.
According to Yankee Magazine, there are several train tours just for fall foliage in New England, including the Green Mountain Railroad in Burlington, VT.
Also known as the Champlain Valley Dinner Train, this is a very scenic train ride coupled with an old-school coal engine and cars built in the 1930s that are fully restored today.
The dinner is a three-course gourmet feast served in upscale dining facilities.
7. If You Love Presidential History, Consider Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president from 1881 to 1885, were both born in Vermont.
Calvin Coolidge, however, was born on the Fourth of July in Vermont.
He was the 30th President from 1923 to 1929. I will give it to Coolidge.
Being a US President born on the nation’s independence day must have been a monumental birthday party!
8. Low Cost of Living
Vermont has a cost of living that is 95.2 percent of the national average of 100.
This is good news if you want to reduce the amount of money it takes to ensure you survive in a healthy way.
The housing costs are also super cheap compared to other states at only 88.5 out of 100 percent.
On average, the price of food for a single person in VT is $324.25 a month, for example.
Cons of Living in Vermont
1. The State Has Only One Telephone Area Code
The area code 802 is everywhere and on everyone’s phone.
This is the same area code the state has used since 1947.
AT&T established the first modern phone system in Vermont, and that is the code they provided the residents.
Since then, Vermont has not needed to add another area code.
For comparison, California has 36 area codes.
No matter what you do, as you become a hermit living in a cabin in the woods of snowy VT, every time you use your phone number, whoever you give it to will know–you are from Vermont.
You can never hide behind a confusing area code again.
2. Vermont is in the Northeastern US and New England
Along with being in the upper northeast US, Vermont residents, aka Vermonters, suffer from all that this encompasses.
That means long and cold, bitter winters following cool, colorful, and almost festive autumns.
You are also far away from the West Coast and California or anything tropical.
Yes, you are by the ocean, but it is too far north in Vermont for you to care–unless you are wearing a parka.
And building a bonfire!
3. Vermont is Very Small in Size
The second smallest state in the nation means you are not going to get very far in Vermont.
That is a geographical joke, but it is also applicable geo-culturally.
If you seek and crave new experiences, you will run through Vermont like honey in water.
Speaking of honey, you will want to get a honey bee hive and maybe some chickens.
It will help with the hermit-like existence you will most likely inhabit.
Hermit thrush, after all, is the state bird of Vermont.
4. It Gets Cold in Winter and There’s Too Much Snow
Vermont gets almost 90 inches of snow a year–more than any other state and that includes Alaska, where it only snows, shocker, 64.46 inches a year on average.
In fact, in 2018 the winter months dumped just over 200 inches of snow on the tiny state of Vermont.
That is a lot of snow.
It is still not as much snow as in Japan, where the mountains accumulate 300 to 600 inches of snow in a year.
Holy snowballs, I am just saying, there is always more snow if you do like that cold precipitation.
I am a huge fan, but some people are not!
It takes more than snow pants to survive it, is all I am saying.
5. Lack of Nightclubs and Bars or Things to Do for Young Adults
Vermont, by definition, has fewer places to go as a young adult.
Nightclubs and bars are never as big as you want them to be in VT.
Also, as noted previously, you might run out of things to do on your bucket list if you stick to the borders of this smaller-than-almost-all-others state.
6. Taxes are a Nightmare
Vermont is not a tax-free state–far from it.
As of 2021, the state income tax rate maxed out at 8.75 percent.
This is one of the highest tax rates in the nation according to SmartAsset, as most states charge 6 to 7 percent.
If you come from South Dakota, Washington, or another state without personal state income taxes, this is going to pinch more than you are used to each year when filing your taxes.
7. Lack of Jobs for In-State Residents
The top industries for jobs in Vermont are tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing.
As you can see, these are all blue-collar jobs that do not pay well and are seasonal and constantly in flux.
Manufacturing offers steady working hours and better benefits than tourism and agriculture, which focus on temporary migrant workers for employment.
However, working in a factory is also hard on the body as it is manual labor.
Room for advancement can be lacking, i.e., from the production line to supervisor, as well, due to the routine and repetitive nature of most manufacturing jobs.
8. You Have to Live On the East Coast
Some people prefer the laid-back chill of West Coast life or the farming culture of the Midwest.
On the East Coast, you are the first to see the sun–and it shows, as this part of the country is the financial and political hub.
Both professionals and students are hard at work in the Eastern states of the US far before the West Coast have had a chance to sip a cup of coffee.
This means in Vermont you will see the Fourth of July fireworks before other states and have your New Year’s kissing done first, too.
However, for some people, the hurried pace of the East Coast, especially when you venture from Vermont over to New York City or to Washington, D.C., is too much to handle.
Pros and Cons of Living in Vermont – Summary Table
| Pros of Living in Vermont | Cons of Living in Vermont |
|---|---|
| 1. Billboards are Illegal | 1. The State Has Only One Telephone Area Code |
| 2. Residence of the Von Trapp Family and The Sound of Music | 2. Vermont is in the Northeastern US and New England |
| 3. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is Based in Waterbury, VT | 3. Vermont is Very Small in Size |
| 4. Maple Syrup Production is Major Here | 4. It Gets Cold in Winter and There’s Too Much Snow |
| 5. Top Producing State of Snowboards, Too | 5. Lack of Nightclubs and Bars or Things to Do for Young Adults |
| 6. New England During Fall and the Foliage | 6. Taxes are a Nightmare |
| 7. If You Love Presidential History, Consider Calvin Coolidge | 7. Lack of Jobs for In-State Residents |
| 8. Low Cost of Living | 8. You Have to Live On the East Coast |
Vermont Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Vermont Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mud season?
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, mud season is the time from March to May when everything turns into mud.
Only three other states have a mud season–New York, New Hampshire, and Maine.
It is also the fifth season in Vermont.
How big is Vermont?
Along with being the second smallest state, you can easily drive across the entire state in just a day.
Vermont is 80 miles wide and 160 miles long.
What is the most populated city in Vermont?
Burlington is the biggest city in Vermont with 42,645 residents as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Does Vermont really have a Loch Ness?
Yes!
It is true.
Vermont and Lake Champlain aka Lake Champ supposedly has a Loch Ness monster.
While the evidence has never stood up, there remain the whispers of this sea creature.
The Vermont Lake Monsters is a minor league baseball team, for starters.
What is the highest paying job in Vermont?
According to the State of Vermont, registered nurses earn the most money and have a salary of $63,300 on average each year.
I just want to point out that winter can be considered the dominant season. If you love winter sports and activities, you’re in the right place. Not only is it cold, not only does it snow a lot, but winter seems to drag on for months. Plan on a winter that lasts from November 1, until mid May.
It costs a lot to heat a house for 6-7 months, so factor that into your cost-of-living equation! And God help you if you heat with oil! One last thing about winter: You are in the far Northeast corner of the Country … that means very short days around winter solstice. Typically, it gets dark around 4:30 in the afternoon. So days are very short during winter. The most problematic component for me is the interminable grayness of winter, as well as it’s protracted duration. This leads to issues such as vitamin D deficiency and depression. Because of the long season, short days and serious cold, we tend not to get out as much, leading to isolation and ‘cabin fever’. Historically, small town Vermont has had long histories of alcoholism, depression and suicide. March seems to be ‘suicide month’ in Vermont. They don’t tell you these sobering facts in all the glitzy tourist guides promoting the rustic quaintness of the so-called Vermont lifestyle. As an 8th-generation Vermonter, it’s my obligation to point out some of the conveniently overlooked ‘cons’. No place is paradise, and Vermont is no exception … know what you’re getting into.
PS: Did I mention poverty? It’s a rarity meeting an 8th-generation Vermonter. In fact, we’re considered ‘novelties’ in Chittenden County. Most of us have to live somewhere outside of the State, because for decades we’ve been systematically bought out, priced out and pushed out of the State we helped to make so special. Now you know something about Vermont. It’s not all about maple syrup, fall foliage and your fave ski areas!
Property taxes and utility bills are very high. And economic development is ebbing because of the tax burden.
Vermont does little to near nothing to attract businesses here. But if you want to start your own business, the state may help you financially as a startup company. Otherwise, the job market in this state is very lopsided depending on the industry you are in. Tech Jobs are in short supply, but teaching, medical, and tourism are in high demand.