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Vermont

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This article is about the U.S. state. For other uses, see Vermont (disambiguation).
State of Vermont
Flag of Vermont State seal of Vermont
Flag of Vermont Great Seal of Vermont
Nickname(s): The Green Mountain State
Motto(s): Freedom and Unity
before statehood, known as
the Vermont Republic
Map of the United States with Vermont highlighted
Official language(s) None
Demonym Vermonter
Capital Montpelier
Largest city Burlington
Area  Ranked 45th in the US
 - Total 9,620 sq mi
(24,923 km²)
 - Width 80 miles (130 km)
 - Length 160 miles (260 km)
 - % water 3.8
 - Latitude 42° 44′ N to 45° 1′ N
 - Longitude 71° 28′ W to 73° 26′ W
Population  Ranked 49th in the US
 - Total 621,254 (2007 est.)[1]
 - Density 67.2/sq mi  (25.93/km²)
Ranked 30th in the US
 - Median income  $48,508 (19th)
Elevation  
 - Highest point Mount Mansfield[2]
4,393 ft  (1,340 m)
 - Mean 1,000 ft  (300 m)
 - Lowest point Lake Champlain[2]
95 ft  (29 m)
Admission to Union  March 4, 1791 (14th)
Governor Jim Douglas (R)
Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie (R)
U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D)
Bernie Sanders (I)
Congressional Delegation List
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4 (DST)
Abbreviations VT US-VT
Website www.vermont.gov
Much of the business of local government in Vermont towns takes place each March during a town Meeting held at a meeting house, such as this one in Marlboro, Vermont.

Vermont (en-us-Vermont.ogg /vərˈmɒnt/ (help·info)) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 45th by total area and 43rd by land area at 9,250 square miles (24,000 km2). It has a population of 608,827, ranking 49th of all fifty states (surpassing only Wyoming). The only New England state with no coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, Vermont is notable for the Green Mountains running north to south and Lake Champlain which makes up 50% of Vermont's western border. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.

Originally inhabited by Native American tribes (Abenaki, and Iroquois), the territory that is now Vermont was claimed by France but became a British possession after France's defeat in the French and Indian War. For many years, the surrounding colonies disputed control of the area, especially New Hampshire and New York. Settlers who held land titles granted by these colonies were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia, which eventually prevailed in creating an independent state, the Vermont Republic, which was founded during the Revolutionary War and lasted for 14 years. In 1791, Vermont joined the United States as the fourteenth state.

The state is noted for its scenery and dairy products. It is the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States.[3] The state capital is Montpelier, and the largest city and metropolitan area is Burlington. No other state has a largest city as small as Burlington.[4]

Contents

[edit] Geography

See also: List of counties in Vermont, List of Vermont county seats, List of towns in Vermont, and List of mountains in Vermont

Vermont is located in the New England region in the eastern United States, and comprises 9,614 square miles (24,902 km²), making it the 45th largest state. Of this, land comprises 9,250 square miles (23,955 km²) and water comprises 365 square miles (948 km²), making it the 43rd largest in land area and the 47th in water area. In area, it is larger than El Salvador and smaller than Haiti.

Map of Vermont, showing cities, roads and rivers

The west bank of the Connecticut River marks the eastern border of the state with New Hampshire (the river itself is part of New Hampshire).[5] Lake Champlain, the major lake in Vermont, is the sixth-largest body of fresh water in the United States and separates Vermont from New York in the northwest portion of the state. From north to south, Vermont is 159 miles (256 km). Its greatest width, from east to west, is 89 miles (143 km) at the Canadian border; the narrowest width is 37 miles (60 km) at the Massachusetts line. The state's geographic center is Washington, three miles (5 km) east of Roxbury.

The origin of the name Green Mountains (French: Les verts monts) is uncertain. Some authorities say that they are so named because they have much more forestation than the higher White Mountains of New Hampshire and Adirondacks of New York. Other authorities say that they are so named because of the predominance of mica-quartz-chlorite schist, a green-hued metamorphosed shale. The Green Mountain range forms 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 the Taconic Mountains; the Granitic Mountains are in the northeast.[6] In the northwest near Lake Champlain is the fertile Champlain Valley. In the south of the valley is Lake Bomoseen.

Vermont has 14 counties. Only two—Lamoille and Washington—are entirely surrounded by Vermont territory.

Several mountains have timberlines with delicate year round alpine ecosystems. These include Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in the state, Killington Peak, the second highest, Camels Hump the state's third highest, and Mount Abraham, the state's fifth highest peak. About 77 percent of the state is covered by forest; the rest is covered in meadow, uplands, lakes, ponds and swampy wetlands.

Areas in Vermont administered by the National Park Service include the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock.[7]

[edit] Cities

Montpelier, capital of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont's largest city
Rutland
Barre

Cities (2003 estimated population):

[edit] Largest towns

Although these towns are large enough to be considered cities, they are not incorporated as such.

Largest towns (2003 estimated population):

[edit] Climate

Vermont has a continental moist climate, with warm, humid summers and cold winters, which become colder at higher elevations.[8] It has a Koppen climate classification of Dfb, similar to Minsk, Stockholm and Fargo.[9] Vermont is known for its mud season in spring followed by a generally mild early summer, hot Augusts and a colorful autumn, and particularly for its cold winters. The northern part of the state, including the rural northeastern section (dubbed the "Northeast Kingdom") is known for exceptionally cold winters, often averaging 10 °F (5.56 °C) colder than the southern areas of the state. Annual snowfall averages between 60 inches (152 cm) to 100 inches (254 cm) depending on elevation, resulting in a number of cross-country and downhill ski areas. The annual mean temperature for the state is 43 °F (6 °C).[10]

In the autumn, Vermont's hills display red, orange and gold foliage displayed on the sugar maple as cold weather approaches. This display of color is not due so much to the presence of a particular variant of the sugar maple; rather it is caused by a number of soil and climate conditions unique to the area.

The highest-recorded temperature was 105 °F (41 °C), at Vernon on July 4, 1911; the lowest-recorded temperature was -50 °F (-46 °C), at Bloomfield on December 30, 1933.


Monthly normal and record high and low temperatures
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High °F(°C) 59(15) 63(17) 84(29) 91(33) 94(34.5) 96(35.5) 101(38) 98(36.5) 95(35) 87(30.5) 69(20.5) 62(17)
Norm High °F(°C) 25(-4) 31(-0.5) 43(6) 51(10.5) 64(18) 76(24.5) 81(27) 78(25.5) 71(22) 54(12) 36(2) 28(-2)
Norm Low °F(°C) 4(-15.5) 10(-12) 22(-5.5) 30(-1) 43(6) 55(13) 60(15.5) 57(14) 50(10) 33(0.5) 15(-9.5) 7(-14)
Rec Low °F(°C) -38(-39) -35(-37) -18(-28) 9(-13) 24(-4.5) 36(2) 41(5) 38(3) 21(-6) 4(-15.5) -16(-27) -32(-35.5)
Precip in(mm) 0.61(15.5) 0.63(16) 0.68(17) 1.99(50.5) 4.01(102) 4.06(103) 4.07(103.5) 4.00(101.5) 3.95(100) 2.48(63) 0.66(17) 0.62(16)
Source: USTravelWeather.com [7]

The agricultural growing season ranges from 120-180 days.[11]

[edit] Geology

There are five distinct physiographic regions of Vermont. Categorized by geological and physical attributes, they are the Northeastern Highlands, the Green Mountains, the Taconic Mountains, the Champlain Lowlands, and the Vermont Piedmont.[12]


[edit] History

Main article: History of Vermont
Mount Mansfield, at 4,393 feet (1,339 m), is the highest point in Vermont.

[edit] Pre-Columbian

Between 8500 to 7000 BC, at the time of the Champlain Sea, Native Americans inhabited and hunted in Vermont. During the Archaic period, from the 8th millennium BC to 1000 BC, Native Americans migrated year-round. During the Woodland period, from 1000 BC to AD 1600, villages and trade networks were established, and ceramic and bow and arrow technology was developed. In pre-Columbian Vermont, the western part of the state was originally home to a small population of Algonquian-speaking tribes, including the Mohican and Abenaki peoples. Sometime between 1500 and 1600, the Iroquois drove many of the smaller native tribes out of Vermont, later using the area as a hunting ground and warring with the remaining Abenaki. The population in 1500 was estimated to be around 10,000 people.

[edit] Colonial

See also: List of forts in Vermont
The Old Constitution House at Windsor, where the Constitution of Vermont was adopted on July 8, 1777.

The first European to see Vermont is thought to have been Jacques Cartier, in 1535. On July 30, 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain claimed Vermont as part of New France, and erected a fort which was the first European settlement in Vermont.

In 1690, a group of Dutch-British settlers from Albany established a settlement and trading post at Chimney Point 8 miles (13 km) west of present-day Addison).

The first permanent British settlement was established in 1724, with the construction of Fort Dummer protecting the nearby settlements of Dummerston and Brattleboro.

From 1731-4, the French constructed a fort which gave the French control of the New France/Vermont border region in the Lake Champlain Valley.

The British failed to take the Fort St. Frédéric four times between 1755 and 1758. In 1759, a combined force of 12,000 British regular and provincial troops under Sir Jeffrey Amherst captured the fort. The French were driven out of the area.

Following France's loss in the French and Indian War, the 1763 Treaty of Paris gave control of the land to the British.

The end of the war brought new settlers to Vermont. Ultimately, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York all contended for this frontier area.

On 1764-07-20, King George III established the boundary between New Hampshire and New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts, and south of the parallel of 45 Degrees north latitude. When New York refused to recognize land titles through the New Hampshire Grants (towns created earlier by New Hampshire in present Vermont), dissatisfied colonists organized in opposition, which led to the creation of independent Vermont on 1777-01-18.[13][14]

In 1770, Ethan Allen, his brothers Ira and Levi, and Seth Warner recruited an informal militia, the Green Mountain Boys, to protect the interests of the original New Hampshire settlers against the new migrants from New York.

[edit] Independence and statehood

1790 Act of Congress admitting Vermont to the federal union. Statehood began on March 4, 1791.
The gold leaf dome of the neoclassical Vermont State House (Capitol) in Montpelier designed by Ammi B. Young and amplified by Thomas Silloway.
Main article: Vermont Republic

On January 18, 1777, representatives of the New Hampshire Grants declared the independence of the Vermont.[15] For the first six months of the state's existence, the state was called New Connecticut.[16]

On June 2, 1777, a second convention of 72 delegates met to adopt the name "Vermont." This was on the advice of a friendly Pennsylvanian who wrote them on how to achieve admission into the newly independent United States as the 14th state.[16] On July 4, the Constitution of Vermont was drafted at the Windsor Tavern adopted by the delegates on July 8. This was among the first written constitutions in North America and was indisputably the first to abolish the institution of slavery, provide for universal manhood suffrage and require support of public schools.

[edit] Revolutionary War

Main article: Battle of Bennington

The Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, 1777, was a seminal event in the history of the state of Vermont.

A combined American forces, under General Stark's command, attacked the British column at Hoosick, New York, just across the border from Bennington and killed or captured virtually the entire British detachment. General Burgoyne never recovered from this loss and eventually surrendered the remainder of his 6,000-man force at Saratoga, New York, on October 17.

The Battles of Bennington and Saratoga 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 still celebrated in Vermont as a legal holiday .

[edit] Statehood and the ante-bellum era

Vermont continued to govern itself as a sovereign entity based in the eastern town of Windsor for fourteen years. The independent state of Vermont issued its own coinage from 1785-1788[17] and operated a statewide postal service. Thomas Chittenden was the Governor in 1778-1789 and in 1790-1791. The state exchanged ambassadors with France, the Netherlands, and the American government then at Philadelphia. In 1791, Vermont joined the Federal union as the fourteenth state–the first state to enter the Union after the original thirteen colonies.

Vermont had a unicameral legislature until 1836.

The mid-1850s onwards saw a transition from Vermonters mostly favoring slavery's containment, to a far more serious opposition to the institution, producing the Radical Republican and abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens. While the Whig Party shriveled, and the Republican Party emerged, Vermont strongly trended in support of its candidates. In 1860 it voted for President Abraham Lincoln, giving him the largest margin of victory of any state.

[edit] The Civil War

Main article: Vermont in the American Civil War

During the American Civil War, Vermont sent more than 34,000 men into United States service. Almost 5,200 Vermonters, 15%, were killed or mortally wounded in action or died of disease.

The northernmost land action of the war, the St. Albans Raid, took place in Vermont.

[edit] Postbellum era and beyond

The first election in which women were allowed to vote was on December 18, 1880, when women were granted limited suffrage and were first allowed to vote in town elections, and then in state legislative races.

Large-scale flooding occurred in early November 1927. During this incident, 85 people died, 84 of them in Vermont. Another flood occurred in 1973, when the flood caused the death of two people and millions of dollars in property damage.

In 1964, the US Supreme Court forced “one-man, one-vote” redistricting on Vermont, giving cities an equitable share of votes in both houses for the entire country.[18] Until that time, counties were often represented by area in state senates and were often unsympathetic to urban problems requiring increased taxes.

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Population

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1790 85,425
—
1800 154,465 80.8%
1810 217,895 41.1%
1820 235,981 8.3%
1830 280,652 18.9%
1840 291,948 4%
1850 314,120 7.6%
1860 315,098 0.3%
1870 330,551 4.9%
1880 332,286 0.5%
1890 332,422 0%
1900 343,641 3.4%
1910 355,956 3.6%
1920 352,428 −1%
1930 359,611 2%
1940 359,231 −0.1%
1950 377,747 5.2%
1960 389,881 3.2%
1970 444,330 14%
1980 511,456 15.1%
1990 562,758 10%
2000 608,827 8.2%

The center of population of Vermont is located in Washington County, in the town of Warren.[19]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, Vermont has an estimated population of 623,050, which is an increase of 1,817, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 14,223, or 2.3%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 7,148 people (that is 33,606 births minus 26,458 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 7,889 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 4,359 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 3,530 people.

It is the least populous state in New England. In 2006, it has the second lowest birthrate in the nation, 42/1000 women.[20] The median age of the work force was 42.3, the highest in the nation.

[edit] Race and gender

Demographics of Vermont (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 98.12% 0.76% 1.05% 1.09% 0.05%
2000 (Hispanic only) 0.83% 0.06% 0.04% 0.02% 0.01%
2005 (total population) 97.95% 0.89% 0.97% 1.24% 0.04%
2005 (Hispanic only) 1.03% 0.06% 0.04% 0.01% 0.00%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 2.16% 20.33% -5.49% 16.42% -9.09%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) 1.94% 21.76% -5.13% 17.31% -2.66%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 26.76% 2.62% -13.81% -39.42% -46.67%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Vermont Population Density Map

Vermont's population is:

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Vermont ranks:

[edit] Ethnicity and language

The largest ancestry groups are:

Residents of British ancestry (especially English) live throughout most of Vermont. The northern part of the state maintains a significant percentage of people of French-Canadian ancestry.

In the last two decades, the Burlington area has welcomed the resettlement of several refugee communities. These include individuals and families from South East Asia, Bosnia, Sudan, Somalia, Burundi and Tibet. These communities have grown to include non-refugees and in some cases are several generations in the making.[citation needed]

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 2.54% of the population aged 5 and over speak French at home, while 1.00% speak Spanish [8].

[edit] Religion

Religious Distribution[24] of Vermont
Religion Percentage
Christian 67%
    Roman Catholic 38%
    Protestant 29%
        Congregational/United Church of Christ 6%
        Methodist 6%
        Episcopal 4%
        Other Christian 4%
        Baptist 3%
        Other Protestant 2%
        Assemblies of God 1%
        Evangelical 1%
        Seventh-day Adventist 1%
        Non-Denominational 1%
Other Religions 2%
No Religion 22%
Declined to answer 8%

In colonial times, like many of its neighboring states, Vermont's largest religious affiliation was Congregationalism. In 1776, 63% of affiliated church members in Vermont were Congregationalists. At that time, however, only 9% of people belonged to a specific church due to the remoteness of population centers. The Congregational United Church of Christ remains the largest Protestant denomination and Vermont has the largest percentage of this denomination of any state.[25]

Today more than two-thirds of Vermont residents identify themselves as Christians. This number includes a body of Christian Lebanese stoneworkers.[citation needed] The largest single religious body in the state is the Roman Catholic Church. According to the ARDA the Catholic Church had 147,918 members in 2000.[26]

Twenty-four percent of Vermonters attend church regularly. This low is matched only by New Hampshire.[27]

Over one-fifth of Vermonters identify themselves as non-religious, tying Vermont with Oregon as having the second-highest percentage of non-religious people in the United States. Only Washington State has a higher percentage.[citation needed] A survey suggests that people in Vermont and New Hampshire[28] are less likely to attend weekly services and are less likely to believe in God (54%) than people in the rest of the nation (71%). The two states are at the lowest levels among states in religious commitment. About 23% percent of the respondents attend religious service at least once a week (39% nationally). Thirty-six percent said religion is very important to them (56% nationally).[29]

Almost one-third of Vermonters are self-identified Protestants. The largest Protestant denomination in the state is the United Church of Christ with 21,597, and the second largest is the United Methodist Church with 19,000 members;[26] followed by Episcopalians, "other" Christians, and Baptists.

Joseph Smith, Jr. and Brigham Young—the first two leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—were both born in Vermont. Adherents to the Mormon faith, however, do not make up a single percentage point of Vermont's population. A memorial to Joseph Smith, at his birthplace in Sharon, is maintained by the LDS.

The state has 5,000 people of Jewish faith - 3,000 in Burlington and 500 each in Montpelier-Barre and Rutland—and four Reform and two Conservative congregations.[30]

Vermont may have the highest concentration of western-convert Buddhists in the country. It is home to several Buddhist retreat centers.[31]

Other religions include The Society of Friends, Shinto, Wicca, Islam, and Paganism.[citation needed]

[edit] Economy

In 2007, Vermont was ranked 32nd among states in which to do business. It was 30th the previous year.[32]

In 2008, an economist said that the state had "a really stagnant economy, which is what we are forecasting for Vermont for the next 30 years."[33]

According to the 2005 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Vermont’s gross state product (GSP) was $23 billion. This places the state 50th among the 50 states. It stood 38th in per capita GSP.[34][35] The per capita personal income was $32,770 in 2004.

Components of GSP were:[36][37]

  • Government - $3,083 million (13.4%)
  • Real Estate, Rental and Leasing - $2,667 million (11.6%)
  • Durable goods manufacturing - $2,210 million (9.6%)
  • Health Care and Social Assistance - $2,170 million (9.4%)
  • Retail trade - $1,934 million (8.4%)
  • Finance and Insurance - $1,369 million (5.9%)
  • Construction - $1,258 million (5.5%)
  • Professional and technical services - $1,276 million (5.5%)
  • Wholesale trade - $1,175 million (5.1%)
  • Accommodations and Food Services - $1,035 million (4.5%)
  • Information - $958 million (4.2%)
  • Non-durable goods manufacturing - $711 million (3.1%)
  • Other Services - $563 million (2.4%)
  • Utilities - $553 million (2.4%)
  • Educational Services - $478 million (2.1%)
  • Transportation and Warehousing - $484 million (2.1%)
  • Administrative and Waste Services - $436 million (1.9%)
  • Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting - $375 million (1.6%)
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation - $194 million (.8%)
  • Mining - $100 million (.4%)
  • Management of Companies - $35 million (.2%)

Canada was Vermont's number one external trading partner in 2007, followed by Taiwan.[38] The state had $4 billion worth of commerce with Quebec.[39]

One measure of economic activity is retail sales. The state had $5.2 billion in 2007.[40]

[edit] Personal income

The median household income from 2002-2004 was $45,692. This was 15th nationally.[41]

About 80% of the 68,000 Vermonters who qualify for food stamps, actually received them in 2007.[42]

In the quarter ending September 2008, the state had the lowest credit card delinquency rate in the country, 0.70%. [43][44]

[edit] Real estate

While the number of houses sold in the state has dropped from 8.318 in 2004, to 8,120 (2005), 6,919 (2006) and 5,820 (2007), the average price has continued to rise to $202,500 in 2008 ($200,000 in 2007).[45]

In the quarter ending September 2008, the state had the fourth lowest mortgage payment delinquency rate in the country, 1.8%.[44]

[edit] Agriculture

Vermont ranks first nationally in craft breweries per capita.[46]

Agriculture contributes $2.6 billion,[47] about 12%, directly and indirectly to the state's economy.[48]

Over the past two centuries logging has fallen off as over-cutting and the exploitation of other forests made Vermont's forest less attractive. Loss of farms has had the beneficial effect of allowing Vermont's land and forest to recover. The accompanying lack of industry has allowed Vermont to avoid many of the ill-effects of 20th century industrial busts, effects that still plague neighboring states. Today, most of Vermont's forests consist of second-growth.

Of the remaining industries, dairy farming is the primary source of agricultural income.

In the last half of the twentieth century, developers have had plans to build condos and houses on what was relatively inexpensive, open land. Vermont's government has responded with a series of laws controlling development and with some pioneering initiatives to prevent the loss of Vermont's dairy industry.

In 1947 there were 11,206 dairy farms in the state. In 2003 there were fewer than 1,500, a decline of 80%. The number of cattle had declined by 40%. However, milk production had doubled in the same period due to tripling the production per cow.[49] In 2007, there were 1,087 farms left, down from 1,138 in 2006. While milk production rose, Vermont's market share declined. Within a group of states supplying the Boston-NYC market,[50] Vermont was third with a 10.6% share of the market.[51][52] in 2007, there were 1,050 dairy farms remaining. The number has been diminishing by 10% annually.[53] In 2007, dairy farmers received a record $23.60 for 100 pounds (45 kg) of milk. This dropped in 2008 to $17.[54]

A significant amount of milk is shipped into the Boston market. Therefore the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certifies that Vermont farms meet Massachusetts sanitary standards. Without this certification, a farmer may not sell milk for distribution into the bulk market.[55]

An important and 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 include Cabot Cheese, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Fine Paints of Europe, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company, several micro breweries, ginseng growers, Burton Snowboards, Lake Champlain Chocolates, King Arthur Flour, and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream.

In 2001, Vermont produced 275,000 US gallons (1,040,000 L) of maple syrup, about one-quarter of U.S. production. For 2005 that number was 410,000 accounting for 37% of national production.[56]

In 2000, only 3% of the state's working population was still engaged in agriculture.[57]

Wine industry started in Vermont in 1985. There are 14 wineries today.[58]

[edit] Manufacturing

IBM, in Essex Junction, is Vermont's largest for-profit employer. It provides 25% of all manufacturing jobs in Vermont. In 2007 it employed 6,800 workers.[59] It is responsible for $1 billion of the state's annual economy.[60]

[edit] Health

Visit Public health and safety (below) for the public health issues.

An increasingly aging population is expected to improve this industry's position in the state economy. In 2008, Fletcher Allen Health Care was the second highest employer of people in the state.[61]

[edit] Housing

In 2007 Vermont was the 17th highest state in the nation for mortgage affordability. However, in 41 other states, inhabitants contributed within plus or minus 4% of Vermont's 18.4% of household income to a mortgage.[62]

Housing prices did not rise that much during the early 2000s. As a result, the collapse in real estate values was not that precipitous either. While foreclosure rose significantly in 2007, the state stood 50th (last,best) in ratio of foreclosure filings to households.[63] While housing sales dropped annually from 2004 to 2008, prices continued to rise.[64]

In 2007, Vermont was best in the country for construction of new energy efficient homes as evaluated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ under the Energy Star program.[65] However, about 60% of Vermont homes heated with oil in 2008.[66] In August 2008, the cost in Vermont of various heating sources per 1 million BTU ranged from $14.39 for cord wood to $43.50 for kerosene.

[edit] Labor

As of 2006, there were 305,000 workers in Vermont. 11% of these are unionized.[67][68] A 2007 survey claimed that Vermonters were the least satisfied with their job in the nation and were the most likely to be making plans to leave.[69]

A modern high unemployment rate of 9% was reached in June 1976. A modern low of 2.2% was measured in March 2002.[70]

[edit] Insurance

Captive insurance plays 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 2004 was the world's third-largest domicile for captive insurance companies, following Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.[71]

[edit] Tourism

Tourism is a large industry in the state. In winter, the ski resorts Stowe, Smugglers' Notch, Killington Ski Resort, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Stratton, Jay Peak, Okemo, Suicide Six, Mount Snow and Bromley host skiers from around the globe, although their largest markets are the Boston, Montreal and New York metropolitan areas. In the summer, resort towns like Stowe, Manchester, Quechee, Wilmington and Woodstock host visitors. Resorts, hotels, restaurants, and shops, designed to attract tourists, employ people year-round.

Lake Champlain.

Summer camps contribute to Vermont's tourist economy. Trout fishing, lake fishing, and ice fishing draw outdoor enthusiasts to the state, as does the hiking on the Long Trail. In winter, nordic and backcountry skiers visit to travel the length of the state on the Catamount Trail. Several horse shows are annual events. Vermont's state parks, historic sites, museums, golf courses, and new boutique hotels with spas were designed to attract tourists.

In 2005, visitors made an estimated 13,4 million trips to the state, spending $1.57 billion.[72]

In 2008, there were 35,000 members of 138 snowmobiling clubs in Vermont. The combined association of clubs maintains 6,000 miles of trail often over private lands. The industry is said to generate "hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business."[73]

[edit] Quarrying

The towns of Rutland and Barre are 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., the Stonecutters Association, of about 500 members. The first marble quarry in America was on Mount Aeolus overlooking East Dorset.[74] Up the western side of the state runs the "Marble Valley" joining up with the "Slate Valley" that runs from just inside New York across from Chimney Point until it meets the "Granite Valley" that runs west past Barre, home of the Rock of Ages quarry, the largest granite quarry in America. Vermont is the largest producer of slate in the country.[75] Production of dimension stone is the greatest producer of revenues by quarrying.

[edit] Taxes

In 2007 Vermont stood 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.[76] However, CNNMoney ranked Vermont highest in the nation based on the percentage of per capita income. The rankings showed Vermont had a per capita tax load of $5,387, 14.1% of the per capita income of $38,306.[77]

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%.[78]

Vermont collects personal income tax in a progressive structure of five different income brackets, ranging from 3.6% to 9.5%.

Vermont's general sales tax rate is 6%, which is imposed on sales of tangible 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 46 exemptions from the tax which include medical items, food, manufacturing machinery, equipment and fuel, residential fuel and electricity, clothing, and shoes. A use tax is imposed on the buyer at the same rate as the sales tax. The buyer pays the use tax when the sellers 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. Property taxes are imposed for the support of education and municipal services.

Vermont does not assess tax on intangible personal property. Vermont does not collect inheritance taxes; however, its estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws and therefore the state still imposes its own estate tax.

[edit] Government finances

Vermont is the only state in the union not to have a balanced budget requirement.[79] In 2007, Moody's Investors Service gave its top rating of Aaa to the state.[80]

[edit] Transportation

Vermont's main mode of travel is by automobile. Individual communities and counties have public transit, but their breadth of coverage is frequently limited. Greyhound Lines services a number of small towns. Two Amtrak trains serve Vermont. The Ethan Allen Express serves Rutland and Fair Haven, while the Vermonter serves Saint Albans, Essex Junction,