Central Vermont

The rolling hills and beautiful lake and mountain vistas of Addison County are a draw for cyclists. But they’re also home to a vibrant community of manufacturers of all sizes and types. Well-known beverage producers like Woodchuck Cider and Vermont Coffee Company can be found here, as well as sustainable product manufacturer Bee’s Wrap and global businesses like Geiger of Austria and Collins Aerospace.  

Higher education, healthcare, and agriculture are also prominent in Addison County. 220-year-old Middlebury College is the region’s largest employer and brings over 2,000 students to the area every year. Porter Medical Center is the regional healthcare hub, employing over 800. And there are 99 dairy farms in this bucolic county, occupying over 200,000 acres and providing milk to nearby Cabot Creamery, which puts dairy products on tables throughout the U.S. 

State capital Montpelier, Waterbury, and Barre are the population centers of Washington County. Many state government agencies are located in these municipalities as well as private sector businesses and vibrant downtowns with bustling retail. Waterbury is home to Vermont icons Ben & Jerry’s and The Alchemist—brewer of the highly sought-after Heady Topper beer—as well as global beverage producer Keurig Dr Pepper. Montpelier hosts National Life Group, Central Vermont Medical Center, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Barre’s Rock of Ages has produced artisan granite carvings and the building blocks of civic memorials and monuments for well over a hundred years.