Life in Rutland, Vermont is characterized by its close access to opportunity in an urban center that still feels like a small town, as well as the variety of recreational spaces amid Vermont’s natural beauty. Rutland’s community takes on projects that continuously improve the city. Investments in the city center and surrounding area makes Rutland an attractive place for families to put down roots, looking forward to a bright economic future.
With a population of about 15,800 people in 2020, Rutland is Vermont’s fifth most populous city. Killington and Pico mountains elevate Rutland’s skyline, with the city nestled in a wide valley between the Green Mountain and Taconic ranges. The Cold River and Otter Creek cut through surrounding Rutland County, Vermont’s second largest county by area. The county is also home to parts of two nationally protected natural areas, Green Mountain National Forest and White Rocks Natural Recreation Area.
Rutland was chartered in 1761 and retains the classic charm of a historic New England village with the amenities of a larger city. Rutland’s downtown is part of the National Registry of Historic Places, characterized by historic buildings like the 1913 Paramount Theatre and nods to the region’s deep history in marble quarrying, while simultaneously making space for modern energy and ventures. Healthcare workers, engineering, aerospace and manufacturing professionals, educators, and hospitality and outdoor recreation professionals all find work in Rutland, where major employers include Heritage Family Credit Union, Killington Resort, General Electric Aerospace, Green Mountain Power, Castleton University, Casella Waste Systems, and Rutland Regional Medical Center, the second-largest healthcare facility in the state. Employees at the State of Vermont also have offices in Rutland, including the Vermont Agency of Human Services and the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Remote workers bringing their jobs to Vermont can find community at brand-new, 24,000-square-foot coworking space Hub CoWorks, complete with podcasting space and room for an artist incubator as well as hot desks, private desks, and meeting rooms, or find private meeting space or room to kick-start an entrepreneurial venture at The Loft. Artists and makers looking to share space and equipment will find both at the MINT. The Rutland Young Professionals group brings people together to network and elevate their careers. Explore careers in Rutland using the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region’s Career Hub.
Rutland is well connected to the larger New England area, about two hours from Albany, N.Y., four and a half hours from New York City, three hours from both Boston and Montreal, and about two hours from Concord, N.H. Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express provides daily service from Rutland to New York City, with a northern terminus in Burlington. Getting around in Rutland is made easier on The Bus, operated by Marble Valley Regional Transit District, which also runs tourist buses to Okemo Mountain Resort and Killington Mountain Resort. The Rutland Regional Airport operates flights to and from Boston three times daily.
Community life in Rutland is welcoming and active, with many annual events on the calendar. Outdoor recreation is always close at hand in the city and its surrounding area. Lake Bomoseen, about 20 minutes by car from Rutland, is the largest lake entirely within Vermont’s borders, and Bomoseen State Park provides hiking, swimming, and other recreation opportunities by its shores. The Chittenden Reservoir, a 721-acre natural area prized for its fishing opportunities is also about 20 minutes outside of Rutland. Killington Mountain Resort, often home to the longest ski season in the East and boasting access to Pico Mountain as well, is about 20 minutes away. Okemo Mountain Resort is about 35 minutes away from Rutland, offering two main base areas, six terrain parks and 121 trails. Pico and Okemo are well-known family and learning mountains. Killington and Okemo both offer cross-country skiing, and about 45 minutes away is Viking Nordic Center in Londonderry with 26 maintained kilometers of trails. Mountain bikers, trail runners, and hikers enjoy 16 miles of single-track spread over 325 acres at Pine Hill Park and a multitude of trails at Slate Valley Trails. Vermont’s 272-mile Long Trail intersects near Killington, and the Appalachian Trail intersects with Rutland, too. Nearby state parks include Lake Bomoseen State Park, Half Moon Pond State Park, Emerald Lake State Park, Taconic Mountains Ramble State Park, and Lake St. Catherine State Park. In late summer, families can explore Hathaway Corn Maze, ranked No. 2 for families in the U.S. by Kidventurous. Kids will love the city’s Fortress of Fun, an indoor play space featuring bounce houses and bumper cars, and the Wonderfeet Kids Museum. Take in art exhibitions and classes at the Chaffee Art Gallery, which offers two Art in the Park events annually. Join an indoor pickleball league at Vermont Sport and Fitness Center, also offering Pilates, tennis, and other community-powered sports and fitness classes, or hone your indoor rock climbing skills at Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center.
For entertainment, explore the Rutland Sculpture Trail or the city’s mural project, take in a show at the Paramount Theatre, or mark your calendar for the annual Middletown Springs Strawberry Festival. Experience the Rutland Halloween Parade, a town classic since 1960, Friday Night Live summer concert series, Rutland Winterfest, the Whoopie Pie Fest, or an annual holiday tree lighting where Santa arrives by fire truck.
Vermont residents enjoy immediate access to locally grown food, and Rutland is no exception. Meet and forge connections with local growers, artists, and producers at Vermont’s largest year-round farmers market, along with a variety of outdoor markets, the Rutland Co-op, and community-supported agriculture packages to supplement your grocery list with local, healthy essentials. Explore local food and farmstands in Rutland. Pittsford’s New England Maple Museum houses the most extensive collection of maple sugaring equipment in existence. Downtown, enjoy a meal crafted from what’s local and in season at Roots the Restaurant, Center Street Alley, or the Hop’n Moose at Rutland Beer Works, or head to nearby Killington for a meal at the Lookout Tavern or Casey’s Caboose.
In 2022, Realtor.com named Rutland one of the 14 ski towns in America where housing is more accessible, considering its access to mountains, natural snowfall, and built-in community and rich history. The publication also named Rutland among the 10 most affordable small towns readers want to live in. Housing organizations are imagining housing in new ways in Rutland, from building new developments at the site of a closed college to rehabilitating existing housing stock in West Rutland. The Housing Trust of Rutland County works to connect people with housing, both apartments and single-family homes, throughout Rutland County, and to create new developments, including net new affordable housing at Tuttle Block. The city center will also make use of new investment through the Center Street Streetscape Improvement Plan, transforming a key downtown block into a dynamic and vibrant space with enhanced pedestrian space to walk and window-shop, improved parking, safe outdoor seating for restaurants, and plants and public art. “Beginners Mind,” a mural project installing colorful outdoor murals downtown, adds character and identity to the Rutland city center. Those looking for housing can also check the Rutland Herald, the city’s daily newspaper.
Thinking about relocating to the Rutland? The Real Rutland concierge program can connect you with personal contacts for career, housing, education, and community questions. Programs both statewide and region-specific can help potential new Vermonters find information, answers to their questions, and planning resources for a move. Kick off a job search by browsing positions currently open in Vermont. Economic development tools, incentives, and special programs can also help those looking to expand or relocate their businesses to Vermont. Connect with a Vermonter to ask questions about relocating.
