Vermonting

Ver – mont – ing (verb): What one does as a Vermonter.
GET IN TOUCH
#3

Highest sports participation rate in u.s. (wallethub, 2020)

40

Number of gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup 

80+

number of known creemee stands

70%

Percentage of Vermont households with pets (#4 in the U.S.)

Being a Vermonter is not just about where you live— it’s a state of mind.

Unbeatable quality of life. Work that matters. Pristine environment. Caring neighbors. Independent spirit. Vermont is so much more than pretty landscapes.

Once you’re a Vermonter, your relationship to where you live is different. You’ll find yourself caring deeply about your neighbors, feeling protective of the trails near your home, taking pride in the quirky aspects of your community. You’ll be surprised how fast it happens, how easy it is to go from “being in Vermont” to “Vermonting.”

Our small population fosters opportunities for individuals and businesses to make a meaningful impact on things that matter to them.

We’re consistently ranked one of the safest places to live and one of the best states to raise a family. Vermonters celebrate diversity at every opportunity and embrace community.

Vermonters are serious about local. From our top-rated schools and healthcare to our thriving small business economy and our strong food system, there’s a deep commitment to supporting each other, our businesses, and our communities. And once you become a Vermonter, you’ll be a part of that community too.

Senator Bernie Sanders wearing mittens with quote "I'd rather be Vermonting"
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Small Classrooms

Vermont has one of the lowest student-to-teacher ratios in the nation and is one of only four states that does not evaluate individual teachers based on test scores. 

Many things set our schools apart, including local foods in public school lunches; weekly ski and snowboard programs; and the Flexible Pathways program, which promotes personalized learning experiences and affordable options for continuing to postsecondary education. 

Universal Pre-K: Vermont provides 10 hours per week of publicly funded Pre-K programs to all 3- to 5-year-olds who have not enrolled in kindergarten. 

School Choice: High school students in Vermont may apply to attend any other public high school in the state. 

View Schools in Vermont HERE.

Never Stop Learning

Vermont’s colleges and universities are varied in enrollment and vibe, ranging from fairly big (more than 12,000 students at the University of Vermont) to small (Sterling College has fewer than 100), and tech-savvy (Vermont Tech) to liberal arts-focused (Goddard College). 

In the era of COVID-19, students and families must cancel their in-person college visit plans. Fortunately, virtual college tours are an excellent alternative. 

Learn more about the Choose Vermont Scholarship.

Health and Community Life

Vermont ranks high for overall community health and civic life. Contributing to this are the high number of doctors per capita (second in the nation) and the 33.7% of Vermont adults who volunteer. 

With a plentiful supply of fresh local food and the ever-present allure of the outdoors, it’s not hard to believe that we have some of the healthiest residents in the nation. 

Vermont is great for families and children. We’re the #1 state for women, one of the best states to have a baby, 98% of our state’s children have health insurance, and fewer than one in four experience weight issues. Vermont is also one of the safest states in the country. 

Most Vermonters see a doctor in one of our intimate small-town hospitals. For bigger medical matters, University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, VT and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, NH are both level one trauma centers and provide top-notch care in a variety of specialties. 

Keeping it Local

Vermont takes pride in being a leader in positive social change as well as our reliance on small-town governance and our citizen legislature. 

Vermonters are more likely to pick the person over the party, happily ‘splitting the ticket’ to elect a Republican governor while returning a heavily Democratic legislature to the Statehouse. 

Politics in Vermont are more accessible than elsewhere, and have tangible connections to our everyday life. You might meet your senator at the supermarket, or the governor at a town parade. 

Vermonters also govern locally. It’s easy to get involved with town school and select boards, and every March brings Town Meeting, where every citizen can speak on local government budgeting and policy. 

In Vermont it’s easy to get involved at the local level. Read Georgia, VT resident Matt Crawford’s first-person account of sitting on his town’s selectboard. 

Play Like it's Your job

What sets Vermont apart from many other places are the outdoors and locals’ passion and enthusiasm to get out and enjoy it, no matter the season. 

Vermont is home to some of the best skiing and riding in the northeast. From the modern amenities at Jay Peak to the old-school charm of Mad River Glen, locals hit the slopes five to six months a year. 

Many Vermonters prefer to enjoy the snow right in their own backyard on local snowshoe and cross-country trails, sledding hills, snowmobile trails, ice skating ponds and rinks, and more. 

As the Green Mountains leaf out in the summer, activities shift to hiking and biking on Vermont’s world-class trails. Resorts offer activities like ziplines, adventure parks, lift-served mountain biking, and alpine slides. Swimming holes and waterfalls dot Vermont’s rivers and streams and boating of all kinds ramps up on our abundant lakes and ponds. 

During leaf peeping season, hunting and fishing keep Vermonters in the woods and on the state’s lakes, rivers, and streams. 

Music

Vermont’s natural beauty and relaxed culture foster the perfect environment for the arts to flourish. 

As the birthplace of PhishGrace Potter, and Twiddle, Vermont’s music scene has influence that belies its size. Several successful record labels call Vermont home, and local artists get further exposure through independent local radio and music festivals—the nationally heralded Discover Jazz and Grand Point North festivals in Burlington are two of the largest. Burlington-based Big Heavy World provides coordination and resources to foster up-and-coming musicians. 

Check out the Forevergreen Vermont Concert Series for a sampling of some of Vermont’s best musicians.

Arts and Culture
Historic sites, agricultural fairs, and cultural immersion pop up in valley communities, mountain villages, and in our small cities year-round, providing endless opportunities to explore the arts.

Forevergreen: A Vermont
Adventure in Music

Vermont is a state of endless adventure, whether from a mountain top, a secluded lake, a vibrant downtown, or in the music that reverberates through its hills. We hope you enjoy FOREVERGREEN, a new adventure bringing the music of Vermont and the artists who have an affinity for the Green Mountain State directly to you. See every episode

Vermonting

How to Eat Like a Local in Vermont

How to Eat Like a Local in Vermont

The bright rainbow of local produce and the smells of ground coffee and fresh-baked bread make diving into local food a delicious experience. From farmers markets to CSAs to growing your own or dining out, here’s how to eat like a local in Vermont.

Spotlight on Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Spotlight on Kesha Ram Hinsdale

This article was originally seen on Vermont Professionals of Color Network. Photography by Alison Redlich. Used with permission from Kesha Ram...