Real Estate Directory - Vermont

Population: 619,107 (2003 figures)
Capital city/population: Montpelier 7,945
Largest cities/population:

  • Burlington - 39,148
  • Montpelier - 7,945
  • Rutland - 17,103

Vermont is the 45th largest state, with a total area of 9,615 square miles. It has a wide variety of temperatures, short summers, and long winters. Average January temperature is 18ºF; average July temperature is 68ºF. Rainfall ranges from 32” – 52”, and some areas receive up to 125” of snow. Vermont was admitted into the Union on March 4, 1791. Its capital, Montpelier, is the smallest state capital in the nation, and is the only state capital without a McDonald’s.

HOUSING

Burlington – For the last part of 2005, average price for a single-family home was $333,895, with these homes remaining on the market for 46 days. Compared to 2004 prices, which averaged $229,871, the market has shown steady growth.

Montpelier – Average price for a single-family home is $128,191. Local attractions in this cozy capital include the historical state house, a historical museum, an art gallery, farmers markets, and the local baseball team, the Mountaineers.

Rutland – Home prices range from $115,000 - $330,000. Although a very small community, Rutland is a great place to live, offering visitors a wonderful assortment of outdoor activities. Playhouses, antique shops, craft shows, and restaurants round out the great variety of activities from which to choose.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Principal industries include manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, trade, finance, insurance, real estate, and government. Manufactured goods include machine tools, furniture, scales, books, computer components, and specialty foods. Crops include dairy products, maple syrup, greenhouse/nursery products, vegetables, and small fruits. Per capita income for 1995 was $20,927.

SCHOOLS

Since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (NCLB), Vermont has introduced important changes to its K-12 program. One program is the Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT), which requires that all public school teachers of core subjects meet special requirements by the end of the 2005 – 2006 school year. The state also offers federal funding for other programs. In the public sector, student-teacher ratio for 1994 was 13:8, with an average teachers’ salary for 1995 of $36,295.

Important colleges are the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College – Burlington. Other schools include Vermont Technical College – Randolph Center, and other colleges at Castleton, Johnson, and Lyndonville. Middlebury College, Norwich University – Northfield, St. Michael’s – Winooski, Goddard College – Plainfield, Trinity College – Burlington, Bennington College, Marlboro College, and Green Mountain College – Poultney are other important state-supported schools.

HISTORY

During the American Revolution, Vermont proclaimed itself an independent state in January, 1777. The Continental Congress refused to recognize this act, due to New York’s opposition in the matter. For ten years, Vermont remained independent, performing all offices of an independent government. It was not until 1791, when the dispute with New York was resolved, that Vermont entered the Union. In the years to follow, Vermont saw great population increases due to desirable land.

During this time, Vermont was the most democratic state due to its even distribution of wealth. Vermont strongly supported the Union during the Civil War.

In the early 19th century, the rise of manufacturing created demands that the smaller farm population could not meet. Commercial farming began to grow, and grain and beef cattle became a chief commodity. When similar markets in other states competed for these goods, Vermont turned to sheep raising. In later years, many farmers gave up this practice due to competition, and dairy farming grew in importance.

Since the 1960s, Vermont has seen a boom in the tourist industry, as well as the development of high-technology industries. The state remains active in attempts to preserve natural resources, enacting strict laws regarding pollution and conservation.

RELIGION (2003)

  • Christian – 74%
    • Roman Catholic – 39%
    • Protestant – 34%
      • Congregational/United Church of Christ – 7%
      • Methodist – 7%
      • Episcopal – 5%
      • Baptist – 3%
      • Other Protestant – 12%
    • Other Christian – 1%
  • Jewish – 1%
  • Other Religions – 1%
  • Non-Religious – 24%

DEMOGRAPHICS (2003)

  • White - 96.2%
  • Asian - 0.9%
  • Hispanic - 0.9%
  • Black - 0.5%
  • Native American - 0.4%
  • Mixed race - 1.2%