Vermont

Vermont by the Numbers:
Key Statistical Data and Facts

Key Details

• Vermont is the second least-populated state in the US after Wyoming, with 647,064 residents as of 2022. 
• Phil Scott is the 82nd Governor and a member of the Republican Party. 
• In October 2022, there were 503,129 registered voters in Vermont, and 73.27% voted during the 2020 presidential election. 
• 93.9% of residents aged 25+ had a high school diploma or higher in 2021, while 40.9% had a college degree or higher. 
• As of Feb 2023, Vermont’s unemployment rate was 2.8%, while the median household income was $67,674 (2021). 

Vermont Population Demographics

Located in the Northeastern part of the US, Vermont is the second least-populated state in the US after Wyoming. According to 2022 US Census estimates, the state has approximately 647,064 residents.

Viewed across age groups, approximately 18% of residents are under 18, while those 65 and older comprise over 20% of the population. Residents under the age of five represent 4% of Vermont’s population. Like most US states, the Green Mountain state has a nearly even gender split with 50.3% females and 49.7% males.

Vermont Housing

336,779 housing

According to 2022 Census estimates, Vermont has 336,779 housing units and an average of 2.35 persons per household.

72.1%

Between 2017 and 2021, 72.1% of the housing units were owner-occupied, with a median value of $240,600.

$1,701

In the same period, the average median monthly owner costs with a mortgage reached $1,701

$724

While those without a mortgage were set at $724

$1,070

In comparison, the median gross rent in Vermont was $1,070.

Vermont Racial Demographics

Elections in Vermont

As of 2023, Vermont is one of only two US states where governors hold office for two years (New Hampshire is the second). Between 1854 and 1962, the Republican Party controlled the governor’s office. But that changed following the election of Democratic Governor Phillip H. Hoff in 1963.  

As of 2023, Vermont has a divided government where neither party holds a trifecta. The Republicans control the governor's office, while the Democrats control the state legislature and the offices of Attorney General and Secretary of State. 

Phil Scott is the 82nd governor of Vermont and a member of the Republican Party. He was first elected in 2016 after defeating Democratic candidate Sue Minter by 8.7% in the election. Scott was sworn into office on January 5, 2017, and was re-elected in 2018 after defeating Democrat Christine Hallquist by 14.9%.  

Scott again won re-election in 2020 by 41.1%, defeating Democratic candidate David Zuckerman, who occupies the lieutenant governor’s office. In 2022, he won re-election to a fourth term by 45.86%, defeating Democratic nominee Brenda Siegel. 

As of 2023, Democrat David Zuckerman serves as the president of the Senate, while Philip Baruth occupies the office of President pro tempore. This position allows Baruth to preside over the Senate in the absence of Zuckerman. The majority leader in the Vermont Senate is Democrat Alison Clarkson, while the minority leader is Republican Randy Brock. 

2020 Presidential Election 

Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, won the 2020 presidential election in Vermont by 65.46% (242,820 votes). Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the election, received 30.38% (112,704) of the votes, while third-party candidates received the remaining 4.16%. 

Joe Biden

Donald Trump

Vermont Voting Statistics

As of October 2022, there are 503,129 total registered voters in Vermont. The Green Mountain state has no party registration, meaning voters do not need to register as a Democrat, Republican, or any other party. During elections in the state, all registered voters will be given one ballot for each of the major parties.  

Voters Turnout 

During the 2022 general elections, Vermont recorded a 59.77% voter turnout, with 291,955 votes cast out of a registered 506,666. This figure was lower than the 2020 elections, which had 73.27% voter turnout (the largest in Vermont since 2008).

General Election 

How Educated is Vermont

Between 2017 and 2021, 93.9% of residents aged 25 years or older had a high school diploma or higher in Vermont. In the same period, the US Census Bureau estimates that 40.9% of residents aged 25+ had a bachelor's degree or higher. Overall, about 33.48% of the population in Vermont holds a high school degree, 19.75% have a college or associate’s degree, and 22.6% have a bachelor's certificate.  

As of 2023, Vermont has 23 colleges and universities and four out-of-state colleges with campuses in the state. The University of Vermont is the largest college, with 13,826 students, followed by Community College of Vermont, with 5,541 students, Champlain College, with 3,825 students; and Norwich University, with 3,672 students.

Vermont Employment Rate

According to data released by the Vermont Department of Labor, Vermont's unemployment rate increased from 2.6% in January 2023 to 2.8% in the following month. The civilian labor force participation rate was 63.6% in February, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the previous month. 

As of 2023, Vermont’s civilian workforce had approximately 346,200 persons. Of this number, 337,000 people were employed, while 9,200 were unemployed.

The Education and Health Services sector provided approximately 62,000 jobs, followed by the government sector, which provided 54,200 jobs. The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities sectors provided up to 52,600 jobs, and the Professional and Business Services sector generated 33,300 jobs. Other major industries in Vermont include Leisure and Hospitality (32,800 jobs), Manufacturing (28,900 jobs), Construction (16,000 jobs), and Financial Activities (12,300 jobs).

Average Income in Vermont

Data from the US Census Bureau shows that Vermont has a median household income of $67,674 as of 2021. The average annual household income in the state is $89,820, while the per capita income is $37,903. Viewed across different age groups, residents younger than 25 and those older than 65 earn less than people in other age groups.  

According to the US Census data, Vermonters below 25 years and those older than 65 earn $36,246 and $51,650, respectively. On the other hand, residents between the ages of 25 and 44 earn up to $78,988, while those who fall between 45 and 64 years old have a median wage of $80,368.  

As of 2023, Vermont's median household income for families with one earner is $58,728. Households with two earners earn $78,009, while those with three earn up to $92,628. Vermont families with four or more earners earned the highest median household income and recorded $117,750 in 2022. 

Families in Vermont

Vermont Marriage Rates

According to 2021 Census estimates, 48.79% (265,789) of residents are married, while 33.07% (180,121) of the total population in Vermont have never been married. Data from the National Center for Health reveals that Vermont has a marriage rate of 7.4 per 1,000 residents as of 2021, higher than the 6.0 marriages per 1000 recorded in the previous year. However, it should be noted that the marriage rate has declined gradually between 1990 and 2021 (from 10.9 marriages per 1000 in 1990 to 9.3 in 2010 and 7.4 in 2021). 

Vermont Divorce Rates

As of 2021, Vermont has a divorce rate of 2.3 per 1,000, higher than the 2.1 recorded in 2020 and 2.8 in 2019. When viewed across three decades, the state’s divorce rate has steadily decreased from 4.5 in 1990 to 3.8 in 2010 and 2.3 in 2021. The US Census Bureau reveals 6,253 (1.15%) separated and 68,462 (12.57%) divorced residents in Vermont. 

Life Expectancy in Vermont

As of 2020, the life expectancy of Vermonters at birth was estimated to be 79 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The data further reveals that the fertility rate of women within the 15-44 age category was 44.9 births per 1,000 women, while that of the teen birth rate (ages 15-19) was 6.4 births per 1,000 females. 

As of 2023, the leading cause of death in Vermont is heart disease, closely followed by cancer, accidents, and Alzheimer's disease. The state also has a drug overdose death rate of 42.3 per 100,000 and a firearm injury death rate of 11.9 per 100,000. In the third quarter of 2022, Vermont recorded a COVID-19 death rate of 15.8 per 100,000. 

Vermont Crime Rates

In 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that there were 1,089 violent crime incidents in Vermont. Of this figure, there were seven homicides, 244 rape incidents, 65 robberies, and 773 aggravated assaults. With respect to property offenses, the state recorded 8,628 incidents, including 43 arsons, 1,129 burglaries, 7,006 larceny thefts, and 450 motor vehicle thefts. 

Vermont Incarceration Rate

182 per 100,000 persons

As of 2019, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) reported that Vermont has an incarceration rate 182 per 100,000 persons.

1,608 incarcerated

The state is among the six states in the US to have an integrated state-level prison and jail system. Based on the report of the NIC, Vermont has eight prison facilities, with 1,608 incarcerated persons and 871 inmates on parole.

3,987 persons

The state was also recorded to have 3,987 persons on probation as of December 31, 2019.

Vermont Bankruptcy Rate

2022

176 bankruptcy filings

In 2022, Vermont recorded 176 bankruptcy cases. It included 127 Chapter 7 cases, 44 Chapter 13 cases, and two Chapter 12. According to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), Vermont recorded a gradual decline in the rate of bankruptcy filings between 2012 and 2022. Bankruptcy cases decreased to 923 in 2013, 715 in 2014, 669 in 2015, 564 in 2016, 558 in 2017, and 555 in 2018. Although the number of filings increased to 561 in 2019, it decreased again to 379 in 2020 and 273 in 2021.

Weird Laws in Vermont

Like many states in the US, Vermont has had laws that many might find weird. Some of these laws include: