Vermont History and Demographics Information

Vermont is a study in contrasts. The most rural state in the U.S., it is also one of the most liberal politically. Its population is the least diverse ethnically (96.6 % white) yet it boasts the highest percentage of women serving in the state legislature, and was the first state to enact legislation granting the legal benefits of marriage to gay couples. Dominated for decades by the Republican party, in 1990 Vermont sent a Socialist, Rep. Bernie Sanders, to Congress. The state praises its leading manufacturer, "Big Blue" IBM, which employs 8,000 workers in its Essex Junction semiconductor plant, but fights the invasion of big box retail chains, though Wal-Mart finally opened its first store in the Burlington area a few years ago.

Vermont Economy and Products

Famous worldwide for its maple syrup, producing more than 400,000 gallons in 2005, Vermont has fashioned itself as a brand for many other high-end niche products, particularly associated with the dairy industry. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, Cabot Cheese, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burton Snowboards, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, and King Arthur Flour are just a few of the small Vermont-based companies that have skillfully marketed the state's reputation for natural beauty, progressive politics, and high quality of life to consumers eager for a slice of Vermont wholesomeness.

VT Real Estate and Tourism Information

Though it remains 77% forested, and ranks 49th in the U.S. for total population with only 600,000 residents, Vermont's housing market is strong, with median home prices increasing 35% since 2003. Retirees and second-home buyers have kept prices relatively high, and Vermont repeatedly ranks at or near the top in surveys of family-friendly, educated, safe and healthy states promise to maintain real estate values indefinitely.

Tourism also boosts home prices in Vermont. The Green Mountain State - home of the nation's first ski area, in Woodstock - derives 27% of its gross state product from tourism, the highest percentage of any state. Dozens of ski resorts, including Killington, Stowe, Sugarbush and Stratton, among many others, draw millions of visitors from the Eastern U.S each winter, and the industry employs 11,000 workers. Autumn is also a popular season for tourists drawn by the beauty of fall foliage in Vermont, made possible by the brilliant red and orange-leafed sugar maples that produce that famous syrup in the spring. Lake Champlain, the 6th largest body of fresh water in the U.S., attracts vacationers and summer campers by the busload.

Also popular with visitors is the Northeast Kingdom, bordering Quebec to the north and New York to the west, known for its cold winters and quaint, historic villages. In 2006, this region of Vermont was named the most desirable place to visit in the U.S by the National Geographic Society.