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2022-04 Vermont State House 01Montpelier, #1 on this list · Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Vermont rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Vermont

Montpelier ranks first on civic life among Vermont’s 71 towns of 2,500+; 39 of the 71 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Montpelier

Washington County · 7,823 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B · #30 of 71 in VT

#2

Middlebury

Addison County · 9,208 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #22 of 71 in VT

#3

Brattleboro

Windham County · 11,872 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #66 of 71 in VT

All 71 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 6 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

71 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1MontpelierWashington County · 7,823 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B · #30 of 71
2MiddleburyAddison County · 9,208 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #22 of 71
3BrattleboroWindham County · 11,872 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #66 of 71
4PutneyWindham County · 2,575 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #42 of 71
5VergennesAddison County · 2,559 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #19 of 71
6WaterburyWashington County · 5,434 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 71
7MorristownLamoille County · 6,129 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #27 of 71
8WoodstockWindsor County · 2,970 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #21 of 71
9NorwichWindsor County · 3,577 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 71
10WestminsterWindham County · 2,932 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #51 of 71
11RichmondChittenden County · 4,103 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 71
12ManchesterBennington County · 4,413 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #36 of 71
13East MontpelierWashington County · 2,594 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #11 of 71
14BenningtonBennington County · 14,953 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #70 of 71
15ShelburneChittenden County · 8,133 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #9 of 71
16PoultneyRutland County · 2,962 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #45 of 71
T17BrandonRutland County · 4,173 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #58 of 71
T17ThetfordOrange County · 2,863 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #33 of 71
19HartfordWindsor County · 10,911 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #28 of 71
20StoweLamoille County · 5,325 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 71
21BristolAddison County · 3,759 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 71
22CharlotteChittenden County · 3,846 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 71
23FerrisburghAddison County · 2,677 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #29 of 71
24ShaftsburyBennington County · 3,558 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #50 of 71
25BurlingtonChittenden County · 44,019 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 71
26Bellows FallsWindham County · 2,706 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #64 of 71
27St. JohnsburyCaledonia County · 7,354 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #60 of 71
28PittsfordRutland County · 2,859 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #40 of 71
29HinesburgChittenden County · 4,675 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #3 of 71
30BradfordOrange County · 2,834 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 71
31WillistonChittenden County · 9,975 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #25 of 71
32JerichoChittenden County · 5,056 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 71
33Hyde ParkLamoille County · 2,958 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #47 of 71
34BarreWashington County · 8,214 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #71 of 71
35South BurlingtonChittenden County · 21,394 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #26 of 71
36Essex JunctionChittenden County · 10,921 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 71
37RutlandRutland County · 15,363 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #68 of 71
38ChesterWindsor County · 2,955 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #18 of 71
39RoyaltonWindsor County · 2,692 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #20 of 71
40EssexChittenden County · 11,346 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #13 of 71
41NorthfieldWashington County · 5,873 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #34 of 71
42RandolphOrange County · 4,958 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 71
43HardwickCaledonia County · 2,950 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #49 of 71
44NewportOrleans County · 4,274 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #69 of 71
45HartlandWindsor County · 3,398 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #52 of 71
46LyndonCaledonia County · 5,628 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #46 of 71
47RockinghamWindham County · 4,697 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #62 of 71
T48Fair HavenRutland County · 2,676 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 71
T48SpringfieldWindsor County · 8,881 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #56 of 71
50St. AlbansFranklin County · 6,939 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #65 of 71
51EnosburghFranklin County · 2,780 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 71
52WindsorWindsor County · 3,464 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #38 of 71
53UnderhillChittenden County · 3,071 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #24 of 71
54ColchesterChittenden County · 17,565 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 71
55BartonOrleans County · 2,732 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #41 of 71
56CambridgeLamoille County · 3,666 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #54 of 71
57DerbyOrleans County · 4,456 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #57 of 71
58WinooskiChittenden County · 8,239 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #61 of 71
59PownalBennington County · 3,219 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #67 of 71
60CastletonRutland County · 4,411 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 71
T61BerlinWashington County · 2,948 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #48 of 71
T61JohnsonLamoille County · 3,369 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #53 of 71
63WeathersfieldWindsor County · 2,809 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #17 of 71
64MiltonChittenden County · 10,646 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #32 of 71
65WilliamstownOrange County · 3,576 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #59 of 71
66FairfaxFranklin County · 5,455 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #12 of 71
67GeorgiaFranklin County · 4,906 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #31 of 71
68SwantonFranklin County · 6,894 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 71
69RutlandRutland County · 3,869 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #63 of 71
70HighgateFranklin County · 3,575 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 71
71NewportOrleans County · 2,583 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #55 of 71
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Vermont town has the most civic life?

Montpelier (Washington County) ranks first on civic life among 71 towns, with an A+; Middlebury and Brattleboro follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (71 in Vermont). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Vermont page.

Go deeper

More Vermont lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Vermont rankings →
Best places to live71 towns · #1 NorwichBest small towns61 towns · #1 NorwichMost affordable towns71 towns · #1 EnosburghSafest towns38 towns · #1 CastletonTowns with the best schools71 towns · #1 NorwichHealthiest towns71 towns · #1 NorwichBest towns for jobs & income71 towns · #1 JerichoMost walkable towns71 towns · #1 BurlingtonTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk71 towns · #1 RutlandBest towns for the outdoors71 towns · #1 BurlingtonMost historic towns71 towns · #1 Bellows FallsTowns with the least snow71 towns · #1 ColchesterDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns71 towns · #1 LyndonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters84 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers84 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers84 towns · #1 Arlington and BartonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes71 towns · #1 CharlotteDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes70 towns · #1 CastletonDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns70 towns · #1 MorristownDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries43 towns · #1 WoodstockDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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