Guest, Sign inJoin
BellowsFallsBellows Falls, #1 on this list · Photo: Wayne Blanchard (VtWayne at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Vermont rankings · History

Most historic towns in Vermont

Bellows Falls ranks first on history among Vermont’s 71 towns of 2,500+; 52 of the 71 grade A− or better on history nationally.

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work

#1

Bellows Falls

Windham County · 2,706 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #64 of 71 in VT

#2

Rockingham

Windham County · 4,697 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #62 of 71 in VT

#3

Windsor

Windsor County · 3,464 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #38 of 71 in VT

All 71 towns

History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

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

#TownGradeOverall
1Bellows FallsWindham County · 2,706 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #64 of 71
2RockinghamWindham County · 4,697 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C− · #62 of 71
3WindsorWindsor County · 3,464 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #38 of 71
4WoodstockWindsor County · 2,970 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #21 of 71
5VergennesAddison County · 2,559 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #19 of 71
6BenningtonBennington County · 14,953 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #70 of 71
7ChesterWindsor County · 2,955 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #18 of 71
8RoyaltonWindsor County · 2,692 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #20 of 71
9BrattleboroWindham County · 11,872 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #66 of 71
10MiddleburyAddison County · 9,208 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 71
11BradfordOrange County · 2,834 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 71
12BrandonRutland County · 4,173 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #58 of 71
13RutlandRutland County · 15,363 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #68 of 71
14MontpelierWashington County · 7,823 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #30 of 71
15St. AlbansFranklin County · 6,939 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #65 of 71
16PoultneyRutland County · 2,962 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #45 of 71
17FerrisburghAddison County · 2,677 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #29 of 71
18NorwichWindsor County · 3,577 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 71
19St. JohnsburyCaledonia County · 7,354 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #60 of 71
20PutneyWindham County · 2,575 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #42 of 71
21BurlingtonChittenden County · 44,019 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 71
22SpringfieldWindsor County · 8,881 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #56 of 71
23HardwickCaledonia County · 2,950 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #49 of 71
24HartfordWindsor County · 10,911 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #28 of 71
25Fair HavenRutland County · 2,676 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 71
26BristolAddison County · 3,759 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 71
27ThetfordOrange County · 2,863 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #33 of 71
28NewportOrleans County · 4,274 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #69 of 71
29BartonOrleans County · 2,732 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #41 of 71
30WaterburyWashington County · 5,434 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 71
31BarreWashington County · 8,214 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #71 of 71
32ManchesterBennington County · 4,413 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #36 of 71
33CastletonRutland County · 4,411 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 71
34RandolphOrange County · 4,958 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 71
35MorristownLamoille County · 6,129 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #27 of 71
36PittsfordRutland County · 2,859 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #40 of 71
37JerichoChittenden County · 5,056 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 71
38ShaftsburyBennington County · 3,558 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #50 of 71
39StoweLamoille County · 5,325 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 71
40EnosburghFranklin County · 2,780 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 71
41WestminsterWindham County · 2,932 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #51 of 71
42BerlinWashington County · 2,948 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #48 of 71
43CambridgeLamoille County · 3,666 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #54 of 71
44NorthfieldWashington County · 5,873 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #34 of 71
45HartlandWindsor County · 3,398 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #52 of 71
46ShelburneChittenden County · 8,133 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #9 of 71
47CharlotteChittenden County · 3,846 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 71
48HighgateFranklin County · 3,575 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 71
49LyndonCaledonia County · 5,628 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #46 of 71
50ColchesterChittenden County · 17,565 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 71
51RichmondChittenden County · 4,103 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 71
52WillistonChittenden County · 9,975 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #25 of 71
53SwantonFranklin County · 6,894 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 71
54GeorgiaFranklin County · 4,906 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #31 of 71
55East MontpelierWashington County · 2,594 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #11 of 71
56Hyde ParkLamoille County · 2,958 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #47 of 71
57WinooskiChittenden County · 8,239 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #61 of 71
58JohnsonLamoille County · 3,369 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #53 of 71
59DerbyOrleans County · 4,456 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #57 of 71
60WeathersfieldWindsor County · 2,809 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #17 of 71
61UnderhillChittenden County · 3,071 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #24 of 71
62MiltonChittenden County · 10,646 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #32 of 71
63PownalBennington County · 3,219 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #67 of 71
64HinesburgChittenden County · 4,675 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #3 of 71
65FairfaxFranklin County · 5,455 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #12 of 71
66WilliamstownOrange County · 3,576 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #59 of 71
67EssexChittenden County · 11,346 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #13 of 71
68Essex JunctionChittenden County · 10,921 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 71
69NewportOrleans County · 2,583 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #55 of 71
70South BurlingtonChittenden County · 21,394 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #26 of 71
71RutlandRutland County · 3,869 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #63 of 71
Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most historic town in Vermont?

Bellows Falls (Windham County) ranks first on history among 71 towns, with an A+; Rockingham and Windsor follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. 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 history 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 BurlingtonTowns with the most civic life71 towns · #1 MontpelierTowns with the least snow71 towns · #1 ColchesterDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns71 towns · #1 LyndonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters75 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers75 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers75 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

Most historic towns in other states

ALAKAZARCACOCTDEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWY