Key Facts
- Per Capita Real GDP
- $34,197 Rank: 32/50 (2007)
- Population
- 621,270 Rank: 49/50 (2008)
- Per Capita Personal Income
- $34,264 Rank: 24/50 (2006)
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.20% Rank: 19/50 (2008)
- Business Tax Climate Index
- Rank: 44/50 (2008)
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Vermont: Introduction
Vermont is one of the New England States and is located in the Northeast United States, sharing a border with Canada. Though it was not one of the nation’s founding thirteen states, it was the first state to be admitted to the Union after the original thirteen. Its population distribution stands out compared to the other East coast states, as Vermont’s population is predominately rural. It is the sixth smallest state in the country and yet holds an exceptionally diverse physical geography that ranges from mountainous areas to fertile flatlands and valleys. Nearly 80 percent of Vermont’s landmass is covered by deciduous forests. Vermonters expect long and cold winters with brief but temperate summers. The state has the second smallest population in the country.
In Vermont’s beginning, farming was the strongest contributor to its economy, but manufacturing took over in the twentieth century. Electrical equipment is currently the leading manufactured product, contributing about a third of the industry’s income. In the last several decades the service industry has seen the most growth, with tourism consistently on the rise. Vermont is the nation's leading producer of maple syrup, accounting for over 25% of the nation's total. The extraction of maple syrup is also pictured on the state quarter.
