You must able to handle winter. - 2/24/2024

The good: beautiful, safe, walkable downtown, outdoors nearby. The bad: the woke nonsense is overwhelming, winters are long and brutal, dating scene is beyond depressing.

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Why We Left; Taxed Out of Vermont - 12/31/2018

Having lived in the Burlington VT area for more than a decade, I wish I would have done my research before relocating. Yes, VT has some great draws- but the cons far out way the pros. Property taxes are out of control. The house I bought soared from only $4.5k to more than $14.5k in a matter of years. Yes, you read that right. The winters are long and brutally cold... and you are taxed left right and center. The incredibly high costs of living and the shortage of higher paying professional jobs make it very difficult. If you are living on a lower income, VT is great. Some of the best views in the city of Burlington are on the upper floors of apartments that are assigned affordable housing vouchers. As a young professional, it was frustrating to watch those in receipt of vouchers qualify to live in downtown apartment where they had subsidies... many of us who were middle income earners, couldnt afford the same apartments. We made too much to qualify for subsidies, but not enough to where we could swing the full payments. Vermont has had an exodus of middle and upper income earners. That’s one of the reasons they were offering a subsidy to recruit new residents. For lower income earners, the benefits are significant; one woman I know on Section 8 had her house paid for, her fuel bill paid for, her groceries provided for, her health care paid for, even gas for her vehicle. Do I blame her for moving to VT for these benefits? Can’t say that I do. I worked as a real estate agent in Vermont, and most of my clients were moving out of state. Sadly, many did not want to leave, but the taxes were forcing them out. All of them have built happy lives in other parts of the country, and they all said the same thing ‘If you are a professional and not qualifying for subsidies, Vermont is a very hard state.’ That being said, Vermont also has some good points. I know of several individuals who moved to the state because of the amount of money that the state spends on special needs programs -aids, special tutors etc, for children with learning difficulties. Because these benefits are paid for, it’s a huge benefit to the families who need them. Further, the health care does provide income related subsidies. Many states did not accept the subsidies, so a person cannot qualify for a partial credit towards their health insurance, until they make a certain amount. Vermont takes the common sense approach of letting the poorest qualify for the greatest subsidies. For a state where the service industry (historicallylower paying jobs) plays such a huge part of the employment statistics, VT does a great job of extending benefits to all. In the end, however, Vermont may discover that consistently taxing those residents who are working at higher and higher levels, may not be the best plan. We were functionally taxed out of the state. Wilmington North Carolina gave us fantastic weather, more than twice the house for the money, a property tax bill that is less than half of VT. We can walk to downtown, the beach is 15 minutes away, there are dog parks and kiddie parks everywhere. Our downtown is fun and funky, lots of cool second hand shops, antique shops, cafes and great eats. We stayed in VT for 10 years- Wilmington is night and day. We only wish we would have known this years ago.

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Hippie heaven - 9/20/2017

If your a hippie you'll love Burlington! The grass is green all year round.

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After 20 years, I can offer a point of view - 6/6/2014

I was born in NY, but my family and I moved to Williston, VT when I was maybe 2 years old. Since then, I grew up in a very liberal area with lush green trees and tall mountains that comforted me. The opportunities for adventure were endless as a kid. My backyard has been a field, or a mountain top complete with a river neighboring near by to the public. That's what I like about Vermont, someone made the right decision to maintain the freedom of enjoying public areas without paying a ridiculous amount of money. Not one person commenting on any state, country or city can determine an accurate climate... but I can try. Vermont is beautiful in the summer. I write this as I just completed my masters degree and have moved back to VT for the summer. One of the best times to enjoy what Vermont has to offer. The deep blue skies and bright yellow sun are incomparable to that of the south or mid-western states (which I haven't visited, but often hear about from friends or look at on Google images). One sunny day can liven the spirit and give me such a high here thats unachievable by any amount of recreational drug Vermont usually deems acceptable. It's not the cloudy days that are God awful, its the GRAY sky days. These are the days that are such a harsh light gray/white that you cannot look up when you are outside and instead stoop your shoulders and drop your head harboring some kind of unnatural emotion. Typically, Vermont sees 1 sunny day for every 3 cloudy days, with a chance of rain being 2 out of those 3 days. I've had the pleasure to enjoy some wonderful summers here; seeing sky high temperatures and beams of sun for days, to having complete overhaul of dreary gray and rain for a week. But, thats the weather you can expect, and unfortunately it is a tool to our mood! I love Vermont, but if you don't live in or outside of Burlington, its like living the simple life, without any social interaction. Nevermind me talking about Burlington. The city is beautiful, but no one puts any money into the historic housing so it sits there to rot. The roadways are a mess because of never-ending snow and rain, and worst of all, Vermont will never build highways, parking lots or roadways in fear this will destroy preserved land or waterways. It's absurd! But yet, 'lets keep building businesses on-top of businesses for the sake of growth', yet not bloody parking lots or highways to allow the over-populated areas some relief. That has always been my biggest peeve. Ever since riding the school bus from Williston schools to my Williston home, and recounting how a 15min bus ride would turn into a 40min ride. Ridiculous. The food is amazing, expensive, but great! Local and delicious. Vermont has some very intelligent people working behind the scenes. We are like a mini California, pioneers in many different areas and actualizing holistic health. CATCH UP SOUTH.

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Worst place ever to live!!!! - 2/8/2013

I made the mistake of moving here from Austin, Texas in 2012 and shortly after moving I quickly regretted my decision. The cost of living here is ridiculous, the bugs are out of control, the people are super mean and have terrible attitudes. Go help you if you have fuel oil because you will be working around the clock to heat your house to the toasty temperature of 65!! We pay a minimum o $600/month to heat our small 900 sqft house and we are still freezing!!! All houses are old as hell and in poor condition but yet rent and cost of buying is beyond ridiculous. There is a real lack of talent as far as health care professionals go and forget about getting anything good to eat because mcdonnalds is the best restaurant they have!!! Do not move here!!!!

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Awesome Place.. but - 6/17/2012

Burlington is awesome. It is full of culture everything from waterfront music festivals to arts at the farmer's market. Furthermore, the Flynn theatre brings in great acts from Steve Martin to Bernadate Peters. Summers are the best in Burlington and Vermont as it does not get miserably hot like it did in the Midwest where I grew up. Plus, the summer is when Burlington gets most of it's sunshine, so cherish it while you can because the rest of the year you are lucky to get a day in 5 that is sunny. Cost of living is a bit higher than what I was used to when I moved here, but quality of life here is worth it in my opinion. Just know that if is says "made in Vermont" on the item you are purchasing it will at least cost your 15-25% more. Burlington is a short drive to Montreal, which is truly an incredible city. The people in Vermont are typically nice, but some have the Northeastern uppity attitude. The winters are HARD in Vermont. Everyone here will tell you that the skiing is to be treasured, but I do not think many of them have ever lived in Colorado as I have. If you like being froze, and skating down hill on ice then VT is the place to ski for you. That is not to say there isn't an ok powder day once in a while, but they are few and far between. If you are looking for ski country move west, as I plan to do in the future. To close, Burlington has to many great qualities to list and you just need to come and visit. Oh and did I mention the food here is AMAZING! My biggest beef is Burlington and Vermont in general is it seems to be trying to constantly sale itself to its citizens. It is like Vermont's version of Californiacation.

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Meh - 5/31/2012

Not a horrible place to live but be warned. A decent amount of things to do around town (for a town of its size) but the number of bums, druggies, thugs and asshole college students kind of ruins it. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers are all crazy and do not follow the rules of the road. Going downtown you must always be vigilant so that you don't run into some idiot or have them run into you. Also the amount of snow this place gets is unreal.

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nice town - 11/24/2010

great area to live and play, but a bit expensive

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Can't wait to go home to Burlington - 10/16/2010

I made the dumb mistake of moving my family to Los Angeles eight years ago and have regretted every day of it. I've had it with L.A.'s crowded roads, crime, high cost of living, poor quality of life and, at the risk of sounding politically-incorrect, the in-your-face, uber-diverse population. Soon as the kids are out of school we're planning on going back to Burlington. I am counting the days.

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Burlington, VT --Excellent, 5-stars! - 7/9/2010

I absolutely LOVE Burlington and would love to meet others who share the same belief. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with Burlington. The only cautionary I would advise you of, is you MUST be okay with long and COLD winters... they're brutal! Over all, Burlington is artsy, progressive, liberal, full of musicians (though not as many as Asheville, NC), writers, and artists. It is organic and health-conscious. I heard Ithaca, NY is, too :) It's political and full of activism (similar to Northampton, MA), hip, vibrant, a good arts scene w/poetry and open Mic on Monday's at Radio Bean. Burlington is beautiful... in the state of VT, billboards are prohibited to preserve the natural beauty :) Burlington is truly "home" to me and my first "home" away from home. I love it. I am wondering if it's similar to Eugene, OR? ...or even Portland, OR though obviously much smaller! I have never been to OR, but would love to meet someone who has and maybe road trip together ;) At any rate, you cannot go wrong in Burlington if you can tolerate the winters! Feel free to contact me if you want to chat or connect: Not2bforgot10@yahoo.com -Emily.

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What it is like here in the winter months - 4/6/2010

I moved to Burlington, Vermont in 1974 when I was 15 years old. I am now 51. If you are considering a move here let me tell you about the climate. There is no sun in the winter. I hear out West they have sun in the winter, we do not. Starting in November, that's when the "gloom" starts. I hate November. It's like setting you up for what's to come. Unless you ski or snowboard, or do something outside, the winters are very long. Normally Spring arrives in May. We can still have snow in April. In my opinion, I would live here in the summer and get out starting in November. It can get very depressing not seeing the sun for all those months.

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Lots to Do - 11/18/2009

For a city of its (small) size, Burlington offers many opportunities for culture and recreation. In the area, there are several first-run theaters and one that often runs more "arty" films, too. There is a theater in town that often features major national and international acts, plus lots of events at the University of Vermont. Lake Champlain provides beaches, boating, and fishing in the warmer months, and the many mountains and cross-country ski area in a 1-hour radius provide virtually endless opportunities for skiing and exploring.

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Burlington - 3/31/2009

Burlington, Vt. is a haven for outdoor recreation. In summer: bicycling, running, hiking, in-line skating, kayaking, sailing, etc. etc. in the mountains, back roads, on the 12-mile paved rail-to-trail along Lake Champlain. In winter: all the skiing, snowshoeing, skimobiling, ice fishing, anyone could want. Plus, with the University of Vermont and Champlain College, plenty of culture. Drawback: expensive. Rents, food, taxes, utilities (especially heating in winter.

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Grew up in Burlington and had to go away to really - 5/25/2008

Burlington has enough culture, parks and stores to have what you need. Housing is more expensive than the average, but it's worth it. The crime is low, it's clean, it lack extreme weather like hurricanes, lacks poisonious insects, the views are beautiful and the people are realatively educated. Burlington is a medical community and a college town with great outdoor recreation spots in the summer. On the downside, winters are long enough and the closest metro area is Montreal, Canada.

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Wonderful City With a Few Downfalls - 3/1/2008

I grew up in nearby Essex Junction and now am a senior at the University of Vermont here in Burlington, and have lived here for the past four years (and been to burlington many times throughout life.) Housing prices are very high for a city of this size -- mostly because the demand is so high, and for renters, landlords know they can charge wealthy out-of-state trust fund college kids high prices that their parents will always pay (I am not one of these kids, so this trend is extremely frustrating.) The houses are primarily older victorian homes from the early 1900's that are truly showing their wear, although many of them are very ornate and beautiful. The scenery is gorgeous from may through october, with the lake and aidorondack & green mountains to the east and west -- words can't express how stunningly brautiful the fall foliage is as well. Recreation, culture, and activities are plentiful, and winter opens up all kinds of winter recreation like skiing, snowshoeing, for those that want it. The city is very safe and most people are friendly. The atmosphere is overwhelmingly liberal and socialist, you'll see a lot of aging hippies and activists, as well as a high gay and lesbian population. I consider myself more liberal, but extremism seen from many flat out lunatics can be very annoying. The city is also very white, but whether or not that is a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. Winter is brutal, and from november throughearly april the days are cold and overcast, but this place transforms during the summer months. Not many job opportunities. Traffic is only bad at rush hour, otherwise is nonexistant and very satisfying to commute. However, pedestrians don't wait for red lights to cross the street, and there's always some moron skateboarder or biker in the way of drivers. Pros: beautiful beyond belief from may-october, friendly, safe, diverse social groups, great restaurants, grocery stores (both conventional and organic) nightlife, great schools and colleges, perfect size, light traffic Cons: Winter, overcast days during late fall and winter, job opportunities, rent/housing costs, annoying nutcase political extremism, chronic unsafe jaywalking.

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vermont - 2/24/2008

beautiful summers, healthy, safe - but long winters and col is high

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Beautiful state - 2/13/2008

Burlington is a great little college town; beautful lake surrounded by mountains. Winters are long in Vermont if you don't enjoy winter sports. Great state for those who like outdoor sports. Fall is my favorite season - absolutely gorgeous.

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Overall - 9/8/2007

It's a lovely place to live, but too expensive for the average family. If you're single or living on public housing, you'll do fine. If you want to live on your own as a single income family-not so doable. Downtown Burlington is cozy and sweet. Lake access and marketplace access is wonderful as well as access to malls and chain stores. Lots of nice playgrounds. We will miss it when we move, but there's no way for us to afford living here without assistance.

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Cold and gloomy - 7/30/2007

One more comment about this city. It is very cold and there are long winters and cold springs and summers. Burlington has some nice sections that look good, but there are many sections that look run down and not as nice. ALL of the roads are bad both from winter snowplowing and lack of upkeep. The waterfront is nice and the Lake beautiful. It is expensive to live here, though and income is not sufficient to cover it.

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Vermont living - 5/11/2007

I have lived in the burlington area 26 years/Belvidere 11yrs.Vermont is a very beautifull state.The crime rate isn't high and you don't have to afraid of having someone pull a knife on you in broad day light. You can drive a hour from the city to the country and moutains.Great place to rise kids but plan on both parents working fulltime.The average rent for a two bedroom apartment ,car port,pool,trash 925.00 per month and pay your own utilites.McDonalds,stores pay $8 hour,entry level hospital workers 8.87hr.KInd peole with rednecks in the country area.VERY Clean state.

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