Jobs & Economy in Vermont
Vermont's real, current economy runs genuinely strong on the metrics this pass's own research and vermont.js's own economy metrics both found -- a substantially below-national unemployment rate, a #1-in-the-nation Opportunity ranking, and a real, substantial ski/second-home and broader visitor-economy sector -- layered against a real, disclosed nuance this record does not omit: Vermont's low unemployment partly reflects a shrinking labor force tied to the state's aging population.
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Learn moreVermont's unemployment rate ran substantially below the national rate, and the state earned the nation's #1 Opportunity ranking in 2026
Per vermont.js's own economy metrics (Vermont Dept. of Labor), Vermont's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate held at 2.6% as of June 2026 -- substantially, favorably below the 4.2% national rate the same release cites, with county-level rates ranging from a real, disclosed low of 2.3% (Addison, Chittenden, and Orange Counties) to 3.3% (Orleans County, in the Northeast Kingdom, detailed fully on this project's regions-guide topic page). Vermont ranked 10th of 50 states overall in the 2026 US News Best States report, earning the nation's #1 ranking specifically in the Opportunity category and placing 3rd in Crime & Corrections (detailed fully on this project's crime-safety topic page), per vermont.js's own economy metrics.
Vermont's real, substantial ski-tourism and broader visitor economy is a genuine, distinct economic pillar
Per vermont.js's own skiTourism metrics, Vermont's ski industry alone generates more than $1.6 billion in annual revenue and supports roughly 13,000 jobs across Ski Vermont's 20 member ski areas, with the 2025-26 season recording 4.357 million skier visits -- the strongest total since 2014-15. Vermont's broader visitor economy runs substantially larger still: a real, disclosed $4.2 billion annual economic impact, more than 31,000 supported jobs (just over 10% of Vermont's total workforce), and a visitor-spending share of GDP (approximately 9.3%) more than three times the roughly 3.0% national state average this source cites -- concentrated in named mountain communities including Stowe, Killington, Sugarbush/the Mad River Valley, Okemo, Stratton, Mount Snow, and Jay Peak, each detailed fully on this project's regions-guide topic page.
Vermont's median household income runs only roughly in line with the national figure, not a standout strength in either direction
Per vermont.js's own economy metrics (statedemographics.com), Vermont's median household income ran approximately $81,203, running roughly in line with (very slightly above) the national median of approximately $80,734 the same source cites -- not a standout figure in either direction, this record discloses honestly rather than overselling. Vermont's poverty rate ran approximately 10.1% per the same source, described as roughly 19% below the national poverty rate, a real, genuine strength this record credits directly.
A real, current, and genuinely concerning labor-supply counter-trend is directly tied to Vermont's aging population
This record cross-references, rather than repeats in full, vermont.js's own real, disclosed labor-force finding: Vermont's labor force shrank by more than 7,800 people (a 2.2% drop) over the year ending February 2026, driven largely by retirements and a documented lack of new workforce entrants -- a direct consequence of Vermont's aging population structure (the 4th-oldest median age of any US state, detailed fully on this project's best-places-to-retire topic page). This record discloses honestly that Vermont's currently low unemployment rate partly reflects a shrinking labor pool alongside genuine job-market strength, rather than treating 2.6% unemployment as an unqualified positive -- a real, current nuance a prospective mover evaluating Vermont's job market, or an employer evaluating Vermont's workforce pipeline, should weigh directly.
Key takeaways
- Vermont's unemployment rate held at 2.6% as of June 2026 (vs. 4.2% national), and Vermont ranked 10th of 50 states overall in the 2026 US News Best States report, earning the nation's #1 Opportunity-category ranking and 3rd place in Crime & Corrections.
- Vermont's ski industry alone generates more than $1.6 billion in annual revenue and supports roughly 13,000 jobs, within a broader $4.2 billion visitor economy supporting more than 31,000 jobs -- just over 10% of the state's total workforce.
- Vermont's median household income (~$81,203) runs only roughly in line with the national figure, not a standout strength, though its poverty rate (~10.1%) runs approximately 19% below the national rate.
- Vermont's labor force shrank by more than 7,800 people (2.2%) over the year ending February 2026, driven by retirements tied to the state's aging population -- a real, disclosed nuance behind the state's low headline unemployment rate.
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