If you’ve ever looked at a map of New England and wondered where all the people in Vermont actually hide, the answer is Burlington. Honestly, it’s a bit of a statistical anomaly. While the rest of the state is famous for having more cows than humans—or at least a very high maple-syrup-to-resident ratio—Burlington feels like a genuine, breathing urban hub.
But let’s be real. Calling it a "metropolis" is a stretch.
With a population hovering around 44,432 in 2026, it’s the most populated city in Vermont, yet it would barely qualify as a mid-sized suburb in states like Massachusetts or New York. That’s the charm, though. It’s a place where you can get a world-class espresso, see a tech startup CEO wearing a flannel shirt, and be staring at the Adirondack Mountains across Lake Champlain all within a ten-minute walk.
The Reality of Being the Most Populated City in Vermont
Most people think of Vermont as a series of sleepy villages with white steepled churches. Burlington breaks that mold. It is the economic heartbeat of the state, serving as the anchor for Chittenden County. If you’re looking for where the jobs are, where the nightlife is, or where the "big" hospital is, you’re looking at Burlington.
It’s small.
You can walk across the downtown core in twenty minutes. Because of the University of Vermont (UVM) and Champlain College, the median age is shockingly low—around 27 years old. Compare that to the rest of Vermont, which is one of the oldest states in the country, and you start to see why the energy here feels different. It’s a college town that forgot it was supposed to be a quiet mountain retreat.
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The city is currently facing some growing pains that are pretty standard for 2026. According to recent municipal budget discussions, the city is grappling with an $8 million structural deficit. Why? Mostly because it provides services for the entire region while having a very limited tax base. It’s the "big city" problems on a "small town" budget.
The Housing Crunch Nobody Tells You About
If you’re planning on moving here because you saw a pretty picture of Church Street on Instagram, take a breath. The housing market is, frankly, brutal.
The median home price has climbed toward $475,000, which feels insane for a city of 44,000 people. Rentals aren't much better. Because the student population is so large, they eat up a huge chunk of the available apartments in the "Hill Section" and downtown. You’ll often find yourself competing with three roommates who have a combined budget that dwarfs what a local family can afford.
The state has passed things like Act 181 and the HOME Act to try and fix this, but the results are slow. You’ve got a lot of "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) sentiment clashing with the desperate need for more density. Basically, everyone wants more housing, but nobody wants a four-story apartment building blocking their view of the lake.
What It’s Actually Like to Live Here
Living in the most populated city in Vermont means accepting a certain set of contradictions.
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On one hand, you have the Church Street Marketplace. It’s a pedestrian-only four-block stretch that is legitimately one of the best public spaces in America. In the summer, it’s filled with street performers, outdoor cafes, and tourists. In the winter, it looks like a scene from a Christmas card, even when the wind coming off Lake Champlain feels like it’s trying to peel the skin off your face.
The Career Landscape
Burlington isn't just a tourist trap. It’s a legitimate tech and healthcare hub.
- The UVM Medical Center is the largest employer in the state.
- BETA Technologies is building electric planes right at the airport.
- OnLogic and GlobalFoundries (nearby in Essex) keep the tech sector humming.
If you work in healthcare or specialized manufacturing, you’re golden. If you’re in a more niche creative field, you might find the market a bit cramped. Many locals "Vermont it"—meaning they work two or three different gigs to make the high cost of living work.
The Seasons: A Survival Guide
People talk about the four seasons, but in Burlington, there are actually six.
- Summer: Glorious. 75 degrees, lake breezes, and every local is outdoors.
- Stick Season: November. Everything is grey. The leaves are gone. The snow hasn't arrived. It’s depressing.
- Winter: A six-month psychological endurance test.
- Deep Winter: January/February. This is when the "lake effect" snow hits and the temperature stays below zero for a week.
- Mud Season: April. The snow melts, the dirt roads (which are everywhere once you leave the city limits) turn into peanut butter, and everything is brown.
- Spring: A beautiful two-week window before it gets hot again.
Is Burlington Right for You?
Honestly, it depends on what you value.
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If you want a city where you don't need a car, Burlington is about as close as you'll get in northern New England. Between the GMT bus routes and the fact that the city is incredibly bikeable, you can make it work. But the taxes are high. The state has one of the highest property tax burdens in the country, and Burlington adds its own layers on top of that.
The safety factor is a major draw. Vermont consistently ranks as one of the safest states in the U.S. While Burlington has seen some increases in retail theft and visible homelessness—issues that have sparked heated debates in the 2025-2026 legislative sessions—it still feels significantly safer than almost any other city its size.
Actionable Steps for Exploring Burlington
If you’re serious about visiting or moving to the most populated city in Vermont, don’t just do the tourist stuff.
- Check the Grand List: If you're buying, look at the property tax history on the city’s website. Don't let the "sticker price" of the mortgage fool you; the taxes can add hundreds to your monthly payment.
- Visit in March: If you can handle Burlington in the middle of a slushy, grey March Tuesday, you can handle it any time. If you only visit in July, you’re getting a fake version of reality.
- Look at the "New" South Burlington: South Burlington is actually growing faster than Burlington proper. It’s becoming its own entity with a "City Center" project that is pulling some of the retail and housing weight away from the historic core.
- Scope the Schools: While Vermont has a low pupil-to-teacher ratio (about 10.5-to-1), the quality varies wildly between the Burlington school district and surrounding towns like Shelburne or Charlotte.
Burlington is a city that punches way above its weight class. It’s quirky, expensive, beautiful, and sometimes frustrating. But for those of us who live here, there’s nowhere else in the Green Mountain State that offers this specific blend of chaos and calm.
Just remember to bring a very, very good coat.
Next Steps for Your Search:
To get a better sense of the current market, look into the 2026 Burlington Municipal Budget reports to see how the city is handling its infrastructure. You should also check the Chittenden County 2050 Population Forecasts if you're interested in the long-term growth of the region.