Rural Vermont

Our small towns are one of Vermont’s greatest strengths. They give us strong communities, local identity, beautiful working landscapes, and a quality of life that people value deeply.

But living in rural Vermont also comes with challenges that state policy doesn’t always account for. Housing can be harder to build. Childcare and healthcare may be farther away. Public transportation is limited. Broadband and cell service still matter. And small towns are often asked to meet the same requirements as larger communities with a fraction of the staff and resources.

We need state government to work with rural communities, not simply hand them another mandate and expect them to figure it out.

That means making it easier to build housing where it makes sense, supporting local schools and community institutions, strengthening transportation and communications infrastructure, and making sure rural communities have a fair shot at state programs and resources.

It also means recognizing that Vermont’s future depends on people being able to live and work outside our largest population centers.

A strong Vermont needs strong small towns. Our goal shouldn’t be to make rural communities more like somewhere else. It should be to give them the tools and authority they need to shape their own future.