Burlington, VT downtown

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
657
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 57
Demographics 29
Economy 51
Education 67
Health 83
Housing 47
Infrastructure 51

#95. Burlington, VT

Located on Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT boasts college town vibrancy in a picturesque setting. There’s plenty of ways to enjoy the area’s beauty, from the 8-mile Burlington Greenway that connects parks along the Lake Champlain shoreline to skiing at some of the Northeast’s best resorts. Burlington has an impressive arts scene for a small city (the population is under 45,000), too. 

Top Colleges/Universities: University of Vermont & Champlain College

Top Industries & Employers: Health care, tourism and manufacturing are some top industries in Burlington. 

Weekend Plans: Catch a show at The Flynn, an art deco theater that began as a state-of-the-art vaudeville and motion pictures venue and is a world-class performing arts center today. 

Favorite Place to Feast: Church Street, where you can enjoy dinner and a show. The area has entertaining street performers and a variety of restaurants such as Mediterranean fare at Honey Road, burgers from Sweetwaters and avocado toast from Thorn + Roots

Beloved Beverage: Half Baked milkshake from Ben and Jerry’s Burlington outpost on Church Street. 

Outdoorsy Activity: Hit the slopes! There’s a handful of resorts within an hour’s reach of Burlington, from family-friendly Cochran’s Ski Area to Stowe Mountain Resort

Rooftop Bar: Savor Turkish cuisine on a breezy rooftop terrace at Istanbul Kebab House.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: The agility course at Starr Farm Dog Park and doggie desserts at Ben and Jerry’s

Remote Work Perk: Vermont has been investing in its workforce, offering grants to remote workers who relocate to the state. While applications aren’t currently being accepted, there’s an ecosystem in the state that fosters relocation and remote workers like the “connect with a Vermonter” program that links you with employers, Realtors and community members. 

One More Thing … In addition to books, Fletcher Free Library offers a Library of Things, and you can check out everything from cake pans and gardening tools to bongos.  

– Brittany Anas

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