Poverty and living standards in Vermont, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 9.3% of people in Vermont lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 57,876 people; joint 5th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Vermont gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Vermont was 10.1% (60,624 people), so the rate is down 0.8 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Vermont?
9.7% of children under 18 in Vermont were in poverty in 2024, about 10,679 children; 4th lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 10.6% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Vermont?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Vermont was 0.4551 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 13th least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Vermont are cost-burdened?
48.8% of renting households in Vermont spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 23.6% spent half or more; the 30% share is 24th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Vermont get food stamps?
10.6% of households in Vermont (30,142) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 25th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 38% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 60% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Vermont?
An average of 64,802 people in Vermont received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 2.5% on fiscal 2024 (66,493), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Vermont?
SNAP benefits paid in Vermont totaled $149.89 million in fiscal 2025, an average of $192.75 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 16th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Vermont?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 3,386 people experiencing homelessness in Vermont, down 2.1% on 2024 (3,458) and up 210.9% on 2019 (1,089); 17th smallest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Vermont sleep outside?
Of those counted in Vermont in January 2025, 3,116 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 270 (8.0%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 3rd lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Vermont?
The January 2025 count in Vermont included 1,187 people in families with children, 633 children under 18, 721 chronically homeless individuals and 111 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Vermont are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 9.2% of households in Vermont were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; 6th lowest among the 50 states and DC and statistically lower than the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Vermont getting worse?
3.4% of households in Vermont had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 8.6% in 2018-20 and 13.2% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +0.6 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Vermont compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Vermont ranks 47 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Massachusetts | 9.8% |
| 45 | Colorado | 9.6% |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.3% |
| 47 | Vermont | 9.3% |
| 48 | New Jersey | 9.2% |
| 49 | Maryland | 9.2% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.4% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Vermont ranks 48 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Colorado | 11.2% |
| 46 | Idaho | 10.9% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 10.2% |
| 48 | Vermont | 9.7% |
| 49 | Minnesota | 9.6% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.6% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.0% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Vermont ranks 39 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Maryland | 0.4559 |
| 37 | Oregon | 0.4557 |
| 38 | Kansas | 0.4557 |
| 39 | Vermont | 0.4551 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 0.4542 |
| 41 | Indiana | 0.4523 |
| 42 | Minnesota | 0.4521 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Vermont ranks 28 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 49.4% |
| 26 | New Hampshire | 49.4% |
| 27 | Virginia | 49.3% |
| 28 | Vermont | 48.8% |
| 29 | Illinois | 48.7% |
| 30 | Indiana | 48.5% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 48.4% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Vermont ranks 27 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Washington | 11.1% |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 11.0% |
| 26 | Georgia | 10.8% |
| 27 | Vermont | 10.6% |
| 28 | Alaska | 10.4% |
| 29 | Texas | 10.3% |
| 30 | Maryland | 10.3% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Vermont ranks 46 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Hawaii | 9.6% |
| 44 | Washington | 9.5% |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 9.3% |
| 46 | Vermont | 9.2% |
| 47 | Minnesota | 9.1% |
| 48 | South Dakota | 9.0% |
| 49 | District of Columbia | 8.8% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Vermont ranks 35 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Alabama | 4,137 |
| 33 | Connecticut | 3,735 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 3,688 |
| 35 | Vermont | 3,386 |
| 36 | Iowa | 2,816 |
| 37 | Arkansas | 2,720 |
| 38 | Idaho | 2,697 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Vermont ranks 49 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Maine | 11.6% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 10.8% |
| 47 | Delaware | 10.6% |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 9.1% |
| 49 | Vermont | 8.0% |
| 50 | Massachusetts | 6.2% |
| 51 | New York | 4.0% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Vermont ranks 48 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Montana | 79,828 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 75,857 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 75,176 |
| 48 | Vermont | 64,802 |
| 49 | Alaska | 64,610 |
| 50 | North Dakota | 55,260 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 27,489 |
More on Vermont: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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