According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 619 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 83 square miles (210 km2) (13%) are covered by water.[2] It is the third-smallest county in Vermont by area.
Originally, Chittenden County contained parts of other counties. It included all of today's Franklin, Grand Isle, and Lamoille counties, and parts of today's Orleans, Washington, and Addison counties.[3]
Western face of Mount Mansfield from Underhill, Vermont
The town of Underhill in Chittenden County is home to the highest summit within the state, Mount Mansfield, which has a peak elevation of 4,393 feet (1,339 m) above sea level.
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7] 1990–2000[8] 2010–2020[1]
2018 U.S. census estimates
In 2018, the county had 164,572 people, and 67,271 households, of which 36.23% had children under age 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.70% were not families. About 24.31% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.72% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. Average household size was 2.67 and average family size was 3.13.
In 2014, the county was 91.7% White, 2.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American and Alaska Native, 3.5% Asian, 0.01% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 2.1% two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 2.2% of the population.
In the county, age distribution was 18.7% under 18, 15.23% from 18 to 24, 32.05% from 25 to 44, 20.82% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.06 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.
In 2007, census department estimated that Chittenden had the youngest average age in the state, 37.5. This compares with the actual census in 2000 of 34.2 years.[9]
In 2008, about 29% of the population lived alone; 59% of households consisted of families, and 38% of men and 35% of women, age 15 or older, have never married. About 6% of the population were born in a foreign country, and 8% of residents speak a language other than English at home.
From 2000 to 2008, residents left Chittenden in high numbers for places outside Vermont. Still, population increased slightly, in part due to immigration from foreign countries.[10]
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, 156,545 people, 61,827 households, and 36,582 families were residing in the county.[11] The population density was 291.7 inhabitants per square mile (112.6/km2). There were 65,722 housing units at an average density of 122.5 per square mile (47.3/km2).[12]
Of the 61,827 households, 28.8% had children under 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.8% were not families, and 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37, and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 36.2 years.[11]
The median income for a household in the county was $59,878 and for a family was $78,283. Males had a median income of $49,991 versus $39,213 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,095. About 6.6% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.[13]
Government
As in all Vermont counties, a small executive function is mostly consolidated at the state level, with a county sheriff and county sheriff's department. The elected sheriff is Daniel Gamelin.[14] Remaining county government is judicial. The area has no "county taxes".
In 2007, median property taxes in the county were $3,809, placing it 265th out of 1,817 counties in the nation with populations over 20,000. This was the highest in Vermont.[15]
In 1928, Chittenden County was won by DemocratAl Smith, making him the first Democratic candidate to carry the county. The county also voted for Franklin D. Roosevelt in all four of his presidential runs from 1932 to 1944. During that time, Chittenden County, along with Franklin and Grand Isle Counties, became Democratic enclaves in an otherwise Republican-voting Vermont. The county also was won by Harry S. Truman in 1948.
Since Michael Dukakis won the county in 1988, it has been won by Democratic candidates, and along with Windham County, has been considered one of the bluest counties in Vermont. In recent years, the GOP has turned in some of its worst showings in memory. Since Bill Clinton won the county by a nearly two-to-one margin in 1992, no Republican has managed 40% of the county's vote.
In 2020, Chittenden was the bluest county in the bluest state, backing Joe Biden by a 55% margin.
In gubernatorial elections, Chittenden County is slightly more competitive, as Vermont Republicans are generally far more moderate than at the nationwide level. In the past ten gubernatorial elections, the county has voted for the Republican candidate for governor six times and for the Democratic candidate four times. More recently, incumbent Republican governor Phil Scott won over 69% of the county's votes in the 2024 Vermont gubernatorial election.
United States presidential election results for Chittenden County, Vermont[17]
According to the U.S. Census, the median household income for the years 2007 and 2011 was $62,260. The per capita income for the same period was $32,533.[18]
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the median income for a household in the county was $63,989, and the median income for a family was $59,460. Males had a median income of $38,541 versus $27,853 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,281. About 4.90% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.[19]
Essex Junction is home to GlobalFoundries' Burlington Design Center and 200 mm wafer fabrication plant. GlobalFoundries is the largest private employer in the state of Vermont, with approximately 3,000 employees.[20]
One measure of economic activity is retail sales. In 2007, Chittenden led the state with 29% of sales, as measured by sales tax reports. This amounted to US$1.52 billion.[22] Four local cities stood among the top five areas in the state: 1- Williston, 2-South Burlington, 4-Colchester, and 5-Burlington.
Real estate
In 2008, a vacancy rate for office space reached 11%, and was called "historic."[23]
Education
K-12 education
Several school districts are within the county, including Burlington, Winooski, and Chittenden East.[24] Teachers' salaries in 2007–8 varied from lows of $33,000 to $38,000 annually. Top salaries ranged from $66,000 to $79,000. Teachers pay from 10 to 20% of their health premiums with many contracts at 12%.[25]
In the first national survey by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin in 2010, Vermont ranked the highest in the country for health outcomes. The top county in Vermont was Chittenden.[27]
Infrastructure
Consistent with the rest of New England and other counties in the state of Vermont, the county has little formal county government. Few agencies serve county-wide. One is the Chittenden County Solid Waste District. In 2008, the solid waste District announced that it would charge trash haulers $17/ton for recyclables. Formerly, it was paying $7/ton. The global economy has reduced the demand for recycled materials.[28]
Roads
Interstate 89 crosses Chittenden County initially from east to west, then makes a northward turn in South Burlington to run north along the Lake Champlain shoreline. The full route is generally from southeast to northwest. Seven interchanges are within the county; four provide direct access to U.S. Route 2, which parallels the interstate throughout most of the county. U.S. Route 7, the county's main north–south surface route, is also directly accessible from two interchanges.
The Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization measures traffic, analyzes road conditions, and allocates federal and state funds accordingly.[29]
In Vermont, gores and grants are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part of any town and have limited self-government (if any, as many are uninhabited).
