Rutland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,572,[1] making it the second-most populous county in Vermont. Its county seat and most populous municipality is the city of Rutland.[2]
On February 16, 1781, Rutland County was created from Bennington County.[5] From June 26, 1781, until February 23, 1782, Vermont attempted to annex part of New York east of the Hudson River (the so-called West Union); inhabitants in the area favored Vermont's township form of government, while Vermont hoped to gain bargaining power through expansion.[6] New York did not lose control of the area. For almost seven months Rutland County included part of Charlotte County (now Washington County), New York.[7]
On February 27, 1787, Windsor County gained the town of Stockbridge from Rutland,[13] then on October 31, 1792, Rutland gained from Windsor County when the town of Mount Holly was created from Jackson's Gore and the towns of Ludlow and Wallingford.[14] Windsor County gained Benton's Gore from Rutland on March 2, 1797.[15]
On October 25, 1805, Rutland County gained from Bennington County when the town of Mount Tabor gained from the town of Peru.[16] On October 29, 1806, Windsor County gained from Rutland County when the town of Rochester gained a small area from the town of Pittsfield.[17] On November 15, 1813, the county gained from Windsor County when the town of Pittsfield gained a small area from the town of Stockbridge, a change too small to appear on maps.[18] On November 9, 1814 Addison County gained from Rutland County when the town of Goshen gained from the town of Philadelphia.[19] On October 22, 1822, the county gained from Windsor County when the town of Pittsfield gained a small area from the town of Stockbridge.[20] On November 3, 1823, it gained from Windsor County again when the town of Shrewsbury gained a small area from the town of Plymouth.[21] On November 15, 1824, Windsor County gained from Rutland County when the town of Rochester gained a small area from the town of Pittsfield.[22] On November 17, 1825, Bennington County gained from the county when the town of Dorset gained a small area from the town of Mount Tabor.[23]
On November 7, 1839, the Legislature authorized Addison County to gain a small area from Rutland County when the town of Whiting was to gain from the town of Orwell. But there is no evidence that a change took effect.[24] Addison County gained the town of Orwell from Rutland County on December 1, 1847.[25] On March 6, 1855, Addison County gained another small area from the county when the town of Goshen gained "Clemens Land" from the town of Brandon.[26]
On November 10, 1870, the Legislature authorized Rutland County to gain a small area from Windsor County when the town of Mount Holly was to gain from the town of Weston. But there is no evidence that the change took effect.[27] On April 7, 1880, the county lost to Washington County, New York, when New York gained a small area west of the village of Fair Haven from Vermont due to a change in the course of the Poultney River, a change too small to see on most maps.[28] On November 21, 1884, Windsor County gained a small area from Rutland County when the town of Stockbridge gained Parker's Gore.[29] On October 8, 1895, Windsor County gained from the county when the town of Weston gained from the town of Mount Tabor.[30]
The county experienced the first outbreak of polio in the United States in 1894. Within weeks, 132 persons, mostly children, were paralyzed. An additional 18 had died.[31]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 945 square miles (2,450km2), of which 930 square miles (2,400km2) is land and 15 square miles (39km2) (1.6%) is water.[32] It is the second-largest county in Vermont by area. The primary stream of the county is Otter Creek, which runs through the county from the south to the north.
U.S. Decennial Census[34] 1790–1960[35] 1900–1990[36] 1990–2000[37] 2010–2020[1]
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 61,642 people, 25,984 households, and 16,018 families residing in the county.[38] The population density was 66.3 inhabitants per square mile (25.6/km2). There were 33,768 housing units at an average density of 36.3 per square mile (14.0/km2).[39] The racial makeup of the county was 97.1% white, 0.6% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population.[38]
Of the 25,984 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.4% were non-families, and 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 44.3 years.[38]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,027 and the median income for a family was $58,790. Males had a median income of $40,638 versus $34,580 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,426. About 8.1% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.[40]
In 1964, Rutland County was won by Democratic Party incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson, who became the first Democratic presidential candidate to not only win the county, but to win the state of Vermont entirely.
Following the Democrats' victory in 1964, the county went back to voting for Republican candidates for another 20 year winning streak starting with Richard Nixon in 1968 and ending with George H. W. Bush in 1988, who became the last Republican presidential candidate to win the county.
In 1992, the county was won by Bill Clinton and has been won by Democratic candidates ever since. That said, Rutland County has continued to be relatively close in some presidential elections. In 2000, Al Gore carried Rutland County by just 1.6%; in 2004, Kerry carried it by 4.7%; and in 2016, Hillary Clinton carried it by 3.9% (with a substantial 'other' vote in the 2000 and 2016 elections).
Republicans see greater success at a local level in Rutland County. A majority of the county's legislative seats in both the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont Senate are held by Republicans. In nine of the ten past gubernatorial elections, the Republican candidate has won the greatest number of votes in Rutland County. Most recently, incumbent Republican governor Phil Scott won 80 percent of Rutland County's votes in the 2024 Vermont gubernatorial election.
United States presidential election results for Rutland County, Vermont[41][42]
The Marble Valley Regional Transit District provides "The Bus" with service to the city of Rutland and the towns of Rutland, West Rutland, Castleton, Fair Haven, Poultney, Proctor, and Killington, as well as commuter service to Ludlow, Middlebury and Manchester.
Premier Coach's Vermont Translines serves Rutland daily with two intercity bus connections between Burlington, Lebanon, New Hampshire and Albany, New York in a partnership with Greyhound.[43] They also serve Wallingford, Brandon, Mendon and Killington along the two routes.
Highway
U.S. Route 4 enters Rutland County in Fair Haven from the west. It continues east as a four-lane expressway for 19 miles to Rutland city with 6 exits serving Fair Haven, Castleton, and Rutland. It then continues east from Rutland through Killington into Windsor County.
U.S. Route 7 enters Rutland County from the south in the town of Mount Tabor and continues north through Wallingford and Clarendon to Rutland city. For 10 miles south of Rutland, Route 7 is a divided highway. It then continues north through Pittsford and Brandon before entering Addison County.
Vermont Route 3 is a 7.8 north–south highway that extends north from Rutland Center through Proctor and into Pittsford terminating at US Route 7.
Vermont Route 4A is the old alignment of US Route 4 and parallels that highway from Fair Haven through Castleton before terminating in West Rutland.
Vermont Route 22A is a north–south highway entering the county in Fair Haven from the New York state line and passing through West Haven and Benson before continuing into Addison County.
Vermont Route 30 is a north–south highway entering the county in Pawlet from Bennington County and continuing north through Poultney, Castleton, Hubbardton, and Sudbury before continuing into Addison County.
Vermont Route 31 is a 5.5 mile highway from the New York state line in Wells to the village of Poultney.
Vermont Route 53 is a short north–south highway that extends north from Route 73 in the Brandon village of Forestdale toward Lake Dunmore in Addison County.
Vermont Route 73 is an east–west highway extending from the county line with Addison County through Sudbury and Brandon and then returning to Addison County.
Vermont Route 100 is a north–south highway entering from Windsor County to the south through Killington and then returning to Windsor County.
Vermont Route 103 is a north–south highway entering from Windsor County to the south in Mount Holly and extending north through Wallingford and Clarendon before terminating at Route 7.
Vermont Route 133 is a 22-mile north–south highway completely within Rutland County. It extends north from Pawlet through Middletown Springs and Tinmouth before terminating at Vermont 4A in West Rutland.
Vermont Route 140 is an east–west highway crossing the county east from Poultney through Middletown Springs, Tinmouth, and Wallingford before terminating at Route 103 in Mount Holly.
Vermont Route 144 is a 6.8 mile east–west highway extending from Route 22A in Benson through Hubbardton past Lake Hortonia before terminating at Route 30 in Sudbury.
Vermont Route 149 is an east–west highway extending from the New York state line for only 1.3 miles to Vermont 30 in Pawlet.
Vermont Route 155 is a north–south highway continuing north from Windsor County in the town of Mount Holly and then terminating in Wallingford at Route 103.
Juliette M. Bianco and Pieter B.F.J. Broucke, Nature Transformed: Edward Burtynsky's Vermont Quarry Photographs in Context. Hanover, NH: Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College; Distributed by University Press of New England, 2012.
David C. Gale, Proctor: the Story of a Marble Town. Brattleboro, VT: Vermont Printing Co, 1922.
Vermont Marble Company, Vermont Marble Company: Its Past and Future: Address at a General Conference at Proctor, Vermont, December 28–31, 1920. Proctor, VT: Privately printed, 1921.
West Rutland is the central village and a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of West Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 1,898, out of 2,214 in the entire town of West Rutland.
Rutland is the only city in and the seat of Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 15,807. It is located approximately 65 miles (105 km) north of the Massachusetts state line, 35 miles (56 km) west of New Hampshire state line, and 20 miles (32 km) east of the New York state line. Rutland is the third largest city in the state of Vermont after Burlington and South Burlington. Rutland City is completely surrounded by Rutland Town, which is a separate municipality. The downtown area of the city is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Vermont Route 155 (VT 155) is a 10.377-mile-long (16.700 km) north–south state highway in central Vermont, United States. It runs from VT 100 in Weston in the south to VT 103 in East Wallingford in the north. Much of the highway goes through the Green Mountain National Forest.
Vermont Route 22A (VT 22A) is a 44.738-mile-long (71.999 km) state highway in western Vermont, United States. It is the northward continuation of New York State Route 22A. Its southern end is at the New York state line in Fair Haven and its northern end is in Ferrisburgh at U.S. Route 7 (US 7). As it is an extension of NY 22A, VT 22A is a spur route of NY 22, which runs roughly parallel to VT 22A west of the state border. This is a rather unusual case of one state having a suffixed route of another state's primary route. Vermont does not currently have a "Route 22."
Area code 802 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the U.S. State of Vermont. AT&T established the numbering plan area (NPA) for the entire state with one of the original area codes in October 1947 and it remains Vermont's only area code.
Vermont Route 133 (VT 133) is a 22.476-mile-long (36.172 km) north–south state highway in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. It runs from VT 30 in Pawlet in the south to VT 4A in West Rutland in the north.
Vermont Route 30 (VT 30) is a 111.870-mile-long (180.037 km) north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. VT 30 runs from U.S. Route 5 and VT 9 in Brattleboro to US 7 and VT 125 in Middlebury. The northern portion, from Poultney to Middlebury, was part of the New England road marking system's Route 30, from which VT 30 got its number. The route passes through many historic small towns, and travel writers such as those at Southern Vermont have described the route as "idyllic" and "picturesque".
Vermont Route 4A (VT 4A) is a 14.174-mile-long (22.811 km) east–west state highway in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. It runs from Fair Haven to West Rutland. VT 4A was the former alignment of U.S. Route 4 before it was relocated to an expressway.
Vermont Route 3 (VT 3) is a 7.828-mile-long (12.598 km) north–south state highway in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. It runs from the town of Rutland to Pittsford.
U.S. Route 4 (US 4) in the U.S. state of Vermont extends for 66.059 miles (106.312 km) between the New York state line at Fair Haven and the New Hampshire state line at White River Junction. It is one of the main arteries between New York and New Hampshire.
Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD) operates a public transportation system in Rutland County, Vermont called The Bus. The company currently has full bus service to Rutland and West Rutland, as well as limited daily bus service to Castleton, Fair Haven, Poultney and Killington. Limited weekday service is available to Ludlow and Proctor. It also provides weekday and Saturday service to Middlebury and Manchester, Vermont. The Bus also operates paratransit and Medicaid Transportation services for Rutland County.
The Poultney River is a river in southwestern Vermont and eastern New York. In its 40-mile long course, the river drains approximately 263 square miles as it flows northwards into the southern end of Lake Champlain.
The 1988 United States presidential election in Vermont took place on November 8, 1988, as part of the 1988 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and D.C. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Vermont Route 140 (VT 140) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. The highway runs 25.059 miles (40.329 km) from VT 30 in Poultney east to VT 103 in Mount Holly. VT 140 connects the southern Rutland County towns of Poultney, Middletown Springs, Tinmouth, Wallingford, and Mount Holly.
The Rutland district is one of 16 districts of the Vermont Senate. The current district plan is included in the redistricting and reapportionment plan developed by the Vermont General Assembly following the 2020 U.S. census, which applies to legislatures elected in 2022, 2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030.
Lakes Region Free Press is a newspaper based in Granville, New York, published weekly on Thursdays. The newspaper covers Poultney, Vermontm and surrounding communities in Western Rutland County, Vermont, and the Lakes Region of western Vermont and eastern New York state. The paper is owned by Manchester Newspapers Inc., and the circulation is estimated to be around 7,400. Manchester Newspapers is a member of the Vermont Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. The Lakes Region Free Press is the newspaper of record for the town of New Haven, Castleton, and Pawlet, Vermont. The editor is John Manchester.
Castleton Four Corners is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Castleton, Rutland County, Vermont, United States. It consists of the unincorporated villages of Castleton Corners and Hydeville. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 699, out of 4,458 in the entire town.
Middletown Springs is the primary village and a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Middletown Springs, Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 194, out of 794 in the entire town.
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