Air Quality
Vermont enjoys some of the cleanest air in the nation, with consistently low levels of ozone and particulate pollution.
Monitored days with good air quality
1990–2025U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County, all monitored Vermont counties.
Monitored days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
1990–2025U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County (AQI above 100).
| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Annual average PM2.5 (µg/m3) | 5.8 | 8 |
- •Vermont has no coal-fired power plants contributing to local air pollution.
- •Smoke from Canadian wildfires has occasionally reduced air quality in recent summers.
- •Rural land use and dense forest cover help keep air pollution low.
Wildfires
Vermont experiences very few wildfires compared to most states, owing to its humid climate and limited dry fuel conditions.
Wildfires
2017–2023| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Annual acres burned by wildfire | 100 | 1500000 |
- •Canadian wildfire smoke reached Vermont skies in the summers of 2021-2023.
- •Most Vermont wildfires burn less than a few acres.
- •Vermont's forests are dominated by moisture-retaining hardwoods, limiting fire spread.
Drought
Vermont experiences occasional short-term drought conditions, most notably during the dry summer of 2020, but severe or prolonged drought is uncommon.
Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
2000–2025U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.
Area in extreme or exceptional drought (D3–D4)
2000–2025U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.
| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Average share of state in drought (%) | 8 | 25 |
- •Vermont's 2020 drought was one of the most significant in recent decades.
- •Dairy farmers are often the first to feel the effects of dry summers.
- •Vermont typically receives 40 or more inches of precipitation annually.
Water Usage
Vermont has abundant freshwater resources and relatively low per-capita water withdrawals compared to most states.
Water Usage
2017–2023| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Total water withdrawals (million gallons/day) | 139 | 2500 |
- •Lake Champlain provides drinking water to many communities in northwestern Vermont.
- •Vermont has thousands of lakes and ponds relative to its small size.
- •Groundwater from bedrock and sand-gravel aquifers supplies most rural households.
Emissions
Vermont has the lowest total greenhouse gas emissions of any US state, at roughly 5.6 million metric tons of CO2 annually, dominated by transportation and heating.
Energy-related CO₂ emissions
1970–2021U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, all sectors and fuels (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTTTOVTA).
Transportation CO₂ emissions
1970–2021U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, transportation sector (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTCTOVTA).
| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Total energy-related CO2 emissions (million metric tons) | 5.6 | 95 |
- •Vermont's total CO2 emissions are the lowest of all 50 states in absolute terms.
- •Home heating with fuel oil is a major source of emissions due to Vermont's cold winters.
- •The state has set legally binding emissions reduction targets under the Global Warming Solutions Act.
Climate Indicators
Vermont's climate is warming, with a shorter, milder winter season and shifting maple sugaring dates over recent decades.
Average annual temperature
1895–2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December average.
Annual precipitation
1895–2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December total.
| Indicator | Vermont | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Average annual temperature (°F) | 46.5 | 53.4 |
- •Maple sugaring season in Vermont has shifted about a week earlier over the past 50 years.
- •Lake Champlain now freezes over completely far less often than in the past.
- •Vermont's ski resorts increasingly rely on snowmaking due to shorter natural snow seasons.