About

Description of the City

The City of Burlington, Vermont (the “City”) is the largest city in Vermont and located in northwestern Vermont on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain directly across from northern New York State. The City is the commercial center of Chittenden County and encompasses 16 square miles. The City is 90 miles south of Montreal, Quebec, 220 miles northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, and 300 miles north of New York, New York.

Highways serving Burlington include State Highways 2 and 7 and Interstates U.S. 89 and 189. The Lake Champlain Transportation Company operates ferries on Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York.

The Burlington International Airport serves over 1.2 million passengers per year and accommodates non-stop air service to all three New York City metropolitan area airports, Philadelphia, both Washington D.C. airports, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, NC, Detroit, and seasonally to Orlando/Sanford, Florida. Passengers can reach nearly any destination world-wide with just one connection from Burlington.

Bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and Vermont Trans Lines (operated by Vermont Agency of Transportation). Freight service is provided by the Vermont Railway Corporation and Rail America. Green Mountain Transit, which represents Burlington, Essex, South Burlington, Shelburne, Williston, Winooski, Milton, Hinesburg and a portion of Colchester provides local bus service. Express routes serve Montpelier, Middlebury, and St. Albans commuters. The Amtrak Ethan Allen Express train recently extended its passenger rail service from Burlington to New York City. 

Form of Government

Burlington was incorporated as a City in 1865. On November 7, 2000, voters approved amendments to the City Charter which provided for direct Mayoral appointment of department heads with City Council confirmation, clarified the Mayor’s authority as the City’s Chief Executive Officer, established the position of Chief Administrative Officer, and provided that City commissions would become advisory except when authority was re-delegated by the City Council. 

About the Burlington Community

Located between the highest section of the Green Mountains and the widest part of Lake Champlain, the City of Burlington enjoys superb scenery and outstanding year-round recreational opportunities.

Cultural activities abound and are encouraged by the participation of businesses, educational institutions, and government. Several theaters for the performing arts, theater troupes, museums, fairs, and festivals fill the City’s cultural calendar, while Burlington City Arts, a City Department, provides a well-known gallery for the display of contemporary art, as well as events including music, film, and performance.

The University of Vermont Medical Center is the state’s academic medical center and serves approximately one million people in Vermont and New York. UVM Medical Center includes three founding organizations – Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, Fanny Allen Hospital, and University Health Center – and the UVM College of Medicine. The Vermont Regional Cancer Center and the Vermont-New Hampshire Regional Red Cross Blood Center are also located in Greater Burlington.

Burlington is also known throughout the state and the nation for its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. The City of Burlington was the first city in the country to use 100% renewable energy for the electricity needs of its residents. The Burlington International Airport is leading the industry with its continued amenity upgrades, such as the Mamava nursing mothers’ pod, green roof (including solar panels and a garden), as well as free wifi and convenient access. Meanwhile a range of notable companies, from Seventh Generation to Dealer.com to Burton, are proud to call Burlington home.

Burlington is regularly recognized in nationally published periodicals as one of the best places to live. The City’s location, economic climate, and abundance of community resources contributed to its award as the most livable city in America for cities of less than 100,000 people by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1989. Since then, the City has enjoyed numerous awards from national publications recognizing the City for its beauty, sustainability, and livability.