Unemployment in 2012

Vermont’s average annual unemployment rate was down to 5 percent in 2012 from 5.6 percent in 2011, and unemployment dropped in more than four out of five Vermont towns. Still, the latest data from the Vermont Department of Labor show 113 towns with unemployment rates higher than the statewide rate in 2012.

The lowest town unemployment rate last year—shared by five towns—was 1.6 percent. The highest unemployment was in Norton, where almost 30 percent of the labor force was out of work.

The map shows the annual unemployment rate for towns with a labor force of at least 20 people—that is, employed or unemployed and actively seeking work. The rates reflect where those people live, not where they work.

Data source:  Vermont Department of Labor

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