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Hip, Laid-Back Burlington, Vermont
Beckons to Active Retirees with its Lakeside Setting, Mountains Views,
Outdoor Recreation and Historic Homes
Cost of Living: Above the National Average
| In northern Vermont,
picturesque Burlington (population 37,000) is nestled
along the banks of Lake Champlain, the sixth largest
fresh water lake in the United States (after the Great
Lakes), and is home to the University of Vermont
(population 14,000 students).
Beautiful scenery, a quintessential New England charm, a
high quality of life and a liberal political and social
scene are why retirees come to Burlington (in fact
Burlington may be one of the most left-leaning places in
the nation, with 82% of residents calling themselves
Democrats). The town dates from the 1770s,
and its most famous residents have been American
Revolution war hero Ethan Allen and ice cream makers Ben
and Jerry. An important early sea port and
military post, Burlington began to focus on
revitalization in the latter part of the 20th-century. Today
it is a little funky, a bit artsy and tinged with a
collegiate hipness. It has an educated population
(40% of residents hold a undergraduate or graduate
degree), and 27% of the population is age 45 or better.
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Burlington's cost-of-living is 20%
above the national average, and the median home
price is $260,000, down 4% from a year ago but
still well above the national median.
Much of the city's architecture from the late
19th-century and early-20th century has been
preserved, and the Hill Section, a desirable
area full of elegant, two and four bedroom
Italianate, Queen Anne and Colonial
Revival-style residences, showcases this.
Historic homes, some for as little as $100,000,
can be found throughout the city, but single
family home inventory, whether it be residences
from the 1890s or from the 1980s, starts to open
up in the mid-$200,000s.
Buyers will also find a good selection of
condominiums and town homes. Some are in
relatively new developments; others are
conversions in 19th-century Victorians.
Prices start in the mid- to low-$100,000s and
top out at around $1 million. |
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Apartments are plentiful, but most are rented to students.
On average, one bedroom units begin around $650 per month, and 2
bedroom units start at about $850 per month. Burlington
also has a manufactured home community, and manufactured homes on
private land are for sale outside of town.
Vermont has one of the highest tax burdens in the
U.S., and included in this are property taxes. These are
calculated by dividing the
fair market value of a home by 100 and multiplying that by the
combined school and municipal tax rate (for Burlington, this is 1.72).
Thus, the owner of a $250,000 residence pays approximately $4,300 a
year in property taxes. Owners of primary residences whose
household income is less than $97,000 may qualify for reduced school
and municipal taxes on their home and up to 2 acres. Veterans
receive a tax exemption. Vermont is one of fourteen states
that taxes Social Security benefits
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs
(more than once if necessary) to zoom in
and out.
A New England lake culture, a youthful trendiness and a bohemian
atmosphere, thanks in large part to the University, give Burlington
its distinct character. The city has also been recognized
for its smart growth initiatives, and with an economy based in health
care and education (and ice cream), it is weathering the Recession
better than some other New England towns. It boasts an inviting
waterfront with fun shops, art galleries and restaurants, and the
downtown Church Street Marketplace, complete with a white steeple
Unitarian church at one end, is a lively pedestrian mall that attracts
residents of all ages. For greater shopping
adventures, University Mall, Vermont's largest indoor mall, is just
down the road. There are clean beaches, parks and plenty of
intercollegiate sports to keep most residents happy. The
Burlington Public Library provides computer and internet classes, has
a homebound delivery program and presents a variety of workshops.
And Montreal, one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, is just 90
miles away.
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Vermont is a rugged, rural state, and since
Burlington sits between two mountain ranges (the Adirondacks
and the Green Mountains) and is next to 75 mile-long Lake
Champlain and the Winooski River, outdoor recreational
opportunities abound. The lake beckons to sailors,
boaters, snowmobilers, fishermen and women and is sometimes
called New England's West Coast. Twenty
miles to the east of Burlington is the Long Trail, Vermont's
section of the Appalachian Trail. Eight nearby
downhill ski areas, including Stowe and Sugarbush, provide
skiers and boarders with plenty of terrain, and eight golf
courses in and around the city keep golfers swinging.
For those seeking a little culture, Burlington has a
thriving arts colony, jazz festivals, theater events and
concerts year-round (Nectars on Main Street is a great place
for live music). The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum,
the historic home of Vermont's founder, is open for tours.
The Lake Champlain Maritime Festival celebrates boat building.
The Festival of Fools is a curated street theater event.
And, of course, the Great Pumpkin Regatta each October
features the good citizens of Burlington paddling across Lake
Champlain in giant, hollowed out pumpkins. |
In the autumn, when the sugar maples turn from green to red, a
breathtaking blanket of color quietly descends across Burlington and
the rest of Vermont, and there is no better place to be.
Winding country roads, deep woods, road-side apple cider stands,
rustic antique markets and quaint covered bridges all contribute to
Vermont's peaceful beauty and rural charm. And
nothing beats a stack of hot pancakes covered in Vermont maple syrup
on a cold winter morning.
For being a youthful place, senior services in
Burlington are quite good. SCORE (Service Center of Retired
Executives) and RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) are both
active here and help place retirees in a variety of volunteer
positions. The Champlain Senior Center provides many
services, including blood pressure checks, grief support, home safety
checks and a variety of classes (nutrition, line dancing, painting,
poetry and more). The Senior Helpline offers assistance
and support to retirees. Seniors may also take
classes as non-degree students through the University of Vermont's
Division of Continuing Education.
Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) provides local
bus transportation throughout town, to the airport and to surrounding
communities. People age 60 and better ride for $.60 one way.
Monthly passes are available. There is also a free shuttle
between downtown, the University and the waterfront. Crime rates
meet the national average so being out and about on public
transportation is a relatively safe endeavor.
Fletcher Allen Hospital (403 beds), in alliance with
the University of Vermont's College of Medicine, is the primary
medical facility and is a teaching hospital. It accepts
both Medicare and Medicaid and operates three sites in Burlington, the
largest being at the University of Vermont campus. In
2010, FAH won the Coronary Intervention Excellence Award, and in 2009,
it was recognized as a Top 100 cardiovascular hospital by Thomson
Reuters, Inc.
Northern Vermont has four distinct seasons.
Summers are short and cool with temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.
Winters are damp, cloudy and snowy (up to 20 inches in some months)
with temperatures primarily in the teens and 20s. The wind
off of the lake can make it feel even colder. Spring is known as
"Mud Season," and autumn is, of course, the best season and
may be worth the cold, gray winter days.
Burlington has some drawbacks.
For some people, the youth culture may be too much, as may be the
left-leaning politics (Burlington even had a Socialist mayor during
the 1980s). Despite its high cost of living, or
perhaps because of it, the poverty rate is above the national average. Taxes
are high, and the city is losing population, roughly 4% during the
last decade.
For many retirees, however, Burlington, with its scenic location,
abundant outdoor recreation and funky ambiance, is perfect, offering a
mellow lifestyle in a small, easygoing New England city.
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