Most rural counties in Vermont
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. compiled a list of the most rural counties in Vermont using data from the . Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
#14. Chittenden County
- Rural area: 87.0% (467 square miles)
- Urban area: 13.0% (70 square miles)
- Total land area: 537 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #1,947 nationwide
- Population density: 304.5 people / square mile (163,414 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #2,736 nationwide
#13. Washington County
- Rural area: 96.9% (666 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.1% (21 square miles)
- Total land area: 687 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #1,364 nationwide
- Population density: 84.9 people / square mile (58,336 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #2,134 nationwide
#12. Rutland County
- Rural area: 98.3% (914 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.7% (16 square miles)
- Total land area: 930 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #774 nationwide
- Population density: 62.9 people / square mile (58,527 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #1,884 nationwide
#11. Bennington County
- Rural area: 98.8% (667 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.2% (8 square miles)
- Total land area: 675 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #1,392 nationwide
- Population density: 52.8 people / square mile (35,649 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #1,735 nationwide
#10. Windsor County
- Rural area: 98.8% (958 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.2% (11 square miles)
- Total land area: 969 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #722 nationwide
- Population density: 56.9 people / square mile (55,191 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #1,803 nationwide
#9. Franklin County
- Rural area: 98.9% (626 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.1% (7 square miles)
- Total land area: 634 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #1,510 nationwide
- Population density: 77.8 people / square mile (49,275 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #2,067 nationwide
#8. Windham County
- Rural area: 99.1% (778 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.9% (7 square miles)
- Total land area: 785 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #1,098 nationwide
- Population density: 54.3 people / square mile (42,628 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #1,762 nationwide
#7. Caledonia County
- Rural area: 99.2% (643 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.9% (5 square miles)
- Total land area: 649 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #1,452 nationwide
- Population density: 46.3 people / square mile (30,027 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #1,615 nationwide
#6. Addison County
- Rural area: 99.2% (760 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.8% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 766 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #1,133 nationwide
- Population density: 48.2 people / square mile (36,947 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #1,659 nationwide
#5. Orleans County
- Rural area: 99.6% (691 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 693 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #1,351 nationwide
- Population density: 38.7 people / square mile (26,843 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #1,445 nationwide
#4. Orange County
- Rural area: 99.8% (686 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (1 square miles)
- Total land area: 687 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #1,365 nationwide
- Population density: 42.0 people / square mile (28,873 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #1,518 nationwide
#3. Grand Isle County
- Rural area: 100.0% (82 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 82 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #3,093 nationwide
- Population density: 86.5 people / square mile (7,075 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #2,144 nationwide
#2. Lamoille County
- Rural area: 100.0% (459 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 459 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #2,232 nationwide
- Population density: 55.3 people / square mile (25,376 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #1,781 nationwide
#1. Essex County
- Rural area: 100.0% (664 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 664 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #1,417 nationwide
- Population density: 9.3 people / square mile (6,179 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #551 nationwide
