Most rural counties in Vermont
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in Vermont using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 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
