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VTVermont rankings

Towns with the most-used public libraries in Vermont

Ranked by library visits per resident in a year, at the public library that serves the town. 43 towns with 2,500+ residents.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024

Woodstock 1 Woodstock Windsor County 18.6 per resident Norman Williams Public Shelburne 2 Shelburne Chittenden County 15.0 per resident Pierson Middlebury 3 Middlebury Addison County 13.1 per resident Ilsley Public
#TownVisits per residentLibraryVisits a year
1 Woodstock WoodstockWindsor County · 3,027 people 18.6 per resident Norman Williams Public 56,140
2 Shelburne ShelburneChittenden County · 7,969 people 15.0 per resident Pierson 117,092
3 Middlebury MiddleburyAddison County · 9,175 people 13.1 per resident Ilsley Public 120,017
4 Manchester ManchesterBennington County · 4,486 people 13.1 per resident Manchester Community Library 58,650
5 Putney PutneyWindham County · 2,622 people 11.9 per resident Putney Public 31,072
6 Stowe StoweLamoille County · 5,285 people 10.7 per resident Stowe Free 56,323
7 Norwich NorwichWindsor County · 3,640 people 10.3 per resident Norwich Public 37,459
8 Brattleboro BrattleboroWindham County · 12,122 people 9.6 per resident Brooks Memorial 116,937
9 Richmond RichmondChittenden County · 4,159 people 7.2 per resident Richmond Free 29,952
10 Poultney PoultneyRutland County · 3,010 people 6.8 per resident Poultney Public 20,459
11 Essex Junction Essex Junction10,803 people 6.7 per resident Brownell 71,325
12 Enosburgh EnosburghFranklin County · 2,804 people 6.7 per resident Enosburgh Public 18,712
13 Map of Charlotte CharlotteChittenden County · 3,916 people 5.8 per resident Charlotte 22,545
14 Map of South Burlington South Burlington20,756 people 5.7 per resident South Burlington 115,977
15 Thetford ThetfordOrange County · 2,813 people 5.2 per resident Latham Memorial 13,032
16 St. Johnsbury St. JohnsburyCaledonia County · 7,368 people 5.1 per resident St. Johnsbury Athenaeum 38,000
17 Hartland HartlandWindsor County · 3,460 people 5.0 per resident Hartland Public 17,309
18 Bristol BristolAddison County · 3,778 people 4.2 per resident Lawrence Memorial 15,900
19 Chester ChesterWindsor County · 2,992 people 4.1 per resident Whiting 15,057
20 Pittsford PittsfordRutland County · 2,892 people 4.0 per resident Maclure 11,440
21 Burlington Burlington44,675 people 3.8 per resident Fletcher Free 168,610
22 Bradford BradfordOrange County · 2,827 people 3.4 per resident Bradford Public 9,584
23 Hyde ParkLamoille County · 3,000 people 3.3 per resident Lanpher Memorial 9,876
24 Milton MiltonChittenden County · 10,769 people 3.1 per resident Milton Public 33,686
25 Windsor WindsorWindsor County · 3,554 people 3.1 per resident Windsor Public 11,143
26 Hardwick HardwickCaledonia County · 2,965 people 2.9 per resident Jeudevine Memorial 8,573
27 Colchester ColchesterChittenden County · 17,648 people 2.8 per resident Burnham Memorial 49,167
28 Map of Rockingham RockinghamWindham County · 4,807 people 2.7 per resident Rockingham Free Public 12,810
29 Essex EssexChittenden County · 11,516 people 2.6 per resident Essex Free 30,248
30 Springfield SpringfieldWindsor County · 9,084 people 2.6 per resident Springfield Town 23,332
31 Northfield NorthfieldWashington County · 5,920 people 2.4 per resident Brown Public 14,446
32 Cambridge CambridgeLamoille County · 3,767 people 2.2 per resident Varnum Memorial 8,496
33 SwantonFranklin County · 6,820 people 2.0 per resident Swanton Public 13,311
34 Fairfax FairfaxFranklin County · 5,226 people 1.8 per resident Fairfax Community 9,340
35 Georgia GeorgiaFranklin County · 4,890 people 1.8 per resident Georgia Public 8,969
36 Royalton RoyaltonWindsor County · 2,752 people 1.8 per resident Royalton Memorial 4,998
37 Vernon VernonWindham County · 2,709 people 1.8 per resident Vernon Free 4,338
38 Winooski Winooski8,293 people 1.5 per resident Winooski Memorial 11,936
39 Castleton CastletonRutland County · 4,453 people 1.5 per resident Castleton Free 8,054
40 Fair Haven Fair HavenRutland County · 2,724 people 1.3 per resident Fair Haven Free 3,520
41 Pownal PownalBennington County · 3,265 people 1.0 per resident Solomon Wright Public 3,159
42 Weathersfield WeathersfieldWindsor County · 2,856 people 1.0 per resident Weathersfield Proctor 2,876
43 Johnson JohnsonLamoille County · 3,450 people 0.9 per resident Johnson Public 3,075

How this ranking works

We rank every town by library visits per resident in a year, at the public library that serves the town. The highest figure ranks #1. Each library reports its own yearly numbers to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (fiscal year 2024), and each town’s Library page shows how it compares with libraries of a similar size nationwide.

A town is ranked only when its library system serves that town alone, and the library’s own count of the people it serves is within 20% of the town’s population. Towns served by a county or regional system, or sharing a library with a neighbor, can’t be credited with the numbers, so they aren’t ranked. Libraries that didn’t respond to the survey aren’t ranked either. Vacation towns can rank high because summer residents and visitors use the library too.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Libraries: IMLS Public Libraries Survey. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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