POPULATION: 621,254 (July 2007 Census estimate)

LABOR FORCE: 351,200 (August 2008 estimate)

RIGHT TO WORK: No

TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES: Manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, captive insurance

EXPANDING INDUSTRIES: Environmental technology, high-tech manufacturing, IT and financial services, software development

COLLEGE GRADUATES: (Age 25 and over) 29.4%

BASIC BUSINESS TAXES:
Corporate Income Tax: For tax years beginning January 1, 2007: $0-10,000: 6 percent; $10,001-25,000: 7 percent; $25,001 and over: 8.5 percent; minimum tax of $250

Corporate Organization and Qualification Fees: Domestic - $75; foreign - $100 flat entrance fee

Sales and Use Tax: 6 percent of taxable sales, purchases, charges, and rentals; use tax applies to storage, consumption, or use of tangible personal property or services, unless already subject to sales tax; meals and rooms taxed at 9 percent

Property Tax: Residential property and contiguous land tax rate at $0.87 per $100 of equalized education property value; nonresidential rate is $1.36 per $100 of equalized education property value

BUSINESS INCENTIVES:
Vermont Employment Growth Incentive for job creation/capital investment
Vermont Training Program to assist with worker training
Sales and use tax exemptions
Property tax stabilizations
Vermont Economic Development Authority loans and guarantees
Vermont Environmental Assistance Partnership
Vermont Agency of Agriculture marketing partnerships
Vermont Brownfields Initiative
Vermont Downtown Program