State desk
Ranks 33rd of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Vermont stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 11 Vermont outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Vermont in red. Free to cite with attribution.
No permit has ever been required to carry a concealed handgun; the original constitutional-carry state.
Vermont is 1 of 29 states with this rule
15 · Shall-Issue Permit6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Vermont taxes individual income at graduated rates rising to 8.75 percent across 4 brackets, ranking 8 of 41 among the states that tax income.
Vermont is 1 of 26 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only15 · Single Flat Rate
Vermont charges 34.88 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 16 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 53.28 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 33.00 cents.
Vermont is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 1972.
Vermont is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not a right-to-work state; union-security agreements are permitted.
Vermont is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $14.42, above the federal $7.25 floor; adjusted annually for inflation.
Vermont is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No ID is required for established voters; only first-time voters who registered by mail must show identification.
Vermont is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
Town tuitioning lets students in towns without public schools attend approved schools; geographically limited.
Vermont is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
Vermont permits the use of deadly force in self-defense through judicial decisions or jury instructions rather than a stand-your-ground statute.
Vermont is 1 of 7 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Every registered voter is automatically mailed a ballot for general elections; no request is required.
Vermont is 1 of 8 states with this rule
29 · No-Excuse Absentee13 · Excuse Required
Vermont's unemployment rate was 2.6% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from August. It ranks 3rd lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 2.6%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a two-year term, alongside Vermont's other statewide officers — one of the shortest terms in the country.
Vermont is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court