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The wooded hills of Central Vermont disguise the tremendous number of businesses they contain. There are more than 2,300 employers in the Central Vermont region, according to the Department of Employment and Training.
The Department reported 2,356 employers subject to the Vermont Unemployment Insurance law in 1990. In addition, there are an estimated 2,500 people who are self-employed and not subject to the insurance law.
Seven of Central Vermont's 23 cities and towns have more than 100 employers. Montpelier has the greatest number of employers, but Barre is a close second.
Although not the most populated city in the region, Montpelier has by far the most jobs. Its employers provide 8,532 jobs which is two-thirds higher than employment of Barre. Montpelier's covered firms average 15 employees each; Barre's firms fewer than 10. Employers in Berlin have the highest average number of employees at just over 20 each.
The number of employers and the number of self-employed helps insulate the region from dramatic economic shifts. Small business is Central Vermont's largest employer.
The small business owner or self-employed person can implement change immediately. There are no proposals to the board, no division meetings, and no memos to departments just get the staff into the office and tell them the new plan.
The diversity of firms is a buffer from damage by a single industry, and the very small sizes mean a quick reaction to shifts in the economy.
Central Vermont employers average fewer than a dozen people per company. This is a vital economic strength. Small businesses tend to be able to react to changing market conditions much more rapidly than larger companies. In today's business environment, that is a significant advantage.
Assistance for Small Business Acrobat File of Town by Town Populations 1960-1990
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