Come for the Foliage, Stay for the Opportunity: Inside the Business Boom in Southwestern Vermont
Originally published in CTPost By Danica Feuz in September 2026
It’s a journey we know well. A weekend drive to Southwestern Vermont to see the Shires in full fall regalia: leaves bathed in golds, reds, and oranges as brilliant as a setting sun. It’s a breathtaking sight, an unforgettable one, really. Which is why so many weekend warriors make the trip.
Yet for some, this time of year isn’t just another turn of the seasons. They’re the ones who saw the landscape, met the people, breathed the air, and chose to stay — to start a family here, to grow a business. As more business flows to the region, it’s an increasingly common story.
“I would actually argue that the natural beauty is one of our business advantages, rather than something that overshadows our economy,” says Dr. Estevan Garcia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dartmouth Health’s Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. “Businesses are ultimately competing for talented people,” he continues. “Southwestern Vermont gives employers an opportunity to offer something that is increasingly difficult to find: an outstanding quality of life alongside meaningful professional opportunities.”
With all its natural splendor, Southwestern Vermont can feel like a world away. It isn’t. An hour from Albany’s international airport and just a few hours from Boston, New York, and Montreal, the hamlets and townships of Southwestern Vermont have blossomed into a thriving home for business development.
“For a long time, Southwestern Vermont has been very good at telling people why they should visit,” says Matt Harrington, CEO of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Foundation. “Now we’re applying that same discipline to economic development. We want investors, entrepreneurs, developers and business leaders to understand that this is not just a beautiful place — it is a market where you can build something, grow something and be part of what comes next.”
“One thing businesses may not immediately appreciate about Southwestern Vermont is how well-positioned the region is,” says Josh Pang, President, Northern Division, Mack Molding Co. “You get the advantages of a smaller community without being disconnected from the Northeast’s major economic centers.”
The market is also larger than a population count might suggest. Southwestern Vermont sits at the center of a cross-border economy extending into New York and Massachusetts, with a trade area of more than 100,000 people within roughly a 30- to 45-minute drive. Add the steady flow of commuters, second-home owners, healthcare patients and millions of annual visitor trips, and the region functions less like an isolated rural market and more like a small economic hub serving a much broader population…
