WINOOSKI – As many worry about the viability of the state, thanks to an aging population and low birth rate, Vermont got some good news recently when data was released showing that Vermont’s population saw an increase over the last year of over 300 people. This was the first population increase since 2013, and points to a heartening trend of growth and prosperity.
Another study was then released showing that Vermont had the lowest birth rate in recorded history, with fewer births last year than in any year since before the Civil War, and possibly since before there were even any humans on the planet. This is troubling news for a state concerned with its student population and future workforce.
Luckily this news was offset by the exciting fact that Vermont continues to see a rise in immigration, with foreign citizens and workers making up around 5% of the state’s population. The refugee resettlement program, combined with traditional immigration and the large number of Canadians currently flooding into the state to avoid dying in a long line to get their free check-ups, means that Vermont is in a healthy and robust situation when it comes to population.
Unfortunately, even with the growing immigrant population, Vermont’s immigration rate is half that of the national average. And the Trump administration has ended DACA and pledged to remove as many immigrants from the country as possible, meaning that Vermont will have a tough time making up its population losses through immigration.
To add to the problem, statistically speaking there were 14% fewer snowmen built this winter, even with the increase in snow. This is dire news for the snowman population, although a representative from the snowman community said that this problem could easily be addressed if children would start building more snowwomen. Calls to Vermont children asking about the snowperson gender gap were not returned.
So there is bad news, and there is good news. But the best news of all is that there is enough data on both sides to support whichever truth you had already decided to believe before you started reading this. So go forth with your mind unchanged. You were right! Vermont’s population is definitely growing/shrinking.
Liiiiiittle uneasy about making jokes about immigration, given what a hot-button issue it seems to be for people on the far right and how resultingly more vulnerable immigrants are becoming as a result.
That said, love the last, punchline paragraph.
We try to make EVERYone at least a little uncomfortable from time to time.
Um, Nate? Even assuming people on the far right read The Winooski, I saw nothing that could even remotely be construed as setting immigrants up for harassment. Of course, there are always people who troll the web for hot-button words like “immmigrant”, and then find some way to make it sound as if somehow lefties are offended.
Oh, wait…
Hello. impressive job. I did not anticipate this. This is a great story. Thanks!
There is no “I” in immigrant…wait, there are actually 2!
So they cancel each other out?