Vermont ranks dead middle among states for 'winter misery' according to list maker

Last November, the Burlington Free Press published reporter April Barton's definitive treatment of lists generated by the panoply of online sites dedicated to creating lists, and Vermont's placement on those lists, from top to bottom.

As April pointed out, the lists often have dubious motives and methods, but taken together, she posited that they at least inform us about "how the world sees us."

And of course, the lists never stop. Already in 2024, we have a list from Thrillist − maker of online lists − that ranks the 50 states by the level of "winter misery," a wholly subjective measure, but don't let that stop you. Vermont comes in dead middle, at number 25.

You may disagree with that ranking, finding it too high or too low, which is futile, because the list makers are going to make their lists no matter what you think. The good folks at Thrillist concede that Vermont has "some seriously brutal winters," but we also have the best skiing on the East Coast, Thrillist rightly states, which goes a long way toward mitigating our winter misery ranking, because winter is so darn much fun in Vermont.

With tongue firmly in cheek (we presume), Thrillist claims most areas in Vermont average around eight feet of snow in the winter. Actually, the unincorporated town of Averill, in Essex County, with a population of 21 as of the 2020 census, averages 159 inches − or just over 13 feet − of snow each year, according to the National Weather Service in Burlington.

North Dakota probably deserves the top spot

One winter misery ranking by Thrillist that would be hard to argue with is their decision to put North Dakota at number 1. After all, it's pretty much a straight shot to the Arctic from that state's high plains.

Or, as Thrillist puts it: "The Canada-adjacent icebox is also the flattest of the Great Plains states, meaning there’s nothing to stop the winds from whipping across all that bare land, stripping you of any residual body heat, blocking all visibility on roads, and shutting down the only two major highways during blizzards."

Well said. And miserable.

Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. 

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont ranks 25th for 'winter misery' according to Thrillist