Relocating to Poultney, Vermont


Please note: It's been a number of years since I left Poultney, a town I very much enjoyed living in, so please bear that in mind. I've left this page up more for historical purposes than anything else.

 

Will I Be Happy in Poultney?

How the heck do I know?  I'm reminded of a story I heard in church when I was a young boy.  The story was set back in the days when cities had walls around them.  A young man approached the gate of the city.  An old man was standing there, and the younger man asked the older man if the city was a nice place to live.

"Where do you come from?" the old man asked.  "And what was it like there?"

"I come from a city up north," the young man replied.  "The people were dull and close-minded, there was nothing to do, and opportunities were scarce."

"Then I would not come here," the old man told him.  "You will find this city the same."

The young man thanked the old sage for his advice, and moved on.

A second young man approached later that day, encountered the old man, and asked him the same question as the previous one.

"Where do you come from?" the old man asked.  "And what was it like there?"

"I come from a city up north," the young man replied.  "The people were friendly, there were always things to get involved with, and we all worked together to make the place a happy one."

"Then enter this gate," the old man told him.  "You will find this city the same."

 

Life in a Small Town

Before moving to Poultney, I'd lived in a number of cities and towns, including big ones like New York, Manila, Sacramento, Stamford, etc., and small ones, like Jeffersonville and Round Lake, both in New York State.  Poultney is not a city.  It is a town, and a fairly small town at that.  Great, right?  Just the antidote to those stressful big-city blues, yes?

Depends.  In Poultney, you get to know everyone else, and everyone else gets to know you.  Sometimes that's great, sometimes you might like a bit more privacy. 

My point, and I do have one: don't romanticize small town life.  It has its good and bad points, and you should give serious consideration as to whether or not you would like to live in a small town. 

 

Are the People in Poultney Nice?

Yes.   As a general rule, you'd have a tough time finding nicer, more honest, hard-working folks than the people who live in Poultney.  And I'm serious about that.

A different question is: Are the people in Poultney open-minded?  This question comes to mind because  a friend of mine from Arizona who is Latino and who has never been to Vermont once asked me: "If I came to live where you live, would I be accepted?"

I answered "Yes."  I believe that that is the correct and truthful answer.  Vermont is an open-minded state, and Poultney, a college town, has more than its fair share of thoughtful people.

 

Is Housing in Poultney Affordable?

Yes, but I wouldn't wait forever.  Prices are going up, but Poultney is still one of the best values in the State of Vermont.  Check out our main Poultney Page for real estate agents' names - they can help you on this one.

 

Are There Lots of Good Jobs in Poultney?

My suggestion is to have a job lined up before you move to Poultney, but that would be my suggestion to anyone moving anywhere.

If you're thinking of relocating your business here, there are lots of well-educated, hard-working people who'd be happy to work for you. 

 

Is There a Lot to Do in Poultney?

What do you like to do?  I'm not into winter sports, so for me the winter months are cold, bleak, icy and snowy - but I do like reading in front of a roaring fire with a glass of brandy at my side, so I'm happy.  For skiers and snowmobilers, it's a great time of year to be outdoors.

There's no movie theater.  (Sigh!)  But Poultney is a pretty town to walk around in, there's great hiking all around, there are two beautiful lakes only minutes away . . .  Oh, and Dorset Summer Theater isn't that far away.  Neither are the events up at Middlebury College.

 

How are the Schools in Poultney?

I don't have kids in school, so I'm probably the wrong one to ask.  I can say this - I've met kids who go to the schools, and young adults who've recently graduated from Poultney High School, and I think they're an impressive and intelligent lot.  I've met some of the teachers from the High School, and they seem to be good, decent, caring folks.  That should tell you something.

Speaking on a statewide level, Vermont's educational system has some obvious areas where it could improve, but it is pretty good overall. 

As far as higher education, you can learn all about Poultney's very own college (or is Poultney the college's very own town?) by visiting Green Mountain College.  Castleton State College is minutes away.

 

What Is The Future of Poultney?

Wouldn't we all like to know the answer to that one? 

In the minds of some folks, Poultney may be poised to become Vermont's next boom town.  It's a great little college town in Vermont, near two of Vermont's major lakes (Lake St. Catherine and Lake Bomoseen), located midway between Manchester and Middlebury, and close to Killington.

My guess: Poultney is in a state of transition.  It's becoming home to more and more affluent early retirees, well-educated entrepreneurs, and people looking for a greater "quality of life."  These people will (one hopes) work hard with long-time residents to preserve all that Poultney has going for it, and will at the same time make Poultney a more convenient, more vibrant town.  

Poultney will grow.  More stores will come, more houses will be built, more services and conveniences will be added.  But Poultney will remain Poultney - which is, after all, the best reason to move here.

 

UPDATE: 2003

So what's new since I wrote this page?  Poultney's still Poultney - I'm still glad I live here.  Here are the highlights:

 

UPDATE:  2004

 

I left Poultney in 2004.



 

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