Montpelier, Vermont

Montpelier
State capital city
Vermont State House Main Street in 2022 State Street in 2012 The Pavilion Saint Augustine Church City Hall in 2012 College Hall
Flag Seal Logo
Location in Washington County in Vermont
Show Montpelier Show Vermont Show the United States
Coordinates: 44°15′34″N 72°34′33″W / 44.25944°N 72.57583°W / 44.25944; -72.57583
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Washington
Region	New England
Settled	1787
Incorporated (village)	1818
Incorporated (city)	1895
Named for	Montpellier, France
Government
• Mayor	Jack McCullough[1]
• City Manager	William J. Fraser
Area [2]
• Total	10.25 sq mi (26.54 km2)
• Land	10.05 sq mi (26.04 km2)
• Water	0.19 sq mi (0.50 km2)
Elevation [3]	522 ft (159 m)
Population  (2020)[4]
• Total	8,074
• Density	790/sq mi (300/km2)
Demonym	Montpelierite
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	05601-05604, 05609, 05620, 05633
Area code	802
FIPS code	50-46000[5]
GNIS feature ID	1461834[3]
Interstates
U.S. Highways
State Routes
Website	Official website

Montpelier (/mɒntˈpiːljər/ mont-PEEL-yər)^[6][7] is the capital of the U.S. state of Vermont and the county seat of Washington County. The site of Vermont's state government, it is the least populated state capital in the United States.^[8] As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,074, with a daytime population growth of about 21,000 due to the large number of jobs within city limits.^[9] The Vermont College of Fine Arts is located in the municipality. It was named after Montpellier, a city in the south of France.^[10]

Montpelier was chartered as a town by proprietors from Massachusetts and western Vermont on August 14, 1781, and the Town of Montpelier was granted municipal powers by the "Governor, Council and General Assembly of the Freemen of the State of Vermont".^[11][12] The first permanent settlement began in May 1787, and a town meeting was established in 1791.^[12] The city received a French name because the Franco-American alliance during the Revolutionary War had sparked widespread Francophilia. Montpelier was selected as state capital in 1805, and citizens of the town donated funds to build the first state house.^[13] The legislature chartered the City of Montpelier in 1894, and it was organized at a town meeting the next year.^[13]

Montpelier is in the north-central area of the state.^[14] The Winooski River flows by the south side of the city, passing by the state house and continuing northwest into Chittenden County. The North Branch River, a tributary of the Winooski, also flows through the city. Flooding is a periodic problem in Montpelier, with three serious floods occurring in 1927, 1992, and 2023.^[15] In 1875, fires destroyed 38 buildings in the city, and the commercial area was rebuilt with brick to avoid a repeat of the disaster.^[13] The state government contributes to the city's economy, which also relies on insurance and tourism.^[12] The insurance industry in Montpelier dates back to the early 19th century.^[13] Historically, tradesmen shops and mills along the North Branch also fueled the economy, and sheds for finishing granite from Barre operated along the Winooski.^[13] Ski areas are also located near the city.^[12][16]

Travelers can reach the city via the Amtrak Montpelier station, which is located 2 miles west of the downtown area and offers regular service on the Vermonter train.^[17] Private planes can also use the nearby Edward F. Knapp State Airport in Berlin, Vermont, but the closest commercial air service is via the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 35 miles (56 km) to the northwest.