Residents in NEK bear a higher energy burden than the rest of the state

A recent report from Efficiency Vermont shows residents in the Northeast Kingdom, on average, bear a higher energy burden than the rest of the state. The 2023 Vermont Energy Burden Report, the third such report issued by Efficiency Vermont, says NEK residents spend a greater percentage of their household income on transportation, electricity and heating fuel than the rest of the state. The cause is more a reflection of the NEK having lower income levels and not necessarily higher energy use than the rest of the state, however, the report’s authors hope the data will help guide future programs and policies to better address the energy burden inequity. Of the top 10 towns with the highest energy burden, six are in the NEK and there are 23 NEK towns that rank higher than the statewide average of spending 11% of income on energy, with most of the remaining NEK towns at or near the average.