Common Sense Radio: Vermont’s Demographic and Economic Challenges with Kevin Chu
Wednesday, September 30, 2026, on Common Sense Radio with Bill Sayre, weekdays, 11 o’clock till Noon.
Kevin Chu, of the Vermont Futures Project, joins Bill to discuss the key demographic and economic challenges facing Vermont, the factors behind those challenges, and recommendations to create opportunity and prosperity, by making Vermont more affordable for Vermont families, particularly young families; and by making Vermont more competitive as a place where entrepreneurs and other businesses want to grow, invest, and hire.
Potential Questions and Issues
How would you describe the key demographic challenges facing Vermont? Population declines — particularly in young families, the working age population, the birthrate and fertility rate, household size, the school population, and in rural communities. And, largely by implication, an increasing median age, and in the proportion of population 65 years of age, and older.
What are the implications of these demographic trends for the Vermont economy? Workforce and the ability of Vermont businesses to find employees to help the business accomplish its mission. And therefore the implication for capital investment, tax payments on business activity, and increasing tax revenue without raising tax rates.
Stress on rural hospitals and rural schools, as overhead must be covered by a decreased customer base. What are the implications — specialization for rural hospitals; greater choice for families in rural communities.
Vermont’s birthrate is the lowest since before the Civil War. And the fertility rate is the lowest of any State in the nation. And it appears that our population is in decline. Some might say that if our population is declining, why do we require more housing units? What is the connection of this to Vermont’s declining household size?
What are the implications for housing construction — single family, condos. vs. apartments; locations. Is there a mismatch between house locations and sizes available vs. locations and sizes in demand?
What should we know about housing construction and sales? Housing starts, both single family and multi-family, compared with earlier years? Home and condo sales? Volume and prices, as compared with earlier years?
What is the connection between transportation and housing location and cost?
What is the role of energy cost in housing costs, along with property taxes, in the affordability of housing in Vermont? What factors make the cost of constructing housing in Vermont so high? Act 250 restrictions, and duplication of Agency of Natural Resources permits, and of local permit regulations. What are we to make of the estimate by, I believe, the National Homebuilder Association, that regulation adds $174,000 to the cost of a new home?
What is the effect of improved technology in communication, such as high quality internet connections, and housing demand? Where and what type? Will this allow us to capitalize on Vermont’s advantages, such as natural beauty and rural lifestyle.
What is economic momentum, how do we measure it, and how does Vermont rank in comparison with other States? What factors cause our ranking to be so low? What policies must change if we are to improve our ranking? How does our measure of economic momentum compare with other measures of Vermont’s economic and tax competitiveness — such as that of the Tax Foundation?
Why is economic growth important to the well being of Vermont? Why is it important for Vermont government to live within its means?
