Groundwork

Market rankings · Vermont

Sit-down restaurants in Vermont

Markets across Vermont ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
1,484
221 chain locations (15%)
Official establishments
595
−8.9% since 2019
Household spending a year
$1.1B
On food away from home
Listings per 10k households
54.3
11% below the U.S.
Spending per listing
$739K
11% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#29 of 51
Market score 45 · Lower middle

A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in Vermont by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,484 sit-down restaurants in Vermont. Chain locations make up 15% of them, against 29% across the U.S. That comes to 54.3 for every 10,000 households, 11% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.

Households in Vermont spend about $1.1B a year on food away from home, or $4,013 per household, in line with the U.S. average. That is about $739K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 11% above the U.S. figure of $664K. That spending covers all food away from home, which sit-down restaurants share with other businesses in the trade.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in Vermont was 595 in 2023, down 8.9% from 2019. That is one for every 460 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 1.5% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 34 SBA-backed loans worth $6.1M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in Vermont.

Among the 50 states and DC, Vermont ranks #29 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 45 (lower middle). The one scored metro area in or partly in Vermont, the Burlington-South Burlington metro area, scores 61. Of the 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in Vermont, the Barre area scores highest (56).

Every market in Vermont for sit-down restaurants

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Vermont, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching Vermont, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Burlington-South Burlington, VT6150453.3$807K+0.9%#105 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Vermont, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Barre, VT5613953.8$750K−0.2%#204 of 538
Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT5650454.9$743K+1.5%#205 of 538
2Bennington, VT339966.1$584K−1.8%#440 of 538
3Rutland, VT3016464.8$563K−1.4%#464 of 538
4Brattleboro, VT2914070.8$534K−1.4%#470 of 538

Counties

Counties in Vermont, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Orange County, VT813527.5$1.4M+2.4%#104 of 2,405
2Franklin County, VT766733.6$1.2M+2.3%#218 of 2,405
3Addison County, VT745134.1$1.2M+1.8%#260 of 2,405
4Caledonia County, VT575441.2$887K+0.8%#851 of 2,405
5Orleans County, VT535142.2$862K+0.7%#1,025 of 2,405
6Chittenden County, VT5042559.5$740K+0.4%#1,167 of 2,405
7Washington County, VT4913953.8$750K−0.2%#1,219 of 2,405
8Windsor County, VT4313955.0$730K−0.7%#1,485 of 2,405
9Bennington County, VT289966.1$584K−1.8%#2,108 of 2,405
10Lamoille County, VT2810184.7$462K+1.4%#2,133 of 2,405
11Rutland County, VT2516464.8$563K−1.4%#2,198 of 2,405
12Windham County, VT2414070.8$534K−1.4%#2,223 of 2,405
Grand Isle County, VTNot scored1238.2$1.2M+3.2%
Essex County, VTNot scored724.8$1.3M+2.2%

Markets with fewer than 5 sit-down restaurants on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many sit-down restaurants are in Vermont?

There are 1,484 sit-down restaurants on map listings in Vermont as of September 2026. 221 of them (15%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 595 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, down 8.9% from 2019. Official counts also show 73 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Vermont spend on food away from home?

About $1.1B a year, or $4,013 per household. That is in line with the U.S. average (an index of 99, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,484 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $739K per restaurant. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants. It is estimated from the incomes of the 273,416 households in Vermont and national spending patterns by income.

How does Vermont compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?

Vermont has 54.3 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 11% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $739K, 11% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the national ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, Vermont would have about 1,653, against 1,484 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 460 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count fell 8.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.

Which market in Vermont has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?

The one scored metro area in or partly in Vermont is the Burlington-South Burlington metro area, at 61 (upper middle). Among 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in Vermont, the Barre area scores highest, at 56 (upper middle). Among 12 scored counties in Vermont, Orange County scores highest, at 81 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Vermont scores 45 for sit-down restaurants (lower middle), #29 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Vermont. It maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Sit-down restaurants in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in Vermont

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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.