Essex Junction

On July 1, 2022, Essex Junction became Vermont's newest city after voters approved separation from the town of Essex, ending 130 years as an incorporated village within the larger town. The split was driven by long-standing differences in priorities between the densely settled village and the more rural outer town — differences over infrastructure spending, zoning, and governance that had simmered for decades.

Essex Junction's roots go back to the 1850s, when it became a railroad junction connecting Burlington to points east and south. That transportation hub created a walkable village center with shops, restaurants, and civic buildings clustered near the tracks. Today about 10,600 people live in the city, making it Vermont's fifth-largest municipality. The Champlain Valley Exposition fairgrounds host the annual Champlain Valley Fair, one of the state's biggest summer events. As a new city, Essex Junction now has its own city council and municipal government, a modern chapter in a community that has always had a strong sense of its own distinct identity.