Westford

Chartered in 1763, Westford is a Chittenden County town that has maintained its rural character even as the greater Burlington area has grown around it. The town common, anchored by a white brick meetinghouse and a general store, is one of the most photographed village greens in northern Vermont. The Westford School, a small local elementary school, sits just off the common.

With a population of about 2,145, Westford has grown as families seek affordable land within commuting distance of Burlington and Essex. The landscape is a mix of working farms, residential properties, and wooded hills. The Browns River flows through town, and the surrounding terrain offers good hiking and cross-country skiing. Town meeting each March is the annual gathering where residents set budgets and elect officers — a tradition that Westford has maintained since its founding, even as the community evolves around it.