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Here’s what the numbers say.
by VDC Staff
Based on data analysis by The Mendoza Law Firm
Vermont is known for its rolling green hills, progressive politics, and tight-knit communities. But new data reveals a troubling reality hidden behind that reputation: when it comes to anti-Black hate crimes, no state in the country exposes its Black residents to more risk per capita than Vermont.
A Small Community, an Outsized Burden
Vermont’s Black population is small — roughly 7,316 residents on average over the past several years. That’s fewer people than fill many sports stadiums. Yet between 2021 and 2025, the state recorded an average of 17.6 anti-Black hate crimes per year, according to FBI hate crime data.
The result is a per-capita rate of 240.6 anti-Black hate crimes per 100,000 Black residents — the highest of any state in the country.
To put that in perspective: Oregon ranks second nationally at 121.0 incidents per 100,000 Black residents. That’s less than half Vermont’s rate — and Oregon has more than ten times as many Black residents. Vermont sits nearly 120 points above second place, a gap that reflects how dramatically its small community size amplifies the impact of each incident.
How Vermont Compares to the Rest of the Country
The ten states with the highest rates share one notable feature: relatively small Black populations, where even a handful of incidents per year produces an elevated per-capita figure.
| Rank | State | Avg. Annual Black Population | Avg. Annual Anti-Black Hate Crimes | Rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 7,316 | 17.6 | 240.6 |
| 2 | Oregon | 82,453 | 99.8 | 121.0 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 5,129 | 5.4 | 105.3 |
| 4 | Idaho | 14,937 | 13.6 | 91.0 |
| 5 | Maine | 25,427 | 21.6 | 84.9 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 20,338 | 12.2 | 60.0 |
| 7 | Montana | 5,058 | 2.8 | 55.4 |
| 8 | Hawaii | 27,320 | 15.0 | 54.9 |
| 9 | Washington | 311,435 | 138.4 | 44.4 |
| 10 | Utah | 39,489 | 15.4 | 39.0 |
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer and Missouri Census Data Center
The contrast with states at the other end of the spectrum is even starker. Mississippi ranks last with just 0.9 incidents per 100,000 Black residents — meaning Vermont’s rate is more than 267 times higher. Louisiana and Georgia each sit at 1.7; Florida and Arkansas at 1.6. Even against 46th-ranked Louisiana, Vermont’s rate is nearly 239 points higher.
This is not simply a story of high absolute numbers. Vermont does not record hundreds of hate crimes each year. The story here is one of concentrated risk — what happens when a very small community is targeted repeatedly in a place where that community has little critical mass or political visibility.
The Year-by-Year Picture
Looking at individual years adds texture to the story:
| Year | Anti-Black Hate Crimes | Change from Prior Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24 | — |
| 2022 | 19 | −5 |
| 2023 | 19 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 | −10 |
| 2025 | 17 | +8 |
After peaking at 24 incidents in 2021, Vermont’s annual count dropped steadily — falling 63% to a low of 9 in 2024. That trend might have looked like progress. But 2025 brought the sharpest single-year increase in the five-year period, with eight additional incidents recorded over the prior year.
That rebound warrants attention. Given Vermont’s already high per-capita rate, even a modest increase in the raw number of incidents has an outsized statistical effect on the community’s exposure.
Why Per-Capita Rates Matter
It can be tempting to dismiss small-state figures as statistically insignificant — after all, we’re talking about 17 or 24 incidents in a year, not hundreds. But that framing misses the point.
For Vermont’s roughly 7,300 Black residents, 17 hate crimes in a year is not a small number. It means that in any given year, roughly 1 in every 430 Black Vermonters is directly targeted in a bias-motivated crime. In a small, close-knit community, that’s not a distant statistic — it’s a neighbor, a coworker, a family member.
Per-capita rates exist precisely to make these comparisons fair across populations of different sizes. When we use them, Vermont doesn’t just appear elevated — it stands alone.
About This Data
This analysis was produced by The Mendoza Law Firm, an immigration law practice focused on community advocacy and accessible legal support. The study examined anti-Black hate crime data from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and Black population estimates from the Missouri Census Data Center across all 50 states for the years 2021–2025. States were ranked by average annual hate crimes per 100,000 Black residents. The full research dataset is available here.
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Categories: News Analysis, Race and Division
On page 26 of the guidelines for reporting hate crimes, it is up to the discretion of “an officer to report to the ‘second level judgement officer/unit’. In smaller units this is usually a person specially trained in hate crime matters…”
So let’s say you have a single metropolitan area (Burlington) in a small-population state (VT), that has a police force controlled by a party with an agenda, and that unit is in charge of whether to determine a hate crime has been committed, against whom, and whether to report it to the database. Chicago and DC, for examples, have demonstrated reporting bias.
Other crimes that qualify as reportable include (but are not limited to): Assault, burglary, vandalism, drug offenses, welfare fraud, identity theft, money laundering, flight to avoid prosecution, murder, shoplifting and theft.
Obviously, there’s plenty of room for reporting bias.
What is an immigration law firm doing trolling for hate crime cases? Is the immigration case well drying up? Is Vermont a target rich environment, with plenty of NGO money available to press their “hate crime” cases?
Can we see a cross comparison between the percentage of crimes AGAINST persons of color and the percentage of crimes committed BY persons of color?
It’s more than a little aggravating to be branded as flaming racists, with double the rate of hate crimes per capita, on the basis of these crappy data sets.
Carpetbaggers.
The leftist/liberal/democrat agenda relies on a steady diet of racism and for them the demand always exceeds the supply, so be careful accepting any such statistics that get thrown around. It’s easy to make such accusations in one of the “whitest” states in the country, and one of the most liberal. It would be interesting to see what percentage of violent crimes are perpetrated by “Black” persons per capita to compare to other states, and crimes reported versus adjudicated could be quite different when we have our cadre of leftist prosecutors. When most of the journalists are also part of the liberal agenda, little details like ethnicity and immigration status go conveniently unreported in crime stories.
Granted a high rate but I’ll bet the black on black crime rate is significantly higher as it is in Ohio.
And how many of these black “victims” are here from Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut engaged in the drug trade?
I wonder if what constitutes a hate crime is the same throughout the country. I believe that Vermont has very generous laws around what a hate crime is which could account for some of the difference.
Was this reported as a hate crime? https://vermontdailychronicle.com/janes-revenge-in-burlington-urges-arson-rock-throwing-against-local-pro-life-clinic/
Wondering whether the Southern Poverty Law Center funded the attack on the Pride Center mentioned in the above article to stir division.
Beware of the latest proggy running as state rep– Xavier Stevens… another white boy looking to change Vermont with all the buzzwords like “affordability” and diversity, etc. He’s got a website and a reddit account. Please educate yourselves on this “local” Vermonter, another one “returning” to his “roots,” just like the Newport City mayor… who endorses him.
Xavier’s “goals” and “plans” don’t explain where he will be getting the revenue for his affordability agenda. But he does state that the Newport area, the NEK and Orleans County, need a lot more protests. He proudly attended the various No Kings and the like protests. He also is interested in Mamdani-like property regulations which limit how a homeowner can sell his/her home, and how structures ought to be classified on people’s property. Additionally, he and his support group are vocally and actively practicing “intolerance toward the intolerant.” Again, no details as to whom they consider intolerant, but you can guess it’s an across-the-board group of people they vehemently despise.
Thank you if you post this comment bc it is critically important, and they’ll be using statistics like the one in this article to beat you down with.
RGB, they continue to use Marxist tactics and propaganda against those who believe in the constitution and the greatness of our country and the founding fathers. I believe we are in the beginning stages of another revolution. The two ideologies can not coexist. They have been saying this for two years now. It’s what they mean when they say that the ends justify their means. What they say and what they do never matches. Affordable care act? Equity not equality ect.
As a Black Vermonter, I find this story very disturbing, but not for the reason some may think. After 45 years of living in various parts of our state, my experience has been just the opposite. Vermonter’s, especially rural Vermonters have been friendly, helpful, and very neighborly.
I’m deeply offended by the assertion that my neighbors are racist. This law firm should be ashamed of themselves for this outright lie. I would caution Vermonters to consider what they are actually saying.
The article states that 17 Blacks actually experience ‘race hate’ annually. Consider the number: 17. 17? Are you kidding me? It’s almost statistically irrelevant, and here’s why:
The article claims that of the 7,000 plus Blacks living in this state, 17 have experienced racism. Annually. 17!
Statistics can be manipulated. Statistics can lie. Statistics can be twisted. Statistics can be used to pursue an agenda as is so painfully obvious here.
Vermont is low lying fruit for race-baiting. The small Black population has been twisted, convoluted, and used as a backdrop for claims of racial hostility and I’m sick of it. Living in Vermont is a lifestyle decision. It’s not for everyone. Want proof?
We’re one of 5 states with population under on million.
The five states are:
Wyoming — ~589,000
Vermont — ~645,000
Alaska — ~737,000
North Dakota — ~799,000
South Dakota — ~935,000
If only 17 Blacks experienced racism in the state, we should be proud of that statistical insignificance. But, do you know what is significant? Blacks make up 10% of the state’s incarcerated population, despite being only about 1–1.2% of Vermont’s overall population.
And why is that? Could it be that black criminals from Connecticut, NY State, and Mass never received the memo that Vermont has the highest rate of anti-Black hate crimes in the nation?
We’ve all turned on WCAX and witnessed with horror the decline of our only real city, Burlington and its frightening descent into violence, drug crimes, shootings, gang activity. Law abiding Black Vermonters watch with amazement the amount of out-of-state Blacks being arrested for guns and drug crimes, often shaking our heads in horror.
In raw numbers, we’re talking about roughly 140 Black inmates out of about 1,300–1,500 incarcerated people statewide, not thousands.
I wonder how this law firm would twist these numbers if they had a different agenda? Which reminds me of the old adage. There are three kinds of lies: there are lies, damn lies and statistics. God Bless Vermont.
I find these”statistics” very suspicious.. there is obvious manipulation and agenda driven influences in play here. Create a problem where one does not exist. Statistics can easily be swayed to one side or the other to create a preferred outcome.. I’ve not witnessed any anti black sentiment in my area but have heard plenty of anti liberal disgust due to the direction progressive politicians have taken our state. We really need to have a come to Jesus moment and vote these stooges out!
Did anyone ever notice all of the non white drug dealers from out of state? If not pay attention to who gets arrested for serious drug crimes and murder. Be open minded but pay attention.
The non-white drug dealers from downcountry depend on mostly white local participants to provide a location to set up shop and of course as their customer base. The products typically sell themselves, their very nature having a high “brand loyalty”, which is typically referred to as an “addiction”. But an addiction is still a choice. The mostly white progressive folks in Montpelier make excuses for the addiction by turning it into a victimhood, describing it as a “disease” such as “substance abuse disorder”. This avoids putting any personal responsibility on the users when they shoot up in public, carelessly dispose of needles in public places and commit crimes against the innocent to finance the “management of their disease”. The mostly white progressive folks in Montpelier like to blame the pharmaceutical companies for the bad decisions made by the mostly white junkies so they team up with other states who also do not support the concept of personal responsibility and bring class action lawsuits against those deep pockets of Big Pharma. The proceeds of the lawsuits along with additional tax revenue are used to fund all kinds of wonderful programs to benefit those mostly white folks with the “disease”.
The mostly white progressive folks in Montpelier use some of that money to purchase antidote kits, which save the lives of the mostly white people who overdo it a bit on the street drugs and that puts more money back into the pharmaceutical companies. The pharmaceutical companies then give money in the form of campaign contributions to those mostly white progressive folks in Montpelier to keep that system going and going. It’s really an ebony and ivory situation, just part of celebrating diversity.
Not sure about perceived hate crime in Vermont because Vermont has historically been the state where if you were broke down beside the road someone would stop to help you. Communities in Vermont typically saw the good Samaritan principal in communities after hurricane Irene, where there was no road access into the town nor electricity. How perceptions have changed.
The value of biblical education has been ostracized from public education, therefore the values of the basic 10 Commandments simply haven’t been heard by many people today. What could possibly go wrong? It wasn’t that many years ago that basic Christian traditions in government schools weren’t mocked as they are today. Are we a better state or nation for it? Character can’t be built without the emphasis of accountability to a higher power, loving your neighbor as yourself and when you see something, take action, as we saw in the good Samaritan parable.
Historically in Vermont, character building, respect, and the love for your fellow man were instituted in the household. That was the definition of good parenting skills in America not that many years ago.. In today’s Vermont narrative, marriage isn’t necessarily between a man and a woman. What could possibly go wrong? If there is no honor in marriage, men can go around inseminating women all they want and what you end up with is children that reflect their upbringing and families dependent on state/federal social services, which may explain why the State of Vermont is the largest employer. Actually, why would they ever try to fix it? It’s a self-perpetuating paycheck, if you sit at the right table. (see Washington DC.)
In Vermont, 23% of all households with children are single-parent households. While there is no specific demographic category or official data groupings, the U.S. Census Bureau and state records track single-parent dynamics closely. Out of approximately 63,429 families with children in Vermont, the living situations split as follows:
* Married couples: 68%
* Single parents: The vast majority of single-parent homes in Vermont are run by women.
The vast majority of single-parent homes in Vermont are run by women.
* Single Mothers: 81% of single-parent households
* Single Fathers: 19% of single-parent households
Approximately 62% of Black or African American children live in single-parent households in Massachusetts. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire. This tracks closely to the national single-parent or solo-headed household percentages for Black youth, generally ranging between 55% and 65%, depending on the localized community (e.g., higher concentrations are often seen in urban centers like Hartford or Providence compared to more rural New England towns).
SIDEBAR: Burlington, Winooski, Essex, Colchester and South Burlington are five of the ten largest towns in Vermont whose populations are the least white, with Winooski the lowest at 76.9%, Burlington and Essex at 84.1%, with Colchester next at 87.1%. The other five, Milton, Hartford, Rutland, Bennington and Brattleboro are all over 90% white, with Milton being the whitest at 94.6%.
86% of black households in Chittenden County rent their homes, compared to only 35% of white households. This statistic comes from local equity reports, such as the Chittenden County ECOS progress reviews. This rate is exceptionally high compared to white households in the county, of which 65% are homeowners. According to the same equity data, the median income for Black households in Chittenden County is roughly $36,310, compared to over $79,113 for white households. This severe income gap puts a massive portion of Black renters into the “extremely low-income” bracket, making them highly eligible for assistance programs. In Chittenden County, roughly 5% of the total population lives in subsidized housing, which is the highest rate of any county in Vermont. However, local safety nets are severely strained. Even though a large percentage of Black households qualify for Section 8 vouchers or subsidized apartments, local housing authorities report massive waitlists that span over 15 months, meaning many eligible households remain unassisted.
In the last 50 years thousands of people have moved to Vermont from suburban metropolitan areas, fleeing what they viewed as black crime. In those metropolises, where people were living on top of each other, the seeds of Jim Crow-racial hostility burned. Some of these transplants were soft-segregationists. Lots of these new Vermonters arrived in Chittenden county back when there was some serious jobs to be had. In 1975, the top five largest employers in Chittenden County, were IBM, General Electric, the University of Vermont, the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, and the State of Vermont (or local public school systems depending on how public sectors are grouped). During the mid-1970s, the county was experiencing a massive industrial and suburban boom. Manufacturing and institutional services completely dominated the local economy. Let us not forget that Vermont was still considered a Republican stronghold ….
SIDEBAR 2.0: Vermont was one of only two states (along with Maine) to vote against Franklin D. Roosevelt in all four of his landslide presidential victories. Between 1856 and 1988, Vermont voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every single election except for one (1964). By 1975, the state was in the middle of a major political shift, even though it still leaned heavily Republican overall. In 1974, Patrick Leahy won a seat in the U.S. Senate. When he took office in 1975, he became the first Democrat ever elected to the U.S. Senate from Vermont. In 1975, Democrat Timothy J. O’Connor was chosen as the Speaker of the State House. By 1976, Democrats won a majority in the State House for the first time. Democrat Tom Salmon was serving as governor in 1975 after winning a surprising upset victory …..
But wait, we have to include the transients pouring in ….. many who didn’t leave.
During the 1980–1981 academic year, UVM enrolled 7938 undergraduate students. Leading up to its famous 1986 designation as a “Public Ivy,” UVM maintained a split where Vermont residents usually made up around 50% to 60% of the population, leaving out-of-state students at roughly 40% to 50%.
Then the Democrat floodgates opened! In 1980, the state of Vermont provided about 49% of the funding for the Vermont state college system (you remember Castleton, Lyndon and Johnson?) which kept tuition relatively accessible for locals compared to later decades when dwindling state funding forced UVM to aggressively recruit higher-paying out-of-state students.
In today’s Chittenden County, approximately 75% to 80% of all college students come from out of state. Vermont routinely leads the nation for having the highest share of out-of-state students. This trend is heavily concentrated in Chittenden County, which holds the state’s largest institutions. While exact aggregate county-level data encompassing all part-time graduate students is not published in a single metric. Across the county, undergraduate student bodies are overwhelmingly non-Vermonters (averaging over 80% out-of-state). Graduate programs lean much closer to a 50/50 split because many local adults enroll part-time for master’s degrees while working in the area. Public and private colleges in the area actively recruit out-of-state undergraduate students. This strategy helps offset frozen in-state tuition rates and addresses the small, shrinking population of local Vermont high school graduates.
Remember the old adage: you can’t have there come here without here becoming there ….?
If Vermont has the highest rate of anti-Black hate crimes in the nation, let’s remember who brought us to the dance. The Democratic Party is defined by systemic racial bias. Conversely, defenders, progressives, mainstream historians, liberal universities, and the mainstream media argue that the party underwent a fundamental realignment in the mid-20th century to become a champion of civil rights. Really?
Can you say, “from the river to the sea“ Columbia University?
So now that Vermont has done the big ‘180’ degree turn in the last 51 years, the following is an incomplete list on the foundation of Democrat party:
The Party’s Antebellum Defense of Slavery
Creation of Jim Crow Laws and Black Codes
Historical Ties to the Ku Klux Klan
Opposition to Early Civil Rights Legislation
Implementation of Identity Politics
Support for Affirmative Action and Equity Policies
Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations
Treatment of Black Conservatives
Opposition to School Choice
The 1994 Crime Bill and Mass Incarceration
Of course, with the expulsion of the 10 Commandments came the hijacking of the rainbow by the LGBTQIA+2SP Non-Binary Ally.
1 in every 430 Black Vermonters is directly targeted?
In Chittenden County maybe, Democrats creating racism.
Worthy of a stand-alone commentary.