A Vermont snow load map is available as a printable graphic. (It opens in a separate window.)
Before you build
know the snow in your area
Use this information as a guide in constructing a building that will hold up for many years in our rugged climate.
Using the listing below or the pop-up map, find your county, then your town, to learn your local snow loads. Your building's roof load rating should well exceed your town's expected loads; we recommend a safety margin of at least 10 lbs/sq. ft, and more if local conditions warrant.
Ensure your builder and rafter manufacturer are aware of this information and supply properly rated roof trusses. If a building is properly designed and constructed for your location, concerns about collapse should be rare.
Towns by county
Addison | Bennington | Caledonia | Chittenden
Essex | Franklin | Grand Isle | Lamoille | Orange
Orleans | Rutland | Washington | Windham | Windsor
Addison County
40 lbs/sq ft: Addison, Bridport, Ferrisburgh, New Haven, Orwell, Panton, Shoreham, Vergennes, Waltham, Weybridge
50 lbs/sq ft: Bristol, Cornwall, Leicester, Middlebury, Monkton, Salisbury, Starksboro, Whiting
60 lbs/sq ft: Goshen, Granville, Hancock, Lincoln, Ripton
Bennington County
40 lbs/sq ft: Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury
50 lbs/sq ft: Arlington, Dorset, Manchester, Rupert, Sandgate, Sunderland
70 lbs/sq ft: Glastenbury, Landgrove, Peru, Readsboro, Searsburg, Stamford, Winhall, Woodford
Caledonia County
50 lbs/sq ft: Barnet, Ryegate, Waterford
60 lbs/sq ft: Burke, Concord, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, Kirby, Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Wheelock
Chittenden County
40 lbs/sq ft: Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Milton, Shelburne, South Burlington, Williston, Winooski
50 lbs/sq ft: Hinesburg, Jericho, Richmond, St. George, Westford
60 lbs/sq ft: Bolton, Buel's Gore, Huntington, Underhill
Essex County
60 lbs/sq ft: all towns -- Averill, Avery's Gore, Bloomfield, Brighton, Brunswick, Canaan, Concord, East Haven, Ferdinand, Granby, Guildhall, Lemington, Lewis, Lunenburg, Maidstone, Norton, Victory, Warner's Grant, Warren's Gore
Franklin County
40 lbs/sq ft: Georgia, Highgate, St. Albans City, St. Albans Town, Swanton
50 lbs/sq ft: Bakersfield, Berkshire, Enosburg, Fairfax, Fairfield, Fletcher, Franklin, Montgomery, Richford, Sheldon
Grand Isle County
40 lbs/sq ft: all towns -- Alburg, Grand Isle, Isle la Motte, North Hero, South Hero
Lamoille County
60 lbs/sq ft: Belvidere, Cambridge, Eden, Elmore, Hyde Park, Johnson, Waterville, Wolcott
70 lbs/sq ft: Morristown, Stowe
Orange County
50 lbs/sq ft: Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Tunbridge, Washington, West Fairlee, Williamstown
60 lbs/sq ft: Corinth, Topsham, Vershire
Orleans County
50 lbs/sq ft: Albany, Brownington, Charleston, Coventry, Derby, Holland, Irasburg, Morgan, Newport, Newport City, Troy
60 lbs/sq ft: Barton, Craftsbury, Glover, Greensboro, Jay, Lowell, Westfield, Westmore
Rutland County
40 lbs/sq ft: Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Proctor, West Haven, West Rutland
50 lbs/sq ft: Brandon, Clarendon, Danby, Hubbardton, Ira, Middletown Springs, Pawlet, Pittsford, Poultney, Rutland City, Rutland Town, Sudbury, Tinmouth, Wallingford, Wells
60 lbs/sq ft: Mt. Holly, Pittsfield
70 lbs/sq ft: Chittenden, Killington, Mendon, Mt. Tabor, Shrewsbury
Washington County
50 lbs/sq ft: Barre, Barre City, East Montpelier, Marshfield, Middlesex, Montpelier, Plainfield
60 lbs/sq ft: Berlin, Cabot, Calais, Duxbury, Moretown, Northfield, Roxbury, Waterbury, Woodbury, Worcester
70 lbs/sq ft: Fayston, Waitsfield, Warren
Windham County
50 lbs/sq ft: Athens, Brattleboro, Brookline, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Putney, Rockingham, Townshend, Vernon, Westminster
60 lbs/sq ft: Halifax, Newfane, Marlboro, Whitingham, Wilmington, Windham
70 lbs/sq ft: Dover, Jamica, Londonderry, Somerset, Stratton, Wardsboro
Windsor County
50 lbs/sq ft: Chester, Hartford, Hartland, Norwich, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, Windsor
60 lbs/sq ft: Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Ludlow, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Stockbridge, Woodstock
70 lbs/sq ft: Plymouth, Weston
This information is of a general nature and should be used as such, as average and extreme conditions can vary widely even within townships.