Montpelier is located in a picturesque valley along the Winooski River in Central Vermont. The nation's smallest state capital, Montpelier, is located in a picturesque valley along the Winooski River in Central Vermont. Montpelier is also known for its many institutions of higher learning, national insurance company headquarters, and its location in the heart of Vermont ski country.

The city has a healthy business environment. This is a compact city where walking is often the preferred method of transportation. The city's thriving downtown district is on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.

Built around two rivers and surrounded by the forested mountain ranges of Central Vermont, this attractive, historic, and livable New England city boasts a high quality of life. It is able to offer amenities similar to larger cities due to the large influx of people into the city during the workday and the city's position as the state capital.

Approximately 2,300 State employees work in Montpelier, most in the downtown section of the city. The presence of State government has led to a large service and retail industry. Many federal agencies and non-profit agencies are located in Montpelier. The Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (FIRE) sector of the economy is very strong in Montpelier since a number of prominent insurance companies are headquartered here.

Hubbard Park is an 185 acre wilderness in the heart of the city which offers picnicking, hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails. There is the 179 acre North Branch Park is linked by trails to Montpelier's Pool and Recreation Field and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science.

The Winooski River and Wrightsville Reservoir offer excellent canoeing and fishing. And cycling and roller blading are also popular along the local roads and bike paths. For winter fun, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, Inc. (VAST) trail network and other areas offer excellent snowmobiling in and outside of Montpelier.

Snowfall is abundant in Montpelier and makes for great skiing conditions. A fresh snowfall serenely blankets the ground while leaving tufts like cotton on tree branches. Of course, many feet of melting snow combined with dirt roads leads to a "mud season" that is uniquely Vermont. Of course, the fall colors are known worldwide, but other seasons are just as beautiful.

There are good reasons that Vermont has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful places in the world!