[luv80s]

Hi.
Can someone give some information about Waterbury Center and the towns surrounding it. Is it a nice place to live or do you recommend other areas? How are the schools? What is there to do? Etc.

Thank you.

[vter]

Waterbury Center is a village within the town of Waterbury. Waterbury has a population of around 5,000. Waterbury is home to many State offices and the State Hospital. Also is home to Ben & Jerry's and GReen Mountain Coffee Roasters.
Stowe is just up the road for skiing, or you've got the Mad River Valley to the south for skiing there as well. Lots of outdoor recreation opportunities beside skiing as well.
Overall, the area is quiet - this is rural Vermont afterall. You're about 1/2 hour to Burlington for it's shopping/entertainment opportunities.
Not sure of the exact name of the school district but the elementary school is in WAterbury, Crossett Brook Middle School just across the river from Waterbury in the town of Duxbury, and Harwood Union High School in South Duxbury. Check out greatschools.net for info.

[harry chickpea]

The center is pretty quiet. The Cold Hollow Cider Mill is there, and once the Waterbury Reservoir is refilled there may be access to it for boating. The primary school is in Waterbury. There is hiking all around the area, deer hunting in the fall, bicycling on the back roads, and I imagine the 4H and scouts are still active. During the winter - when there is snow - there are cross country trails at the Trapp Family Lodge and VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers) has an extensive network of snomobile trails.

Dining out is usually in Waterbury or Stowe and can be very expensive, since the restaurants cater to the tourists. Look for places like the sandwich shop in Morrisville or the Park Diner in Waterbury for more decently priced meals.

Stowe has a small movie theatre, and there may still be an active live theatre group. Shopping is done in Williston or South Burlington, except for groceries. Stowe has stores and there is a new store in Colbyville on the way to Waterbury.

Be aware that route 100 can be a nightmare when the ski season and leaf peeping season are in full swing. It is a country 2 lane road doing 4 lane duty. You'll learn the back roads to avoid it as much as possible.

[square peg]

I think if I lived in Waterbury I'd get my hands on a canoe and check out the Winooski River. Since I already have a good pair of boots, and have put them to work on the Long Trail from Mt. Mansfield to Camel's Hump, I'd highly recommend this hike. Kinda populated on the good days, but hikers are pretty cool people. There are also about a half a dozen good golf courses nearby.

[flu189]

When I moved up here in '05 I gave the Waterbury area a hard look because of its location, but could not find a house on the market that either suited me or what I could afford. The location is great as it puts you within commuting distance of both Montpelier and Burlington. To the south is the Mad River Valley towns of Fayston, Waitsfield, and Warren and to the north is Stowe. These are very scenic towns and also very expensive, but if you can find something in the Waterbury are it puts you close and you also have the Interstate close by. As it turned out I ended up in Hinesburg on the Huntington line and Waterbury is only 18 miles away. The market was very hot in '05 so maybe now it might be better to find houses in that area. One more comment, an above post mentioned using back roads which is a good point. I have a service committment twice a month in Northfield and I exclusively use backroads to get there. Surprisingly it is a shorter route than the highway and it at least to me is very relaxing. Using the backroads to get places up here is a feature that enhances living here. Just make sure you are prepared to deal with a breakdown and always have clothing for the weather in the car.

[harry chickpea]

Yeah, the Winooski can be a fun river to canoe, although it isn't anywhere near as challenging as the Mad River. Start below Middlesex in early summer and drift down through the Pallisades to just above Bolton Falls, portage and continue on down to Richmond before the river gets too lazy and you have to start paddling in earnest.

Both Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump are nice hikes, and the Worcester Mtn range is less travelled.

[luv80s]

Sounds like there is alot of nice outdoor activity there and a good central location. Where are most of the big stores/malls? Are they there in Waterbury or other cities.
I guess the main concern about relocating to Vermont is the cost of living. Houston has a good cost of living and you can buy alot of house for your money here. We have a house (1900sqft) that is close to 30 years old, very good condition, big backyard, great school district with the elementary only 4 blocks away, older but very well maintained and quiet neighborhood and we only paid $127,000 for it. Of course the newer and more expensive neighborhoods are sprouting up everywhere here. I looked at some of the real estate prices around Waterbury and found some nice homes less than $300,000 but it still seems so steep (mainly for the houses that are small). How does anyone afford to live in Vermont??? Sorry I just had to ask

[vter]

Big stores/malls? Nothing in Waterbury, except for the new Shaws Supermarket. You'll have to drive to the Burlington area for malls, big boxes etc. I go to Montreal occasionally to shop or spend a few hours in the suburban malls/big boxes of the Boston area when I am down that way to visit friends for my major shopping.
Berlin (Barre/Montpelier) has a small mall with a Wal-Mart. There is also a Staples & Shaws, but thats about it.
There is not one single Target store in the State. The closest one to Waterbury would be Concord, NH.

[vter]

How do people afford to live here?
For newcomers, you come with a trust fund or savings from making big bucks or real estate in the city. Not always needs to be the case, but it sure helps.
For a lot of native Vermonters, you work a couple jobs to make ends meet.
My DH & I are lucky that we have good paying jobs here and can afford a nice, but small house.
Keep in mind that Waterbury is rural. Except for downtown Waterbury and Waterbury Center village, you're not really going to find "neighborhoods".

[Mustard]

What does "DH" stand for? I have seen that all over. Can never figure it out.