What Growing Zone Is Vermont In?
USDA hardiness zones
4b to 6a
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Vermont spans USDA hardiness zone 4b to 6a across its major population centers, according to the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. That's a real range, not a single number: where you fall in it depends on where in the state you actually are.
Find your exact zone
Your USDA hardiness zone
Zone 6b
Avg. annual minimum (°F)
-5°F to 0°F
Avg. annual minimum (°C)
-21°C to -18°C
Nearest reference point: Chicago, IL
This is a regional estimate based on the nearest of 826 reference points, each matched to the official 2023 USDA zone map. It’s accurate to within about a half-zone across most of the country, but elevation shifts zones over short distances, so if you’re in mountainous terrain, check the official USDA map for your exact address (see Sources below).
Vermont's USDA Hardiness Zones
Here's how the zone shifts across Vermont's major cities:
For your exact zone by ZIP code, use the Hardiness Zone Finder, and for what a zone number actually measures (and doesn't), see how zones actually work.
Frost Dates in Vermont
Frost dates track zone, so they shift across Vermont the same way the zone number does:
- Central Vermont (Montpelier) (zone 4): average last frost Apr 23 - May 7, average first frost Sep 23 - Oct 7.
- Southeastern Vermont (Brattleboro) (zone 6): average last frost Mar 29 - Apr 12, average first frost Oct 18 - Nov 1.
These are averages, not guarantees. For your specific frost window, use the Frost Date Calculator. For a full vegetable-by-vegetable planting calendar already calculated from Vermont's frost dates, see the Vermont Planting Calendar.
Lake Champlain provides a real buffering effect for Burlington and other lakeside communities, keeping them roughly one zone warmer than similar-latitude inland areas of Vermont, per UVM Extension.
What Grows Well in Vermont's Zones
A few real, zone-appropriate picks recommended by University of Vermont Extension for Vermont landscapes: not an exhaustive list, but a genuine starting point.
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
- Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
- Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
- American black elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
- New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Ready to find your exact zone? Use the Hardiness Zone Finder: enter your ZIP code for a precise match against the 2023 USDA map.
Vermont Growing Zone FAQ
What growing zone is Vermont in?
Vermont spans USDA hardiness zones 4b to 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Montpelier is zone 4b and Burlington is zone 5a; enter your ZIP code in the Hardiness Zone Finder for your exact zone.
What growing zone is Montpelier, VT?
Montpelier is in USDA hardiness zone 4b on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
What growing zone is Burlington, VT?
Burlington is in USDA hardiness zone 5a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
What growing zone is Brattleboro, VT?
Brattleboro is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 USDA map. Zones within a city can differ by half a zone, so check your ZIP code for an exact match.
Free book · 23 pages, PDF
The Spacing & Planting Cheat Sheet
When to start, when to plant, how far apart.
Sources & further reading
Zone and city data checked against the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Plant recommendations sourced from University of Vermont Extension. Climate note sourced from University of Vermont Extension. For more on how we build and verify reference data across this site, see our methodology page.
Growing zones in nearby states
Gardening near a state line? Zones don't stop at the border:
- New York growing zones
- Massachusetts growing zones
- New Hampshire growing zones
- Pennsylvania growing zones
Or browse all 51 state growing-zone guides.