[sovertennis]

Bennington resident here. If I had a choice of where to live in VT, I'd look at the areas around Middlebury or Montpelier (though probably not Barre). I go to Rutland often for business and would never consider living there, although it does have a terrific recreation venue called Pinehill Park. The other poster have all covered the issues plaguing Rutland.

[nitelifeguyVT]

Originally Posted by happeemommee

Are you at Vermont Law School? I've always wanted to go there. Thanks for the other suggestions, I will check them out. We're still trying to figure out where we want to be, looking at Bennington, too. Thanks for your help. Have you been In Rutland long? Trying to figure out if Rutland when down hill slowly or if it was abrupt.

I moved there around the end of 2003. I felt it started going downhill around 2005 and by 2007 the neighborhood around State and Pine Sts and northward turned into a "ghetto" landscape. My family and I would take walks in the summer around NW School and the prison area. Was ok in the day but would never do at night. Even my block was quiet for a few years until the slumlords down the street rented to addicts and a few of them tried to break into my apartment on night at 2AM while we were home. I read the writing on the wall and got out soon after. There are better options in Rutland County. Castleton, Fair Haven and Poultney (West side of the county) might work out well if you don't mind the 14-20 mile commute each way to Rutland.

[arctichomesteader]

You can't walk 50 feet in Pine Hill without crossing 1 or more trails. Way too many trails for 300 acres, and I've nearly been hit by bikers out there. Bikers took it over. They've used leaf blowers on the trails, eroding the soil away. To make up for that, they took a small excavator around and dug holes in random spots to get more dirt for the trails. They've made a mess of that place. It was nice when I first came down here, you could go there and really get away from everything, without more than a 15 minute walk through the woods. Not now.

It's funny, driving past the creek trail a couple weeks ago early in the morning on the way to go hunting, near the prison on State St., someone was standing there with a hockey mask on. Just standing there. Kind of strange. I shouldn't be in the Rutland area much longer. Pretty stunning how much worse things have gotten here in just a few years.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

You can't walk 50 feet in Pine Hill without crossing 1 or more trails. Way too many trails for 300 acres, and I've nearly been hit by bikers out there. Bikers took it over. They've used leaf blowers on the trails, eroding the soil away. To make up for that, they took a small excavator around and dug holes in random spots to get more dirt for the trails. They've made a mess of that place. It was nice when I first came down here, you could go there and really get away from everything, without more than a 15 minute walk through the woods. Not now.

It's funny, driving past the creek trail a couple weeks ago early in the morning on the way to go hunting, near the prison on State St., someone was standing there with a hockey mask on. Just standing there. Kind of strange. I shouldn't be in the Rutland area much longer. Pretty stunning how much worse things have gotten here in just a few years.

Hockey Mask? Is this a horror movie
I haven't been to Rutland in many years and it does sound that it has become a good bit worse.

[swanstone1]

As a native from Houston, now living in the NEK....we moved here simply due to the internet accessibility and being able to "work from home". If indeed that is true for you can't you do it from the beaches of Hawaii...(same cost) Vermont will give you a harsh reality check. Things initially seem much cheaper than home, but look at your own individual picture... a luxury we didn't have back home. Property taxes offset with low wages can be a plus, lack of crime (sans Rutland) a plus, ......

Know your reality,not the reality you would like, first and foremost......