More than a year after OBBBA cut essential healthcare and nutrition programs to provide tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, we took a deep dive into the enrollment data and found that in Vermont, enrollment in Medicaid is declining. Nearly 10,000 Vermonters lost coverage, with more losses expected

Our Quick Guide to SNAP Eligibility and Benefits is now updated for fiscal year 2027, including the latest eligibility rules, benefit amounts, and recent changes to the program: www.cbpp.org/research/foo...

A Quick Guide to SNAP Eligibility and Benefits

A summary of SNAP eligibility and benefit calculation rules that are in effect for federal fiscal year 2026, which began in October 2025.

cbpp.org

Julie’s on her way back from @epi.org EARN CON with lots of new research questions: looks like we may be digging into the privatization of Medicare dollars, changes to data collection in decennial census, fiscal impacts of migration enforcement, and the need for minimum wage increases. Stay tuned.

On average, 7% to 9% of Vermonters lived in poverty between 2023 and 2025 -- 46,000 to 57,000 people, including 9,000 to 11,000 kids. This number likely undercounts the number of Vermonters struggling to make ends meet. Vermont’s Basic Needs Budget thresholds are 2-3x the federal poverty thresholds.

Wondering about the impact of federal actions on the safety and security of Vermonters? You’re not alone. Catch Steph, Julie or Bekah for a conversation about this timely topic in your community. Don’t see a talk near you? Reach out and we’ll get something on the books. publicassets.org/about/events

As the cuts and requirements from OBBBA take effect, nearly 2,000 Vermont kids are no longer receiving SNAP (3SquaresVT). Women who are solo caregivers and their kids are more likely to rely on Medicaid and 3SquaresVT, so changes to these critical programs disproportionately impact them.

Median sales prices are up in Vermont from pre-pandemic levels, but the growth in price varies from a low 38% in Bennington County to a high of 90% in Essex County. Median sale prices in Chittenden County saw growth in the lower end of the spectrum, but remained higher than the rest of the state.

Did you catch our very own Julie Lowell on Moments with Melinda earlier this month? The whole show is worth a watch, but if just have a moment, start with this clip on what it will take to build an equitable society – and we can make that urgent work less daunting.

Our next ED will lead strategy, operations, and fundraising. If you—or someone in your network—thrives at the intersection of research, policy and a deep care for the most vulnerable Vermonters, we'd love to hear from you. Learn more and apply: publicassets.org/about/careers.

As we head into Labor Day weekend, it’s worth noting that most Vermont workers’ pay has not kept pace with productivity. The @epi.org explains that the gap has widened in recent decades because more of the gains have flowed to corporate profits, executives, and shareholders.

Nationally, since the 1970s, more men than women have been in labor unions. But in Vermont, women’s union membership has surpassed men’s for more than 20 years. Vermont ranks 13th in the country for overall union representation.

Cuts to SNAP (3SquaresVT) mean that Vermonters, including many kids, are losing access to essential nutrition, making summer meals programs more important than ever for preventing hunger. For more on speaking up to keep kids fed during this SNAP week of action, visit @hungerfreevt.bsky.social

If you’ve been looking for a new apartment recently, you may have experienced some sticker shock. While there are reports of a cooling market in some areas, in the last 5 years median rent increased by 35%. More than 40% of units cost over $1,500/month in 2024, compared with 15% in 2019.

We are proud to share that Senior Policy Analyst Jack Hoffman was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Graphie” by the State Priorities Partnership of @centeronbudget.bsky.social for his outstanding contributions to the public policy conversation in Vermont – and the country. It’s quite an honor!

Stephen Klein retired from decades of service as the chief fiscal officer of the Vermont Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office (JFO), providing fiscal analysis, budget evaluation, performance oversight and fiscal policy support for the Legislature.

Vermont’s average wage in 2025 was $67,164 annually, well below the U.S. average of $78,722. All of Vermont counties’ average wages also came in below the national average.Where does your county come in?

After more than 14 years, Steve Gold is retiring from the Public Assets Board. During his tenure, we grew from a team of 3 to a team of 7 dedicated to building a Vermont that works for all. Steve plans to get out on the water more with all his new free time.

Wage gains over the past 10 years for the highest earners in Vermont yielded an additional $18,000 per year, while those at the bottom gained only a third as much.

This Juneteenth the Richard Kemp Center is hosting a Block Party with the Root Social Justice Center’s ongoing “I am Vermont Too” project; the Rokeby Museum is offering free admission; VSARN is sharing a series of actions on their social media. This is in not a complete list – please help expand it!

Anika visited the folks at the @theresnoaincreemee.bsky.social Podcast earlier this month to talk about the devastating impact of the federal cuts and the urgent need for the state to act to protect the health and safety of Vermonters.

Whether they hit this fiscal year or in the future, the federal cuts are deep, and the consequences are clear: harm to the most vulnerable and more riches to the rich. And that should be more than enough reason for Vermont policymakers to act.

Progress on Vermont’s gender wage gap is slowing. From 2014 through 2021, women’s median wage grew at 3.5 times the rate of men’s, closing the gender wage gap from 16 cents to just 7 cents per dollar. But between 2021 and 2024, that trend reversed. Men’s wages grew four times as quickly as women’s.

Sometimes the stars align and a press clip just sums up the whole ethos of our work on public education. . . .

There’s been a lot of talk lately about migration in and out of Vermont. The reality is that most Vermonters stay put and the few who do leave, don’t usually go far. But what about the folks coming in? publicassets.org/research-pub...

In addition to limited new construction, other factors are constraining the supply of housing. The 2023 floods permanently destroyed 300 units & temporarily damaged 1,300 more. The increasing number of short-term rental properties is also contributing to the shortage, particularly in certain areas.

Vermont’s public schools provide our kids with much more than reading and math instruction. They offer essential support to give kids a solid foundation for learning, including mental health services. Since the pandemic demand has increased dramatically. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

Before the Covid pandemic, the numbers of Vermont men and women working remotely were roughly the same. During the pandemic, the number of people working from home spiked. But after Covid’s peak, as telework declined, more men than women returned to the office. publicassets.org/research-pub...

While many men returned to the workplace, women kept telecommuting

Before the Covid pandemic, the numbers of Vermont men and women working remotely were roughly the same. This is according to the U.S. Census, which asked how workers usually got to work the week prior...

publicassets.org

We all know the dangers of sharing and using people’s data without their consent. Julie digs into some new state legislation to address some of these issues here and on the blog: publicassets.org/research-pub...

Congress approving funding for DHS and ended the longest partial government shutdown in history on April 30th. Read more: publicassets.org/research-pub...

There are two big policy arguments for a more progressive tax system that have been true for a long time in Vermont – and a third that’s more specific to this moment. Steph breaks down all three reasons (with charts)