Census: More Vermonters are leaving the country for the city

In Vermont, more and more country bumpkins are turning into city slickers.

According the latest U.S. Census data, there's been a shift of people leaving residential communities and moving to the inner dwellings of the city.

"There has been a very definite trend in people's attitudes toward favoring compact development and a willingness to live there," said John Ewing in an interview with the Burlington Free Press. Ewing is the founder of Smart Growth Vermont, which promotes homeownership in developments rather than outlying areas.

The cities receiving the largest rate of growth were Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski.

Certain counties are growing more than others, such as Chittenden County, and cities like Burlington are now growing after an extended period of time of negative growth, according to the paper.

Overall, the Census found the state's population is growing, but three counties had negative growth when compared to 2000, those being Rutland, Windsor and Essex.

An Atlas Van Lines migration patterns study released earlier this year found the state saw relatively little change in people moving to Vermont in 2010 compared to those leaving.