BBF partnered with the RAPID Survey Project at Stanford University to ask Vermont families: What does daily life actually look like? The answer, for too many families, is that daily life is hard.
This 2026 fact sheet from RAPID—based on responses from 869 Vermont parents of children under age 6—finds that 44% struggled to afford at least one basic necessity between January and June 2025. That includes utilities, housing, food, healthcare, and child care.
While low-income families are affected the most, families are struggling across the income spectrum:
- 77% of lower-income families reported material hardship
- 30% of middle-income families struggled to afford basic needs
- 38% of higher-income Vermont families reported financial strain
- Utilities were the most common pressure point—nearly one in three families had difficulty paying energy bills—followed by housing and food
